Bishop Media Sports Network
Tail-Gate Time
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The annual Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville is widely regarded as the ultimate tailgating event in the country, surpassing even the most celebrated sporting events.
Once known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” this pre-game celebration transcends traditional tailgating, turning into a multi-day festival of food, drinks, and camaraderie between two of college football’s most passionate fanbases: the Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators.
Tailgating for the Georgia-Florida game begins almost a full week before kickoff. Fans start arriving in RVs, buses, and other vehicles days before kickoff, setting up camp in various lots around Jacksonville’s EverBank Field.
By Wednesday, the first official RV lots open, and the party kicks into high gear, lasting through Saturday’s game.
Fans drive golf carts decked out in team colors, move between lots to socialize, and stock up on supplies like champagne for gameday mimosas.
Police officers and city officials embrace the event, recognizing its massive economic impact on Jacksonville, while tolerating the raucous behavior of nearly 100,000 attendees.
The scale of the event is mind-boggling. RV lots cater to every type of tailgater, from the all-out party enthusiasts to families seeking a quieter experience.
Tailgating setups are often elaborate, with some fans renting train cars or docking yachts along the nearby St. Johns River for a “boatgating” experience.
The floating tailgates offer a more refined experience, often featuring gourmet options like pickled-okra deviled eggs and oyster tacos, accompanied by drinks such as grapefruit-rosemary mimosas.
The river itself plays a key role in the event, with slips at the Metropolitan Park Marina booking up within seconds once they’re available in early September.
While the game takes place on Halloween weekend, the tailgating scene also embraces the holiday spirit, with lots decorated in spooky themes and children trick-or-treating among the RVs on Friday night.
Families and friends gather year after year, creating traditions that are passed down through generations. For some fans that have attended the tailgating festivities for decades, the event is almost like a family reunion where memories are constantly made and new experiences are discovered.
One of the most impressive aspects of the tailgating event is the mostly peaceful coexistence between two bitter football rivals. Despite the intensity of the Georgia-Florida rivalry, fans from both sides share food, drinks, and good-natured banter, with little to no hostility.
The atmosphere remains one of mutual respect, making the tailgate an enjoyable experience for everyone involved, regardless of which team wins.
The Georgia-Florida game, held at a ‘neutral site’ in Jacksonville since 1933, has evolved into a hallmark of college football culture, representing the best aspects of tailgating.
As kickoff approaches on Saturday, the energy builds to a fever pitch. Marching bands begin to play, fans fill the stadium, and the food and drink continue to flow.
The aroma of Southern staples like Brunswick stew and turkey fryers wafts through the air, while fans sip on signature drinks like “Gator Punch” or a Bloody Mary to prepare for the game. The tailgate atmosphere follows fans into the stadium, where half the tickets are allocated to Georgia fans and the other half to Florida fans, creating an electrifying environment inside EverBank Field.
This event, while ostensibly about football, has become so much more. It’s about the experience, the friendships, and the memories that are forged in a multi-day celebration that brings thousands of people together.
Jacksonville’s unique role as the host city enhances the grandeur of the event, and for anyone who loves college football or tailgating, the Georgia-Florida game is a must-see spectacle that should be on every sports fan’s bucket list.Top of FormBottom of Form
15 Yellow Hankies
By: Charlie Moon
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Every time she sees Mark Richt on TV, my mom says, “Ain’t he so cute.” My dad would have no choice but to just laugh it off.
One of the greatest shots of Richt’s famous dimpled smile, was in 2007 against Florida. Knowshon Moreno had just opened the scoring in the 1st quarter. Then, came one of the most iconic rivalry moments.
CBS’s Verne Lundquist: “Moreno. Did he break the plane? Yes…Touchdown! The entire team is coming out! We may have 15 yellow hankies!”
Then, a perfect example of why I always say TV production crews for college football run circles around NFL.
Perfection. Video went to a high overhead shot, a perfect storm of red, white and silver, storming the end zone.
Some demean color analyst Gary Danielson. I say they’re crazy. Perfect example? Danielson follows during this overhead shot; “This was all absolutely planned. Mark Richt has decided he is tired of the Florida Gators having the psychological advantage over UGA.”
As Danielson was saying that, video went to UGA senior defensive end Marcus Howard. He was banging his chest with both fists. His 27 2-foot-long dreads were bouncing. Dude looked like a crazed madman! The Dawgs had psychologically released.
Then, the video got Tim Tebow and two teammates on the Gator sideline. Everybody remembers how animated Tebow was.
Not this time. You’d think Tebow would be gathering his guys in their own sideline huddled mass and doing that thing where he looked in their eyes and pointed to the heavens.
But this time, he just stood there, with his eyes and mouth wide open. Kind of like Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning looked like against Georgia.
Tebow was stunned. The Gators were stunned. This was the moment the rivalry turned.
That’s right. The majority of the Dawgs team had stormed the end zone and was dancing like it was 1999. At first, I was like “What in the world are we doing!”
