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I Am Blacked Out
I am going to take a different, possibly unpopular, view here.
I am tired of the black jerseys. I know times change, and, as they say "we must change with them," but I ask these questions. Did Hershel Walker ever wear a black UGA jersey? No. Did the Dawgs win their national championship of 1980 in black jerseys? No.
So I say let's get back to the red and the tradition. If you are one of those fans that think black jerseys had anything to do with winning or losing, then come back to earth. Oh, it was exciting last year when the Dawgs ran out in the black and beat Auburn. But the Dawgs were a much better team. They won the Sugar Bowl in black jerseys in January, but let's face it. They could have beaten Hawaii in helmets and shorts.
This brings me to superstitions and stupid things we do to try to help the team win. I present as my evidence the story of my son, Chris.
Chris, like his brother Matt, is a diehard Dawg. He helps us here at the GBRN on game days by recording post-game sound for this website.
When it comes to being a son and a young man, Chris is great.
When it comes to being a superstitious fan, Chris is a nincompoop.
And here's the story. On Saturday, the Dawg Walk was incredible. The biggest I have ever seen. Chris has this "thing" where he has to be on the SAME SIDE of the Dawg Walk each game or somehow the Dawgs might lose. On Saturday, he had trouble getting on that SAME SIDE. So as the event was beginning, he ran...he tried to take a shortcut...and fell. Chris tore up his face, broke his cellphone, and yes, fractured his right foot.
Oh, Chris got on that SAME SIDE alright. But the Dawgs still lost.
Afterwards, I asked him what he thinks now about getting on the SAME SIDE of the Dawg Walk each week.
"It probably would have worked if I had not fallen down," he said.
Some kids never learn.
If you are one of the fans like Chris who think you must go through the same routine every week, or think the Dawgs draw some mystical power from black jerseys, or think that some higher power is looking down on your team, let me close this blog with a sharp reality check.
The team who wins the battle at the line of scrimmage is going to win the game. That's why Alabama won, and we lost.
I am tired of the black jerseys. I know times change, and, as they say "we must change with them," but I ask these questions. Did Hershel Walker ever wear a black UGA jersey? No. Did the Dawgs win their national championship of 1980 in black jerseys? No.
So I say let's get back to the red and the tradition. If you are one of those fans that think black jerseys had anything to do with winning or losing, then come back to earth. Oh, it was exciting last year when the Dawgs ran out in the black and beat Auburn. But the Dawgs were a much better team. They won the Sugar Bowl in black jerseys in January, but let's face it. They could have beaten Hawaii in helmets and shorts.
This brings me to superstitions and stupid things we do to try to help the team win. I present as my evidence the story of my son, Chris.
Chris, like his brother Matt, is a diehard Dawg. He helps us here at the GBRN on game days by recording post-game sound for this website.
When it comes to being a son and a young man, Chris is great.
When it comes to being a superstitious fan, Chris is a nincompoop.
And here's the story. On Saturday, the Dawg Walk was incredible. The biggest I have ever seen. Chris has this "thing" where he has to be on the SAME SIDE of the Dawg Walk each game or somehow the Dawgs might lose. On Saturday, he had trouble getting on that SAME SIDE. So as the event was beginning, he ran...he tried to take a shortcut...and fell. Chris tore up his face, broke his cellphone, and yes, fractured his right foot.
Oh, Chris got on that SAME SIDE alright. But the Dawgs still lost.
Afterwards, I asked him what he thinks now about getting on the SAME SIDE of the Dawg Walk each week.
"It probably would have worked if I had not fallen down," he said.
Some kids never learn.
If you are one of the fans like Chris who think you must go through the same routine every week, or think the Dawgs draw some mystical power from black jerseys, or think that some higher power is looking down on your team, let me close this blog with a sharp reality check.
The team who wins the battle at the line of scrimmage is going to win the game. That's why Alabama won, and we lost.
What others are saying
- Agreed!Tony, I keep trying to tell my son the exact same thing! What is with kids thinking they know everything? My son went and fractured his wrist, at his high school's football game no less, for a similar reaosn. It set him back from playing with the school's baseball team and he still thinks he was in the right.
I think last year the black out was great for the DAWGS! It was a true motivation boost. This year, not so much. Why did we need a boost at the beginning of the season? I understand, if we had gone undefeated and had GA TECH standing in our way of perfection, to do a blackout then. Anything to smear the ego of those Techies with our boot a bit more. But really? The black out wasn't necessary at all. A Saturday night game in Athens can send chills down anyone's spine, black out or not.
The game was lost in the trenches, as all games are decided. Make no mistake, a whooping like that ain't the doings of superstition but of being simply out-played.
Be sure to love tap the cast of your son's foot to remind him that one needs to know better. That drove my son nuts!
Also, I can only assume that the woman who posted the other commment is your wife. I say that only because my wife gave me a similar tongue lashing when I got on my son about his "misfortune." My sympathy good sir. Keep up the blogs! Read'em every week! - this articleAnd you think this is going to change the way they think? Yeah. I can see/hear it now: "Thanks Dad for your insight, your profound perspective, knowledge of the game.... Oh wise and wonderful father, speaker of truth and common sense....
You are WRONG! It had EVERYTHING to do with Black Jerseys, me being at the game, wearing my black T-shirt, being on the right side of the Dawg Walk...."
Tony, it's Reality Check Time: Most, if not all, diehard sports fans suffer from 'Superstitious-itis', especially your devoted sons!
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