Some Thoughts on the Updated UGA Brand Identity

Earlier this week, UGA unveiled an updated brand identity. The official announcement is here, complete with some video, press release verbiage, and PDFs of the updated imagery and wordmarks. The laser-focused UniWatch blog even felt compelled to comment on it here.

Judging from twitter and Dawg blog reactions, the general consensus seems to be "Why?" I can understand that. People are resistant to change. And there's probably no group more steeped in appreciation for "tradition" and "status quo" than southerners, particularly southern football fans. Plus, the fact that Nike was involved left many rending their garments (no pun intended) and fearing that we were going to Oregon ourselves up and look like an Arena Football team on acid (like those horrific Pro Combat unis we trotted out vs. Boise State a couple of years ago). Thankfully, the changes were fairly minor, all things considered.

As for the "why," left me offer a few thoughts. I'm a proud UGA grad, fan, and season ticket holder. I've also worked in branding, marketing, and advertising for over two decades, both from a strategic and creative viewpoint. So I think I have a pretty good understanding of all aspects of this situation.

Most folks don't consciously realize it, but there is a tremendous value in a brand. When you mention a product category -- cars, electronics, soft drinks, restaurants, beer, apparel...you name it -- you instantly think of a brand. And the brands that rise to the top of your consciousness and preference are typically the ones that do the best job of branding. An important part of branding is consistency. Every time you walk into a Home Depot, or see an ad for Coke, or pick up an Apple product, you get a brand experience, complete with consistent logos, colors, typefaces and "brand identities." This stuff can be subtle, but it's critical to reinforcing what the brand stands for and how it is represented. A good brand looks the same no matter where you see it: on the web, on a billboard, on an ad, on a uniform, or on a golf shirt.

90% of what UGA did this week was bring some consistency to how "our" brand is represented. Think about our sports teams and their unis. At a glance, you might think the football, gymnastics, baseball, hoops, track, and other sporting teams had consistent unis. There was red. And black. And silver. And grey. And white. But were they all the exact same versions of those colors? Not always. And really, there were many different fonts going on, for both letters and numbers. The words "Georgia" and "Bulldogs" were also shown different ways. Now there's one primary way to do it, and I think it looks quite nice:

That also doesn't take into account how UGA was represented on official documents and websites, which had their own inconsistencies. And we won't even get into the world of officially licensed products (Just look around your tailgate: how many different logos, fonts, and versions of the color red are on your shirts, coozies, flags, chairs, and other merchandise?).

Why would we NOT want all these things to be consistent and reinforce the UGA brand identity? Why wouldn't we want to put our best foot forward and make our public-facing brand the very best it can be? College athletics and team branding is a multi-billion dollar business, and wouldn't we rather be an Apple instead of a BlackBerry?

So looking over the new brand standards, I applaud what was done. Going forward, the typefaces for virtually everything will be standardized. The PMS colors will be standardized. When you see one Georgia team, you will get the feeling that they are an extension of a larger whole, and that's a good thing.

Here's the important thing: The "G" isn't going anywhere. It's not changing. One of the most recognizable logos in college sports is staying the exact same. Right there in all the brand materials it is called our PRIMARY athletic mark:

Probably the most controversial aspect of the branding initiative was the creation of a new "bulldog" logo, which will replace the old version as the SECONDARY athletic mark:

New Bulldog

Old Bulldog

We all grew up with the "old" version. It is beloved. It currently adorns many items in all of our homes. I love it.

However, from a marketing standpoint, I can understand the need and desire to create something "new." I haven't seen any of the creative briefs or brand rationales. However, I can imagine that there's some dialogue in them that sounds something like this:

• The old bulldog is asymmetrical. Facing left. We should probably have something that is centered, balanced, facing forward, and looks the same from every angle.
• The old bulldog logo is hand drawn, and contains many, many small lines and details. This makes is difficult to reproduce accurately across different media and applications and sizes, particularly on apparel that has to be stitched (depending on the vendor and their equipment). We need something that can be consistently executed across all materials and media.
• The different weighting of lines, shadows, and detail also makes the old logo appear differently at different distances. By simplifying and moving to more clean and bold lines, the new logo will stand out and present a consistent representation  up close and at a distance.
• Younger fans have grown up in an era of apps and symmetrically presented icons for buttons, labels, and badges.  This will appeal to them and more easily integrate into the digital world.
• It would be nice if the new bulldog more closely resembles the world's best live mascot, too. 
• We will still keep the old bulldog as an "Additional Athletic Mark" and we can develop merchandise around it as a line of "classic" products.
• We can sell new logo'd shit.

Well, I'm sure that last point wasn't put in a brief for public consumption, but we all know that's part of it, right? And I've got no problem with it. This is a business, after all.

And you know what? I don't dislike the new logo. In fact, after sitting with it for a few days, I actually kind of like it. That doesn't diminish my affection for the old one. I'll still proudly wear my apparel with the "classic" logo. Having something new doesn't threaten having something older, too (unless you're talking about marriage). I like strips and ribeyes. I drink Crown and Makers. I played around and made a quick iPhone 4S wallpaper with the new elements, and it's not that bad:

The one aspect that still rubs me the wrong way is the treatment of our "silver britches." Over the years, they've gone from silver to "dull grey." McGarity even addressed that here:

"As new technology comes up, as new fabric becomes available, you'll see that morph into maybe more (like) our silver britches," McGarity said. "It all has to do with what kind of fabric and color these people do. You know, kind of like the (Dallas) Cowboys wear? That's the kind of silver you'd like to get, which is kind of like what we used to have, which had kind of a shine to them. It just depends on how fast they can get that material. ...
"That'd be the goal, to get it back to the silver britches. That's the overall goal. And Nike's one of the few that can do that, because they've got some of it in the NFL now."

