Category Archives: Wednesday Wonderings

Wednesday Wondering: Ain’t Quite What It Used to Be

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Here’s a picture that might resonate with some of our older readers:

I’ve heard stories about the crowd on the tracks. Seems like it was a fun time, and that’s an understatement. It also sounds like it was the Athens equivalent of the seating area for Los Angeles Raiders (not Vegas, the old school rough and rowdies) diehard fans.

The thing that gets me the most about the picture is the simplicity. A KFC bucket, a brown bag, and I’m assuming a cooler for the beer.

No pop up tents, priority parking passes, HDTVs, buffets, and a full bar. Honestly, the beer is a simple selection before there were eleven million types and microbrews. It was just simple. Hell, probably even cheap. Oddly, everyone isn’t wearing the latest $100+ Georgia gear that abounds in our modern era.

The thing I miss the most in the new era of Georgia football – at least for attending games – is the simple tailgate experience. We tailgated for years in the dark days of the 90s under an oak tree across from the practice field by Butts-Mehre, in what I think was the Credit Union parking lot.

It was here, I’m pretty sure. And it was *gasp* free to park!

We could just park, take out a few folding chairs, eat Publix chicken and drink beer. You threw the trash in a black plastic bag at the end, threw the chairs and cooler back in the car, and you were done. We might’ve had a radio going or playing music out of the back of the Jeep, but aside from that, it was easy and we threw a football around for entertainment. For games being played elsewhere, you heard the scores on the radio.

And no freaking phones or tablets.

That’s my old man gripe for the day…but for today’s Wondering:

What do you miss the most about attending Georgia football games from the days gone by?

Wednesday Wondering: It’s Just a Flesh Wound

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I did not know this:

I grew up watching Monty Python on Channel 8 (GPTV) and really got a kick out of it. I wasn’t allowed to watch much Benny Hill, but here was plenty o good comedy movies in my early years that shaped by funny bone today. Some of my favorites:

  • Vacation
  • Young Frankenstein
  • History of the World Part I
  • Sixteen Candles
  • Animal House
  • The Jerk
  • Bananas
  • Kentucky Fried Movie
  • Airplane
  • Better Off Dead

They don’t make them like they used to, as they say.

So what say you…what’s your favorite comedy movies and what makes them so good compared to anything we see today?

Your Late Wednesday Wondering: Nicknames

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This should provide us with some late afternoon conversation:

For our purposes, take it beyond just baseball and include all sports, or you can just keep it Georgia related.

To start, I really enjoyed “Le Sack” for Richard Tardits, “The Mailman” for Stetson, and I have a soft spot in my heart for “Sky” Hertwig.

How about you…what are you Georgia or other sports athletes’ nicknames?

Have at it.

Wednesday Wondering: Practice Makes Perfect

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Interesting sound bite from a Dawg here:

For today’s Wondering, tell me about something you had to work hard to perfect, through practice or patience, that made you excellent. I’ll start:

I’m a natural introvert. It’s baked in my DNA. One hallmark of introverts is their inability to express themselves, they’re corner huggers at parties, they’re quiet. One thing I’ll say is that beer and UGA broke me out of that. A public speaking class at UGA helped me a lot, and helped me more when the GA who taught it asked me out for a date. And my public speaking project was on the 2nd Amendment and why it was important for us to have the Right to Bear Arms.

In retrospect, I shoulda asked for a second date instead of stumping for the Amendment, but I digress. No, I don’t digress, she was as hot as a South Georgia summer under a clear blue sky beating down on rich, ripe watermelons, and I shoulda had more confidence. Ah, choices. And the life we lead. But, to this day, my remedial English class at UGA along with this fateful class has turned me into the man I am today. I wouldn’t be writing this prose without it.

Discuss, scamps.

Wednesday Wondering: Pet Smart

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Sorry for the lack of Musings and Roundtables this week. Been a bit of a week in the McDonough household so my apologies.

For today, here’s this to kick it off:

So, for today’s wondering…what’s your favorite pet, if you have one? Are you a dog person, a cat person, a farm animal person? No, not like the Tennessee folks might think of a farm animal, but more like a large animal, a horse you favored, cow, etc.

