That celebration strategy was the best call of the year

Let me go ahead and take an unsportsmanlike penalty for excessive celebrating right here in the first sentence!

I think Coach Mark Richt’s challenge to his team to rush the end zone and take a celebration penalty on the first score will go down as one of the great calls in this colorful and hated rivalry. What a creative way to fire up your team, by deliberately taking a penalty involving the entire team, especially from the man who stresses control, exudes calm always, and is a stickler for obeying the rules. This was a much better call than the time out by Urban Meyer in the final seconds of the Auburn game.

I took a lot of street smack this past week and only shot out a few choice barbs. I wasn’t as pumped up this year as in the past due to my workload. With the building industry in a slump, I have been fortunate to land some jobs that are a little larger than our normal scope of work. So kind of like the Dawgs, I am back into a freshman learning curve in my game. Just like Larry Munson in his article last week, I was cautiously optimistic about our play, especially in this rivalry.

The Dawgs have had flashes of greatness all season, but never really put together 60 minutes of good football until Saturday. I was told all week how badly Florida was going to beat us and I always replied, “I think it’s going to be a much closer game than you think.”

So, not having that excited, get-in-the-middle-of-100,000-screaming-fans feeling, I decided — like Larry Munson and the Dawgs — to do something different. I decided to kick back in my newly renovated fun room with a new flat-screen TV, recliner and red pool table and no lines at the concession stand or at the bathroom. Larry Munson missed his first cocktail party in 42 years and went fishing. And the Dawgs took an extra week to rest and game-plan for this season-defining game. I think it worked out for all of us.

The Dawgs definitely were fired up and in a frenzy by game time. I had a good feeling all day about the game and pregame — planned on the cell phone until my phone just up and died, so I was out of contact with my shoes on the street at the cocktail party. At 3:30 p.m., toe met leather and at 3:31 p.m., Superman received his first of six sacks and my confidence soared. Then, at about 3:35 p.m., the Knowshon Moreno Show came on with his special guest, Matt Stafford. Then at 3:40 p.m. after a nine-play, Dooleyesque, smashmouth, run-the-ball-right-at-the-defense drive, the Dawgs scored and surprised 85,0000 in attendance and millions watching on TV with the best call of the year, storming the end zone in celebration.

It was a great team effort, well worth the 30 yards in penalties. I know this upset a lot of Gators, but I think they’re just jealous 'cause they didn’t think of it first. So, W.D., watch out for Urban Myers’ call for his team to storm the end zone after their first score in the Gators-Seminoles rivalry game.

This win may quiet some of the home-and -away talk for this great college rivalry and keep it in Jacksonville.

Hey, Eric, how 'bout that wheelbarrow ride sooner than later? Like, say 11:30 a.m. this Thursday.

Well, I can still hear that chapel bell ringing and the sounds of “Who’s that coming down the track? A mean machine in red and black.” Ain’t nothin’ finer in the land than a drunk, obnoxious Georgia fan.

Go Dawgs. Sic 'em. Woof. Woof. Woof.