This past Saturday’s victory over the Samford Bulldogs certainly wasn’t the electric lightshow from the week prior in Atlanta over the Oregon Ducks. However, I’m totally fine with the 33-0 shutout in the first home game of the 2022 season in Sanford Stadium. The rain held off, our Dawgs were in control from the opening whistle and the streets and seats of Athens and the stadium were full of happy Georgia fans. And most importantly, our 2-0 Georgia Bulldogs football team rolls Eastbound this Saturday for a roadie battle with the Gamecocks.
When I settled in on our cover photo (featuring running back Kenny McIntosh) for this issue, my mind immediately went to the hilarious sports comedy series Eastbound and Down. Without a doubt, Georgia’s Kenny is nothing like the bumbling Kenny Powers from the show. However, McIntosh has certainly had to wait his turn (over the last few years) to be a leader in the competitive Georgia running back unit.
Two games into the 2022 season, McIntosh has proved to be an absolute weapon catching the football out of the backfield. And this past Saturday, McIntosh’s running back teammate Kendall Milton had perhaps his best game running the football while at Georgia. In fact, Milton’s performance garnered him Kevin Butler’s offensive player of the game on page 46.
So, in my opinion and as our cover reflects, Georgia’s modus operandi for Saturday’s game in Columbia is “Eastbound and Pound.” The Gamecocks hung with Arkansas this past week on the road in Fayetteville, but the difference in the game was Sam Pittman’s Hogs toted the rock for a whopping 295 yards on the ground. Ouch!
Georgia fans can count on Williams-Brice Stadium being as loud and strange as ever. Particularly, since many of the Gamecock backers will be pulling all-nighters because of the high noon kickoff. Nonetheless, pounding the football either on running plays or short passes should eventually wear down South Carolina.
This issue of BI will certainly get you ready for Saturday’s dirty-nooner. Not surprisingly, Jeff Dantzler’s column (page 10) is somewhat gloomy. JD has never been happier in his life because of last season’s title. Still, as you will read, he is astute and has been a Dawg long enough to know some of the painful upsets the Gamecocks have pulled off over our Dawgs. It’s definitely always smart to heed JD’s warnings, which is why the Eastbound and Pound mentality is a must for the Georgia team and their fans traveling to Columbia.
In our Social section of this issue, I know you will enjoy the over 70 fan photos (page 26-38) the BI Camera captured at the Samford game. As I’ve already mentioned above, our fans excitement is at an all-time high and it was certainly on display this past Saturday. I so look forward to seeing the diehards who will make the trip Eastbound this weekend.
On pages 24 and 25, our Georgia Girls feature is with Alex Polk, who is a social media/influencer marketing specialist in Atlanta. It sounds like UGA Professor Landrum’s graphic design course is something that both Cheri and I should consider auditing.
Our Proust Q&A (page 39) is back this issue and we are happy to introduce our readers to Savannah attorney, Paul Threlkeld. I’m guessing nobody else out there can claim breaking Kirby Smart’s nose in the annual Kappa Alpha/Sigma Alpha Epsilon football game during his college days. Good stuff, unless you were Kirby over 25 years ago.
Finally, I failed to mention this in our last issue, but JD has moved our Dawgs to No. 1 in his weekly Top 15 poll (and the AP agrees). Like I said above, he is a happy man these days and he absolutely believes in what Kirby continues to build at our proud University.
Also, enjoy these field shots that BI photographer, Greg Poole took during the Samford during. Our fans and team unity is something to behold and I certainly expect it to continue in South Cackalacky.
Next stop … Eastbound and Pound … see you there … Go Dawgs!!