Then my brother Chad started getting jacked up! “This is a message! We’re not taking it anymore! Let’s go. Go Dawgs!”
The cameras panned to the normally reverent and serene Mark Richt on the sideline. He was clapping and had this sly grin on his face.
There wasn’t a single UGA coach scurrying out to pull players back. Normally, you’d see that in a situation like this, right? Not this time!
Danielson was right. It was planned. UGA initially denied it, but everyone knew. And I don’t care what Richt said after the game, we all knew.
In the following off-season, Richt pretty much admitted, players pitched it during the annual pre-Florida game off week. Richt initially said no way. But he eventually ruled in favor of the players, with a few restrictions.
It had to be with the Dawgs in an early lead or tying situation. No celebrations, down 21 in the 4th quarter. No direct taunting of Florida players in the end zone, or toward their sidelines.
To their credit, players did follow these guidelines. But the funniest shot was of 320-pound OL Trinton Sturdivant breaking out in what can only be described as his own “Big Boy” version of River Dance.
The Dawgs went on to win 42-30, but it really wasn’t that close.
Under Spurrier and Meyer, the Gators dominated the series, 15-2. So often, though, it wasn’t because of dominating rosters. The Gators simply were in the Dawgs’ head.
Annually, tight games would turn on a dime with one UGA mistake. Then the wheels would come off.
But the Dawgs have gone 10-6 against the Gators since then. This was the day the series turned.
It Just Means More
By: Charlie Moon
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I’m glad I was born and raised in a family with friends that believed it was better to be hooked on sports than it was drugs and alcohol.
If we Family Feud style poll 500 UGA fans on their favorite memories of the annual UGA – Florida game, the #1 answer would assuredly be Larry Munson’s call of Lindsay Scott’s TD catch-n-run from Buck Belue that saved the Dawgs’ 1980 National Title hopes.
Even many young Dawg fans would agree. They weren’t even alive. Maybe they know because it came up in the Dawgs’ recent titles, the first since 1980.
But I could almost guarantee they know because it was passed down from family and friends. On some late October Halloween weekend, they watched the annual “World’s Largest Cocktail Party” game. It came up on the broadcast, or maybe they saw it on College Gameday. But maybe, just maybe, they heard of Munson’s call by mom, dad, uncle, grandparent, etc etc.
Then they hopped on that Worldwide Internet Machine and found out for themselves!
All too often, bigtime sports fans wonder if they’re spending too much time in front of the TV on weekends, or weekdays for that matter. We wonder if we should spend more time cooking, cutting the grass or whatever else. And then sometimes we’re reminded the answer to that question is very relative.
The spices of life that reveal who we are, come from different aspects. Maybe it’s nature. Maybe it’s the arts. Maybe it’s cooking. But we all have that one thing that draws us in, no matter how bad the day is.
It hits that sweet spot in our soul. My parents raised me to know it was certainly okay to be obsessed with sports, as long as you stayed well-rounded. And I am.
I was heavily involved in the arts, even into my adult life, as a vocal and percussion performer. I love the movies, crime shows and other things.
But anyone that knows me, will tell you. “Moon’s crazy about sports!”
And the Georgia-Florida game has provided many memories around family and friends that remind us why we love it.
Sure, the game is big. But in the end, it’s memories of seeing family and friends – the times on Amelia Island, or the Landings. The first time you drive across the St. John’s River Bridge and overlook the sea of Red and Black versus Orange and Blue tailgate tents.
Like the Moons, many fans see specific family and friends, only in Jacksonville.
I know I’ve got some memories that will always stick.
Once, we went to the UGA-FL Game Hall of Fame Banquet. David Pollack was inducted. My mom has always loved him. She went right up to him, like a fawning teenager, and Pollack signed the back of the left shoulder of her shirt.
I remember my brother and I going onto the docks on Jacksonville Beach with a bucket of beer and just chilling in the late night breeze. Once, my dad nearly ripped off a drunk Gator fan’s head when they got rude with mom.
Bottom line is, no matter the outcome, the annual UGA – Florida game is one that splits a stadium right down the middle. It produces iconic photos like Tebow’s bloody face or the Dawgs storming the end zone while Mark Richt grins.
So, no matter how you take in the game – from the seats, from a watch party outside the stadium, Fernandina Beach, Jekyll Island or any town in Georgia, always remember this.
The value of being around family and friends and those memories will mean so much more than whether Larry Munson is celebrating in high, or Gator Nation is doing that ridiculous chomp.
Greatest Game Ever?
By: Joe Delaney
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In 1980 the Georgia Bulldogs had a very good football team. They also had an emerging superstar in Hershel Walker.
Who can forget the Georgia Tennessee game to open the 1980 season. Georgia trailed 15-0 when Vince Dooley decided it was time to see what the big freshman running back could do. The rest is history.
“My God, a freshman!” was the legendary Larry Munsons’ call on Walkers first touchdown run in which he ran completely over Bill Bates the Vols safety and scored.
