There’s nothing quite like Saturday in Athens.
It had been four long years since I had been able to take in a game between the hedges in the Classic City.
Four years is too long.
Much has gone on over that span, including the wretched COVID 19 pandemic.
I figured a trip to Athens to watch the Dawgs play would be a very soothing balm for my psyche. It was.
I traveled up to North Augusta, SC, Friday night to pick up my “big” sister and fellow Dawg fan to go with me.
She is one of a couple of people I can count on to go with me. Most of the time, I have to beg, cajole and plead with people to accompany me. Most of the excuses are things like “I’d love to go, but I have to read the dictionary” or “I wish I could, but I have to walk my pet flea.” Oh, well. It’s their loss. Who in their right mind would turn down a trip to see the Dawgs? Let me move on.
Saturday was a pleasant, bright blue sky and sun kissed day in Athens. The oppressive heat and “air you can wear” of this past summer had finally given away to near perfect, tinge of autumn type weather.
Have I mentioned there’s nothing quite like a Dawg game afternoon in Athens? It’s true.
From our parking spot, we walked about a half-mile to Sanford Stadium, down by the North Oconee River Greenway, but we didn’t even break a sweat.
Settling into our seats, the legendary Coach Vince Dooley settled in behind us. He is the elder statesman of Bulldog nation and looked good after having recently celebrated his 90th birthday. He smiled and waved at me. We were separated by the plexiglass of his private skybox, but who notices such small details?
The game itself was fun — though a little too close for comfort. I — and most everyone else — expected a blowout win.
The Kent State Golden Flashes came to play and the Bulldogs were flat.
Brock Bowers scored two touchdowns and we did win by three scores, but it wasn’t always pretty.
Bulldog miscues (three turnovers, multiple dropped passes and a successful Kent State fake punt) combined with a gritty performance by the Golden Flashes kept the score closer than it should have been all the way through.
I can’t tell you how special it was to see Stetson Bennett IV on the field. Just watching the passes he threw — the spinning spirals were beautiful. He is a good guy and he does Pierce County proud. His is the ultimate feel-good success story. Told repeatedly that he couldn’t, he simply worked hard and proved he could.
I’m thankful to know him and his family. Had breakfast with his Dad at Huddle House a few weeks ago. And, thankful for some good memories of his Granddaddy, Buddy Bennett. Mr. Buddy and his wife, Mrs. Jayne, lived across the Coleman Creek from me back in the day. Mr. Buddy and I traveled many miles together as members of the Sons of the American Revolution. I never tired of hearing him tell of his coaching years at East Tennessee State University and Tennessee and various high schools. In 1969, his defense, nicknamed “Bennett’s Bandits”, intercepted Hall of Fame Quarterback Terry Bradshaw three times.
I wish he had lived to see — and I could hear him tell — how his grandson led the Dawgs to a National Championship.
I got to see Stetson reach across the goal line to score a touchdown Saturday.
In the end, the Dawgs won. That’s what counts.
We had Zaxby’s® on the way home, which is a game day tradition. The only time I ever broke it, I had to endure watching Georgia Tech beat my Dawgs. I also celebrated with a chocolate chip cookie dough Blizzard from Dairy Queen®.
As Georgia Bulldawg experiences go, Saturday was perfect.
It doesn’t get much better than this.
• Jason Deal is the news editor for The Blackshear Times. Reach him at [email protected].
