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A Gump dared to ask the question on a Tide board: Have Alabama and UGA Swapped Places From Five Or So Years Ago?

kckd

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Aug 8, 2001
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"We took two years off" Gump:
While UGA fans walk around like roosters, their success came at a time when, for some reason known but to Saban, Bama was dragging the anchor of Bill O'Brien and Pete Golding around. I have no idea why Coach Saban demands players act like a champion in everything they do, yet accepted these two fugitives from competence putting such a mediocre product on the field year after year.
UGA was the main beneficiary of that decision.

"If you go way back and include the Richt years, then no" Gump: We are good. We have as much talent and I now think our coaching is on par with their staff. Remember UGA is 1-7 in their last 8 games against us so I am not going to say they have taken us over.

Master of the stages of grief Gump:
I’m not sure this answers your question, but GA is the premier team/program in the country right now.

They dethroned us two years ago and followed that up with a completely dominant season and second straight national title.

They are the odds on favorite to win it all again this year, whereas it’s reasonable to consider us as a possible playoff contender.

It’s GA’s world right now.

Makes me want to puke, but it is what it is.

"It's not them, it's us." Gump: We dethroned ourselves with mistakes we made. They look like the same team they have always been under Kirby before 2021. We are the ones who changed, not them. The good news is Saban has seemed to recognize this and is taken action to fix it.

"KIrby may just be Dabo. It's just when he says "God" he puts a four letter word after it" Gump:
It depends on how you define "place." If place is:
  • Reigning national champion, yes
  • Multiple titles in a recent short span, yes
  • Winner of most recent head-to-head with Alabama, yes
  • Continued excellence over time despite player and coordinator turnover, no
All of these things except the final one described Clemson in 2019. Now they're a train wreck. I am not saying UGa can't supplant Alabama (and sooner or later it is historically almost certain that someone will). UGa is (are? I kid I kid) as close to doing so as anyone has been, but they haven't fully done so until both they meet the final criterion AND we fail to continue to meet it. The next couple of seasons will be critical in that determination...

"I used "ifs" and "buts" with UGA and I didn't even mention Jameson" Gump: You can say dominant but they very well could have lost to Mizzou and they should have lost to OSU last year. If OSU makes that FG as time expired this would not be a thread.

Gracious in defeat Gump:
Please don’t do that. Give them their props and their (earned on the field) respect so that our fan base doesn’t sound like all of the other fan bases. We’re all better than that.

Like it or not ( and I don’t)…they’ve earned it by being the best.

Rebellious peasant Gump:
Don't do what???
I didn't not give them their props. They took advantage of our mistakes. I am not talking about the 2021 national title game; I am talking about the mistakes we have made as a program. Good for them, that's what they should do as a rival program. I just find it puke inducing when fans talk about them like they are unbeatable. when Alabama literally beat them by 3 scores two out of the last three times, they have played Georgia.

I'll give them their props, but I am not kissing any rings.

Eyes wide open Gump:
Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Same could be said for us the year we were on the outside looking in only to be saved by Okie State soiling the sheets. They win that game and we don't even get a shot.

It’s not uncommon for great teams to have close shaves or need help to win titles.

Back to back champs and entering the new season as the undisputed #1 team.

They are the top team over the last 2 seasons.

To me it’s not really even debatable.

"They ain't played nobody, Pawl" Gumps:
1-All due respect but they would not have the success they have seen if there were in the Western Division. We remain far superior in so many ways. Once the conference gets rearranged they will struggle with two loss seasons on a regular basis.

2-They get the benefit of being in the SEC Least. Put them in the west, none of this ever happens.


"Noah, we've seen it rain before." Gump: We’ve won what 6 titles over the last 15 years. Georgia has won 2 over 40 years. If we go another 7-8 years not winning a title with a 1-7 record against Georgia, and they pile the championships up during that period I’ll say we flipped. Until then they are just another Clemson or lsu.

"I can dream, can't I?" Gump:
I would love to see them end up like Florida and Meyer. Won 2 titles in 3 years and then we made their hero cry on the sidelines in the sec championship game and they never recovered.
Not to say they will take the Florida route quite frankly it’s unlikely but man would it be sweet to watch that arrogant fan base have to eat that humble pie.


"But we didn't have Jameson, Pawl" Gump:
They get credit for taking advantage of the circumstances, because is Jameson doesn’t get hurt Alabama wins.

Don’t believe me? Watch the two teams play a month before to see. That’s the difference between Alabama and Texas, there’s actual proof of what happened if our guy hadn’t got hurt.

"UGA played a secret game vs. Alabama in 2022 that only us insiders know about" Gump: Kirby is 1-4 against Bama. Let’s try to maintain some perspective. The national championship still goes through Tuscaloosa, in one way or another.

"I'm claiming Marvin Harrison Jr. by proxy" Gump: That, and also Georgia probably doesn't beat Ohio State in the semifinal last season if Marvin Harrison doesn't get hurt. Without those injuries Georgia is still looking for a championship.

Fanbase dysphoria Gump:
I don’t like the king talk, and I despise arrogance and smack talk.

I also take a dim view of refusing to give even your most bitter rivals their due when they are on top.

I can’t stand some of the most formidable people I deal with in my industry, but I acknowledge how darned good they are, and when they get the better of me I reflect on how I can do better the next time we meet, I don’t waste time coming up with reasons to convince myself that they aren’t as good as they really are.

"They just did what we, Clemson, Ohio State, couldn't. That don't mean they as good" Gump: I think what I was trying to get across is they just don't strike me as the boogeyman that spurrier/urban Meyers Florida were to me or Auburn in Jordan hare every other year or even Clemson when they were deep into Deshaun Watson/Trevor Lawarence sign stealing era. I'll give them their Credit. They put together a very formidable program. I am more interested in Alabama doing what Alabama needs to do to get out of this rut. (Which i think they will). Not so much who is "King" Right now.

"We fixed it boys. Got an average Notre Dame's offensive coordinator, a DC Saban previously demoted after the 2007 season, and Notre Dame's backup QB. We back!" Gump: To heck with Georgia! When you start worrying about others you aren’t focusing on you. I think Alabama took steps to get back to the Bama standard. Tennessee, LSU, Georgia and everybody else has been focusing on Bama all this time. It’s part of our mystique. It’s still our hill. You can believe it or leave it along but Alabama will play for the national title this year.

Take your medicine Gump: Yes they have passed us. UGA is the premier program in college football right now, they have back to back Nattys to prove it (sorry could not resist the urge). Excuses are a dime a dozen and don't mean squat until you beat them on the field.

"Georgia is old news now that they have players that leave after three years. Tennessee is worrisome." Gump:
I've noted that Coaches hit a sweet spot when the program is full of young talent with older plucky grinders who serve great leadership. When the seemingly less talented older players are replaced by more talented players who plan to 3&out the assumption is the program will continue to climb, but somehow the opposite happens. I think we have certainly seen this happen to us, we've seen it happen to Clemson, and this might be the year you see it with UGA.

Tennessee might be the one to worry about in the future.


"Late to the party" Gump: Have we as a fan base arrived at a point yet where our favorite team , other than Bama, is whoever`s playing UGA? Living here in Georgia, I`m there.
 
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