The Dawgs would go on the win 16-15 and a legend was born. Vince had said a few weeks before that he felt Herschel was just a big stiff back. Never was he so wrong.
Fast forward two months and the Dawgs sat at 8-0 with scintillating wins over Clemson and South Carolina. They also held the #2 ranking in the nation. Next up were the hated Gators. The Gators were 6-1 and nationally ranked.
Georgia had run the table with a ground-oriented attack featuring Walker. They did however have a very good offense with Buck Belue, Norris Brown, Nat Hudson, Lindsay Scott and others.
Defensively they were stout with Tim Parks, Eddie “Meat Cleaver” Weaver, Jeff Hipp, Scott “Woerner the returner”, and others.
The kicking game boasted probably the best kicker in the country in Rex Robinson. All the parts were there.
On a sun-drenched Autumn Day in Jacksonville the Dawgs struck first with Walker taking a pitch and blasting 72 yards for the score. He would go on to rush for 238 yards on 37 carries for the day.
Georgia led 20-10 well into the second half when the Gators came back with two scores to take a 21-20 lead with time running out. With little more than a minute to play the Dawgs found themselves 93 yards from the endzone. What happened next was probably the greatest play in Georgia football history and the greatest call by the legendary Larry Munson.
Buck Belue was chased out of the pocket and threw on the run to Lindsay Scott at the 25-yard line. From there Lindsay took it the 75 yards for the touchdown and the lead.
The Gator Bowl went crazy. I can remember Lindsay running down to the corner of the endzone where I was 25 rows up and it was pandemonium. It literally began raining as people threw their cocktails up in the air.
On the Florida sideline there was stunned silence where the Florida players had been dancing the “funky chicken” a minute before.
Munson’s call on the play started with. “Buck back….third down on the eight.” “In trouble, got a block behind him.” “Gonna throw on the run.”
It ended with….“26-21 DAWGS on top!” “We were gone, I gave up, you did too!” “We were out of it and gone……MIRACLE!”
Georgia would go on to win the National Championship taking out Notre Dame 17-10 in the Sugar Bowl.
But the greatest play and call came on that wonderful November day by the St Johns River.
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Buying Time
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Billy Napier is in his third season as head coach in Gainesville but he has not proven himself as the right man for the job.
He was hired as Florida’s head coach on December 5, 2021 from Louisiana. He was 40-12 in his four seasons coaching the Ragin’ Cajuns. In his last three years he was 11-3, 10-1 and 12-1.
He replaced Dan Mullen who coached the Gators from 2018-21. Under Mullen UF went 10-3, 11-2, 8-4 and 6-7. Having a losing record got him immediately fired despite having earlier success.
In the case of Napier, he has not had success yet. They were 6-7 in his first year and 5-7 last season. That 2022 team did advance to the Las Vegas Bowl where they were beaten 30-3 by Oregon State.
This season Florida had a brutal schedule. They started the season with a loss at home to #19 Miami, 41-17. The other losses were to Texas A&M, who is currently ranked #14 and #8 Tennessee. They did play a close game with the Vols and lost in overtime, 23-17.
The Gators are currently 4-3 and had their best win of the season. They beat Kentucky 48-20, snapping their three-game losing streak to the Wildcats. Five-star freshman quarterback DJ Lagway completed seven of his fourteen passes but five of them went for 40-plus yards. He passed for 259 yards and rushed for 46 yards.
Freshman running back Jadan Baugh rushed for 106 yards and 5 touchdowns. The 5 touchdowns in a game tie the school record held by Tim Tebow and Trey Burton.
“That’s pretty good company there,” Napier said.
“For Billy Napier, Florida’s beleaguered head coach, the win kept the lions at bay for another week,” Saturday Down South’s Neil Blackmon wrote. “Napier’s buyout was assembled by Florida’s boosters in September, per multiple media reports. After Saturday night’s blowout win, there’s enough hope swirling around the Florida program to provide a path forward under Napier, albeit a narrow one.”
I want to point out that Georgia struggled against Kentucky, winning 13-12.
UF is going into their bye week before they face #2 UGA in Jacksonville. Georgia has won six of the last seven meetings. They’re currently on a three-game winning streak.
Beating the Bulldogs does not seem likely. The remaining schedule after that game is at #5 Texas, #8 LSU, #18 Ole Miss and at Florida State.
As you know, the Seminoles are historically bad this season. FSU is 1-6 and this will be an easy win for Florida. That will only put them at five wins though. In the other games, where will they find a win?
The most likely scenario is UF loses to those ranked teams and finishes 5-7. If they can upset one of them they will finish 6-6. Beating any of those teams will be impressive but is 6-6 good enough at Florida?
Another aspect to consider is Lane Kiffin has been rumored to be the top candidate to replace Napier if he is fired. Once these teams play November 23rd it is going to be talked about more, especially if Ole Miss wins.
I think Napier’s tenure at Florida is done after this season. The only thing that could save his job are two wins against ranked teams and I think one of those wins would have to be against Georgia.
Jason Bishop Show October 17 2024
