Georgia Football: “All I can do is write about it.”Good and bad memories of WLOCP

Georgia football takes on the hated Florida Gators this Saturday. We all know how important this game is; it is the most important game for both programs and the fan bases. I do not care what people say or their opinion on this rivalry; this is the “Super Bowl” for both programs. As long as Georgia beats Florida, nothing else matters. When it is springtime, the season is long gone, and the new one seems slowly coming up, I can at least say the Dawgs beat Florida again and have a good chuckle.

It might just be me, but it pains me for every yard, first down, and touchdown the Gators get.  This game is under a completely different microscope than any other game Georgia plays. I grew up in the 2000s, which was not a good decade for the Dawgs against the Gators. It was nowhere near the 90s, but it was close.

I hate Flordia with every fiber of my being. I hate Tim Tebow. You might say, “Max, hating someone because they played for your rival is silly!” Tim Tebow ruined Halloween for me, and I never wanted to trick or treat again.

The day was October 31st, 2009, and Georgia wore those terrible black helmets and pants combo. But that was not the only atrocity that took place that day. Tebow broke Herschel Walker’s record of rushing touchdowns in a career that day against Georgia.

Tebow and all the Gators celebrated it; even my favorite announcer, Verne Lundquist, celebrated. I, 11 years of age, thought Herschel Walker was Superman; nobody should break his records, not against Georgia. I was also hurt that Uncle Verne was showing his affection to Tebow. I went upstairs, took my Halloween custom off, and slumped back down the stairs into the sofa. I’m not ashamed to say I cried that night. I forgive Verne, but I will never forgive Tebow.

Still, to this day, when CBS pans over to a boy in his Florida attire crying because Georgia crushed his hopes and dreams, I smile and laugh. I hurl insults at the kid, and it’s not his fault; being a Florida fan, his parents are committing child abuse. It’s just nice to see someone feel the pain I had to live with. I am not even joking or being overly dramatic; I enjoy and do it every year.

But my favorite memory is from the 2010s. I know many Georgia fans have one of these years as their favorites: 1980, 1985, 1997, 2007, and 2017. While 2007 was one of my earlier memories of this rivalry, and 2017 was cathartic for many reasons, the 2012 version of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is my favorite.

Florida was ranked number two and had hoped to win the East and much more that year. The Dawgs suffered an embarrassing loss at the hands of South Carolina and were trying to stay in the SEC East race. Everybody in school discussed it, and I looked forward to watching the game at home.

But I had to listen for the first half on the radio because I was punished for something I did at school. My mom, a genius of discipline, knew the only way to get through to me was to take the one thing I love away: Georgia football. Unbeknownst to her, my love knows no bounds, and I snuck a radio into my room. I sat in my closet with the radio on low up to my ear, living and dying on every word Scott Howard spoke.

Soon, during halftime, My dad knew taking a Georgia vs. Florida game away from a young boy was borderline abusive, so he let me watch the game but from the other room “while I did homework.” I saw Aaron Murray lead us down the field and throw a pass to Malcolm Mitchell. Mitchell ran all over Flordia’s defensive backs and scored, a play that will live in Georgia football lure. Then I saw Jarvis Jones take over the game and force the fumble that the Dawgs recovered in the endzone. The celebration in the house was just as loud as the Georgia fans were in Jacksonville.

Those memories will last a lifetime with me, and I probably tell my kids about them, too. They will probably be as bored as you are reading this, but just like right now, I’ll share it anyway. The Georgia-Florida game means a lot, probably too much. But with everything happening in the world, it is nice to know there is a genuine bad guy out there, and they all live in Gainsville, Florida.