Photo credit: @Joesisson Saturday night stung. After winning that first natty, I wondered what it would be like to lose. But then we went 15-0 and I didn’t have to find out. And then we went 12-0 in the regular season and the question remained unanswered. I’m not going to lie. I was frustrated with the outcome of the game Saturday. Frustrated with some of the play calls, frustrated with some of the no calls, frustrated with all of the injuries coming in, frustrated that we are so young, frustrated that we lost to Bama again, frustrated with the entire system that always seems against us. And the loss stung a little bit. But you know what? It didn’t hurt. I didn’t get mad or angry. I wasn’t upset or devastated. My attitude could easily be summed up by the following phrase: “Well that sucks. Oh, well. Maybe next year.” And you know what? I meant every word. And I can hear all our rival fanbases now, “You Georgia fans always say that!” And it’s true. Love it or hate it, it’s our lifelong mantra. But while in the past we would say it with all the hope, fervor, and faith we could muster, this year it rings with truth and belief. Because to quote Kirby Smart, “We’re not going anywhere.” This is not a one and done team. This was not some once in a lifetime, miraculous, fairytale ride. This was years of hard work, discipline, composure, and physicality paying off. As magical as it felt, you don’t go undefeated in the regular season for 3 straight years because of magic. You don’t dominate the SEC East because of of hope. You don’t win two back to back national championships, one of them undefeated, on dreams. And you certainly don’t break the SEC record for most straight wins by winning 29 games and going undefeated for 728 days on a miracle. My heart does hurt for the players though. All the men on that team who gave their blood, sweat, and tears to the university, hoping to make history with a three-peat only to have that opportunity denied them. They deserved another shot and so much more. But you know what? They did make history. They didn’t just give us one national championship, but two. They gave us a perfect 15-0 season. They gave us 3 undefeated regular seasons. They gave us 29 straight games without a loss, breaking the previous SEC record held by Alabama. They broke records set by Steve Spurrier in the 90s and our own beloved Bulldogs in the 80s. They were the first team to go back to back in the playoff era and they did so in such convincing fashion that there was no denying or stopping them. And because of that, I am so damn proud of all they did. I am not mad. I am not upset. I am not entitled. I am proud and so, so thankful. There were many years where I wondered if I would ever see the Dawgs win a national championship. And now I have. All I ever asked for was one natty, and now I have two and we had a shot at a third. This loss does not and cannot hurt me. Because I love my Dawgs. I love those players who give it all every practice, every Saturday. And I can’t tell them enough how thankful I am for the last 3 years. It made all the heartache of the years before worth it. It was everything I hoped and dreamed for and more. It was magical. And at the end of the day, it’s just a game. Life is tough. And the Dawgs have brought me a lot of joy during some rough times the last year and a half. But that also brings perspective. And a loss just doesn’t matter as much in the grand scheme of things. It’s the people that are important. And I love Georgia football because of the people it brings together — families, friends, fans, players— all together because of their love for the game and their shared hearts that bleed red and black. And was it a magical three years? Absolutely. How could it not be? But the person and team that made that magic happen still reside in Athens. Which is why I can say with confidence and reckless abandon, “Oh well. Maybe next year.” Thank you for an unforgettable 3 years. Long live the memories we made. Here's to new ones. For now and for always…Go Dawgs.
2 Comments
Julie Jensen
12/4/2023 11:15:16 am
Great article. Thank you for stating it so perfectly.
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12/4/2023 03:30:40 pm
As usual, you have written an article that perfectly sums up how we feel about the past three years! They have been magical because of the hard work of our coaches and players and the devotion of our fan base. Here’s to making many more memories in the future and it starts in Miami at the Orange Bowl - which if I’m not mistaken is where this streak started at the end of 2021.
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