Let all the Bulldog faithful rally behind the men who now wear the red and black with two words, two simple words which express the sentiments of the entire Bulldog Nation: Auburn Sucks.
— Hargrett Library (@hargrettlibrary) May 14, 2026
I had a couple of buddies back then that got on the esteemed 100 beer wall, which I never desired to achieve because I didn’t have the money or the palate to drink that many of a variety of beers, and they did. But they made a mean tofu sandwich and great pretzels, which went well with a couple of pitchers on night downtown.
Alas, Mellow Mushroom still exists, but not this one. It moved down the street to where Compadres used to be (I think), but the kind of eclectic, dark environment that they had made it unique.
I miss that place.
Anyway, it was a great place to combine vittles with beer, but there were many of those around town – Steverinos, Sons of Italy, Little Italy, Rocky’s, Allen’s, Mexicali Grille.
Did the Mean Bean serve beer?
So for today’s Fodder…where is or was your favorite place to go for a pitcher and a plate? Why was it so special to you?
I’ll give Auburn credit. It was a pitching duel all night and it played out like a game between two of the top 5 teams in the nation giving it their all. From an observation, the Dawgs looked looser and relaxed despite the close game, Auburn seemed a touch uptight. I’ll take that as a good sign for the good guys heading into the postseason play.
Remove the Big XII schools from this, and it’s not a shock that we had the best record in the SEC in the 1980s. It feels like we should’ve been lower in the 90s, but the upward trajectory starting the 2010s is refreshing, finish with 100 wins for the decade and, of course, now owning the best records in the 20’s.
What’s equally refreshing to see is where Florida and Auburn are in the 2020s, exactly where they deserve to be.
If Kirby Smart was hired as DC in 2010 instead of Todd Grantham, not only does Georgia win a National Championship with Mark Richt as HC, but they also win one with Mike Bobo as OC…eliminating Bobo haters from Georgia fandom history.pic.twitter.com/VRPEzt0Br7
— The Bulldawg Report (@ReportBulldawg) May 15, 2026
Personally, I don’t know. Yes, Kirby would’ve been a better DC than Grantham. There are many high school DCs in the state who would’ve been better than Grantham, but that’s beside the point.
While Kirby coming in and leading the defense is romantic, I can’t help but think that Kirby would’ve been as frustrated as Richt at the lack of investment in recruiting, facilities, and the program coming from Alabama to Georgia. While there may have been better defensive success, I could easily see Kirby getting frustrated and heading back to Alabama, or, worse, heading for a coaching vacancy and turning that program into what Georgia is today.
Could Kirby have ended up at Auburn after Chizik’s firing in 2012? Would he have been lifted as head coach when Richt stepped down? Would Richt have stepped down? Would Kirby even get along with Richt’s even temperment compared to Saban?
I was a fan of Jack Palance on Ripley’s Believe It…Or Not…and you learned about a host of unique or strange things that were out there. My weirdest, strangest one I learned about…
The french tradition of eating the Ortolan Bunting.
Ze napkin! Eet does nothing!
As I’ve heard it, the French prefer to catch these little guys in nets during their migratory period to Africa, drown them in brandy, then roast them whole for about 8 minutes a side…then eat them…whole. Diners cover their faces with napkins, I’m assuming here to prevent others from being nauseated by seeing someone eating a whole bird filled with brandy. I’m not kidding you…
They are then kept in covered cages or boxes. They are then force-fed grain, usually millet seed, until they double their bulk. They are then suspended upside down over a container of Armagnac, and by dipping, made to drown, and then marinated in the brandy.[14][15]
The birds are then plucked, salted and peppered and cooked in their own fat for seven minutes. Many consumers of this dish then place the bird feet first into their mouth while holding onto the bird’s head. They eat the ortolan whole, with or without the head, and some may spit out the larger bones, while others eat the whole bird head, bones and all. The traditional way French gourmands eat ortolans is to cover their heads and face with a large napkin or towel while consuming the bird. The purpose of the towel is debated. Some claim it is to retain the maximum aroma with the flavour as they consume the entire bird at once, while according to The Daily Telegraph, “Tradition dictates that [the towel] is to shield – from God’s eyes – the shame of such a decadent and disgraceful act”,[14] and others have suggested the towel simply hides the consumers spitting out bones.[16] This use of the towel was begun by a priest, a friend of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.[17]
I don’t want to hear anyone say a damn thing about eating pig’s feet or gizzards, you hear me?
