Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Throwing My Support Behind A Georgia vs. Michigan Two-Game Series


Lazily, I haven't thrown my formal support behind Kyle King's fine idea that Michigan and Georgia should meet on the gridiron. I'll be sure to e-mail Bill Martin and mention that this would be a good idea, although since I don't donate to the athletic program, but instead to the History Department and Library (yes, even the wife has dubbed me an incorrigible nerd for that choice,) I can't make grandiose threats of "cutting off the pipeline." Anyway, here are the top ten reasons why Michigan and Georgia should play:

10. The mulleted Red Wings/Pistons fans transplanted from Southfield and Traverse City to Atlanta need a real challenge in getting tickets to see one of their favorite teams play in this area.

9. Georgia fans might enjoy the trip to Ann Arbor so they can see a college town with actual bookstores.

8. Michigan fans might enjoy the trip to Athens so they can see a college town with more than three bars (although I've yet to find a bar in Athens that can match Ashley's selection. On the other hand, Georgia fans might question the masculinity of drinking Belgian-style ales with "lingering spice notes" on a football Saturday. They also might note that good bars might want to have, oh, I don't know, good looking women in them?)

7. The games between these two fine states can finally resolve the critical question: "Who was the best President of the 1970s?" (And for the record, Richard "I always remember, that whatever I have done in the past, or may do in the future, Duke University is responsible in one way or another" Nixon is not in the running.)

6. Athens in September? Ann Arbor in November? Let's resolve once and for all who the real men are! Heat exhaustion vs. sleet and hail (scroll down,) let the games begin.

5. Michigan fans can litter in Ohio on their way south, then the following year, Georgia fans can soil Tennessee on their way north. Everybody wins!

4. 'Cause I'm sure that Michigan was screwed somehow in that 15-7 loss in Ann Arbor in 1965.

3. Because Georgia's win over Florida in 1997 kept the Gators from winning the SEC East, which allowed them to fully focus on beating Florida State that year, which allowed them to prevent the Noles from going unbeaten, which prevented Nebraska from getting to play an unbeaten opponent in the Orange Bowl, which...oh no, I've gone cross-eyed.

2. You think Uga would have fun in a town that is so named because of its prevalence of trees?

1. Because Notre Dame needs the opening in their schedule to work in the Coast Guard.

5 comments:

LD said...

Nice list. That beer list at Ashley's looks good. There are good beers to be found in Athens though. The Globe has a wide variety, and even Wild Wing has a diverse assortment. Things have changed a good bit since the General Assembly permitted the higher alcohol content beers. However, you're right that those Belgian beers aren't proper gameday libations, though not for masculinity purposes. It's because of the high alcohol content. Tailgating in the south (thankfully not constricted by those 11AM Central time ESPN Big 10 games) requires stamina. The kind of long-term buzz one can only get off of 18-24 mass-produced light beers. Further, due to the unyielding heat in the South, beer must be ice cold. As in, cold to the point where taste is of secondary importance. While I prefer the taste of many a high-gravity beer, I'd be wasting its qualities by drinking it as cold as I and others typically keep beer (icing begins Thursday evening, with a solid pack, drained each morning and replaced to keep a solid pack).

Michael said...

I completely agree on tailgating for Georgia games, especially the night games. A steady supply of Miller Lite is the only way to go. Conversely, those gawd-awful noon starts that Michigan has allow for consuming a few good beers instead of a lot of bad ones. And when the weather turns cold, a few bourbons always do the trick (and Ashley's has a great menu in that department, as well.)

Anonymous said...

Excellent Top Ten.

I crafted a version of the ND/Coast Guard joke a few weeks ago... only slightly different circumstances and substituting the Marine Corp.

Ah well, great minds...

Michael said...

Kyle, to paraphrase Jeannie "Shana" Bueller, if you even ask me to do anything like Laura Quinn again, you lose a testicle.

Anonymous said...

Sign me up for the Michigan plays Georgia bandwagon.........only if you can get me a ticket for the game in Athens.

Go Blue