My personal favorite was an orange tabby named Wendell, who we found as a kitten at Wendy’s, and not necessarily because he was a cat, but because he had a magnetic personality. He’d gladly ride around on your shoulders, I’d take him out on bike rides and he’d sit with his paws on the handle bar like he was steering himself. He was a great cat, I’m not going to go into how he left us. Had a couple of others, two Russian blue cats that likewise were amazingly kind, we called Jake and Elwood Blues. Two cool and docile brothers that lived a long, long time and were great companions that weren’t a bother or a pain in the ass as many cats can be. And there was a chihuahua named Dooley. He was as all chihuahuas were, so let’s leave it at that.

So who/what is your furry sidekick of choice, and feel free to share a memory if you’d like to.

Wednesday Wondering: Is Atlanta Cursed?

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Not the town, per se, but the sports teams.

And…

I’m not sure about the Hawks, as I haven’t followed NBA Basketball since the days of Michael Jordan, however long ago that was. Atlanta United has taken a backslide. Georgia Tech basketball is the worst it’s been in recent memory (giggle). In general, the Atlanta professional sports product has recently left much to be desired, and the Braves had, at one time, been the lone shining spot in local pro sports that you could rely on to at least be decent.

But with the team’s focus less on the diamond and more about expanding the Battery into a multi-functional living space, America’s Team has become just another casualty in Atlanta sports lore.

So for today’s wondering…is Atlanta vexed as a sports town? Is it piss poor management, mediocre expectations from fans for performance, or because it’s just background noise for an expensive night out on the town?

Penny for your thoughts.

Wednesday Wondering: Rules and Regulations

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The UFL isn’t only trying to provide a football entertainment offering during the lull between the Super Bowl and College Football seasons, they’re trying to offer a different perspective on rules to make their game and brand a little different:

Summary of changes comparative to the pro games:

  1. 60+ yard field goals = 4 points
  2. One foot in bounds = catch
  3. Red zone penalties revert to half the distance to the goal.
  4. The “Tush Push” is eliminated.
  5. No punting inside the opponent’s 50-yard line.
  6. Overtime: 3 alternating attempts per team from the 5 yard line.
  7. Point after touchdown options:
  • 1 point – Kick from the 33-yard line
  • 2 points – Ball on the 2-yard line
  • 3 points – Ball on the 8-yard line

Interesting.

Of those listed there, which one would you actually like to see applied to college football? Or, is there a change you don’t see that you’d like to see in the game?

My dad used to wonder why the team didn’t recruit a vertically challenged player to casually throw over the top of the scrimmage pileup in short yardage situations. In lieu of the Tush Push, just find a mini-me or maybe get one of our cheerleading duos out there to just throw someone with the ball into the end zone. The defense could counter by attempting to throw someone in the air against them, for a cool mid-air collision.

Hey, it might not be morally acceptable, but it beats a toss sweep to Cash Jones on third and goal.

I also believe the quarterback should be able to zip a ball at the goal post and catch it in the endzone on the rebound, but that could be just from years of playing by myself in the back yard and having no other means to throw the ball to myself except to bang it off a nearby tree. Say, that reminds me, I probably need to call my therapist.

Anyway, have at it in the comments.

Wednesday Wondering: It Just Means More People

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Shot:

Chaser:

So is it the region, or is it the quality of football? I feel like the Boston College number is inflated or an anomaly, because I don’t see how they sold out games at 2-10 on the season.

Is football a regional passion, or does it depend? One additional chart, for context:

One thing’s for sure…they don’t seem to care for football in California. Or maybe it’s just the taxes.

Discuss.

Wednesday Wondering: Slice of Life

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For today, let’s change the pace a little bit and think about the days gone by of sharing a pie, a pitcher or two, and basking in the sun of an outdoor pizza shop of your choice.

So…where’s your favorite pizza place? Where would you recommend a Refugeeto go for the best slice you’ve ever had, Athens or otherwise.

You already know I’m a huge fan of Sons of Italy Little Italy, but that’s mainly for the subs even though they make a great pizza, as well. In Atlanta, I’m fond of Fellini’s near Fernbank, but I haven’t been back in a while.

How’s about you?

Wednesday Wondering: 2025 Highlight, Real?

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First, a blessing for your Wednesday blogging experience.

It’s nice to relive some of those memories, albeit they weren’t that long ago. But for today’s Wednesday Wondering…

How will you remember the 2025 Georgia Football season? Was it a success or a failure, or about what you expected?

Discuss.