Anyway, what’s the strangest thing you’ve ever learned about…and be sure to share for the class.
PSA, the final series of the year has a first pitch of Thursday night (tomorrow) and 8 pm. And it’ll be a biggun.
Technically tied for fourth in the SEC with Alabama, Auburn is highly regarded and could use Georgia to boost their RPI and improve their postseason standings with a series win. SEC Tournament is up next…but with Georgia projected as #3 by some media outlets and looking to host a Super Regional (fingers crossed we don’t implode), it’s just as important to the Diamond Dawgs.
Oh, and Thursday night is Senior Night and Wear Orange night on the Plains.
NEW: Steve Sarkisian on Ole Miss’ transfer portal practices and academic standards:
“At Texas, we will only take 50% of a player’s academic credit hours. You may be a semester from graduating, but you’re going all the way back to 50% if you play here and want a degree. But at… pic.twitter.com/1fjQSpal0b
— Message Board Geniuses (@BoardGeniuses) May 12, 2026
Look, Sark has some reason to be bitter towards Ole Miss, particularly Pete Golding, his former counterpart during their times together with Saban’s Alabama.
According to Wickersham, as Manning’s recruitment came down to the wire, Pete Golding, then Alabama’s defensive coordinator (who now holds the same job at Ole Miss), invoked Sarkisian’s struggles with alcoholism in an attempt to sway him away from the Longhorns while on a call with Manning and his circle of trust. Wickersham explained the moment while speaking with Pablo Torre.
“Pete, who is friends with Sark, says on this call, ‘I love Sark, he’s my best friend.’ And then he’s like oh my god, do I go there? And he did. He goes, ‘I hope he can stay sober,’” Wickersham explained.
After the call, Manning’s high school coach Nelson Stewart called Golding directly, saying “Pete, that’s f—ed up!”
Don Saban, with two henchman at his side, circa 2019.
Unlike the former OC he took over for, Sark made his recovery and didn’t turn it into a narcissistic showcasing of his new namaste philosophies on life. Just went back to work and got right. Good for him.
The Florida State Seminoles and Georgia Bulldogs may have canceled their home-and-home series last week, but the two programs are still set to play. In the announcement that the series was canceled, FSU athletics director Michael Alford said they were discussing a neutral-site game and that he was optimistic they could get it done.
On Tuesday, he confirmed that it was happening, telling On3’s Brett McMurphy that they would play in 2028. They have not announced a location, but are deciding between Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, and Tampa.
Now, FSU at Caesar’s might be just what the doctor ordered to break the Sugar Bowl curse, but I’d rather not, if I’m being honest. It feels like we already play a number of games in Atlanta, already, and I don’t have the appetite for a Florida trip.
I’d prefer Nashville, if I’m being honest, here. While it certainly is getting touristy up there and we do visit on occasion to play Vanderbilt, playing at Nissan Stadium would be unique.
While Charlotte wouldn’t be awful, of all the choices out there, I’d pick Nashville over them all and prefer Miami the absolute least.
Greg Sankey says “nay nay” to any games played on a Friday.
If would be very off-brand for the SEC to play on Friday nights…unless you’re Mississippi, where’s it’s totally fine.
Of course, it’s very off-brand for the SEC to defer to the B1G’s scheduling model, but I digress.
His logic is correct, though, Friday Nights are for high school football, and it is likely (don’t know because I haven’t lived outside the south) true that Fridays would get lower viewership for a Friday SEC tilt given that most of your red-blooded football fans are out watching a high school game.