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/04/02/2421536/georgia-adopts-a-bulldog-bold.html#storylink=cpy

I understand that "metallics" is one of the hardest things to represent consistently, given that it needs to appear on various types of cloth, of paper, of plastic, and digitally. But invoking the Cowboys doesn't fill me with confidence:

Look at the pants and the helmet above. Would any rational person call those THE SAME? Fortunately, our scheme doesn't require the same metallic color represented in two different materials, but how fucking hard can it be to create silver britches?

So at the end of the day, I really like and endorse what we've done. We're still Red and Black. We're still committed to the G. We still have the Arches. We're still the Dawgs. We still have the G as our primary logo. We didn't go "Full Oregon." We tweaked. We refined. We streamlined. We strengthened our brand. And in the long run, I think that's a good thing.

Go Dawgs. All of them.

Ashes to Ashes

In all seriousness, sympathies go out to Willie Martinez, John Jancek, Jon Fabris and their families. As fans, alumni and season ticket holders, we may not have been pleased with their performance and have every "right" to demand better, but they tried their best for the program, and we thank them for their effort. However, the proof was in the pudding, and it was (mercifully) time to move on.

Sad News

UGA VII, also known as "Loran's Best," passed away today at his home in Savannah, GA, from an apparent heart attack. UGA VII had started his tenure at the beginning of the 2008 football season.

Just how bad is it?

Georgia's demolition (again) at the hands of the Gators wasn't unexpected, given the recent history between the two programs. There may have been a glimmer of hope coming into the game, in that we had two entire weeks to prepare and Florida had looked less than stellar on offense for the last few games. However, if your O isn't clickin', UGA has just the prescription to fix what ails ya: a healthy does of "D," Free-Willie Style.

I'm going to take a look at some defensive history here, though that in no way excuses the rest of Saturday's debacle: The ridiculous "weak sauce" of the surprise XFL uniforms. The inability of our QB (a supposed "game manager" and studious 5th year senior) to not lock onto receivers, throw the ball away, or hit his target accurately. The rampant and continuing lack of discipline on both sides of the ball, resulting in yet another avalanche of debilitating penalties. The juvenile and minor league sideline celebrations. The bang your head against a granite countertop, inexplicable special teams coaching. The befuddling result of two weeks of coaching preparation that promptly put us down by two touchdowns in a matter of minutes. (Not that there weren't some bright spots amidst the Halloween horror. Butler and Walsh continue to perform at an All-American level. The running game actually looked solid. The offensive line coalesced somewhat. Bobo's playcalling didn't make me want to set myself on fire).

Once again in an important game, the defense of Willie Martinez was poorly schemed, woefully prepared and exhibited the sturdiness of Charmin in a rainstorm. Just how bad has it gotten? Let's take a stroll down memory lane, shall we?

Note: when we refer to "major rival" games, I'm including scores from (only) games against South Carolina, Clemson, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Georgia Tech). All other statistics come from the season's full slate of opponents, including in and out of conference teams, bowl games, SECCGs and the smattering of home game cupcakes.

First up, let's take a look at the scoring statistics from some underperforming teams from the Goff era:

H/C	Goff	Goff	Goff
D/C	Bell	Bell	Bell
Yr	1989	1990	1993
Record	W6 L6	W4 L7	W5 L6
Avg Pts Allowed	16.5	27.5	26.3
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	21.7	32.4	31.2
For Rival Games Only
Avg Pts Allowed per Game	20.8	29.8	29.2
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	23.5	32.6	27.2

The D actually put up some decent numbers in Goff's first year, giving up only 16.5 points on average, 21.7 points in the six losses. Also, in all three years, the difference between the average performance of the D and the performance of the D in the "games that matter" wasn't that much - a delta of 2 - 4 points.

Now let's take a look at Goff's next two teams, when he changed D Coordinators twice:

H/C	Goff	Goff
D/C	Campbell	Kines
Yr	1994	1995
Record	W6 L4 T1	W6 L6
Avg Pts Allowed	25.7	23.4
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	37.6	33.7
For Rival Games Only
Avg Pts Allowed per Game	27.1	29.6
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	29.0	37.5

The points given up by the D remains, on average, in the mid-20s. However, you start to notice something: When we lose, we're giving up points by the bushel. Especially in the games that matter. (Compare the 37.6 ppg given up in a loss during the Swamp Fox's time on the sidelines to Goff's first year, when we only gave up 21.7 ppg. Also, in Goff's last season, we surrendered an average of 29.6 ppg against our rivals, and a whopping 37.5 ppg in losses to them).

That, among many other things, was enough to get Goff fired. So let's take a look at two Jim Donnan squads. His first and his last:

H/C	Donnan	Donnan
D/C	Kines	Gibbs
Yr	1996	2000
Record	W5 L6	W8 L4
Avg Pts Allowed	23.4	17.7
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	27.5	27.8
For Rival Games Only
Avg Pts Allowed per Game	37.8	27.8
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	43.3	27.8

Average ppg allowed from Goff's last year to Donnan's first was about the same, and we improved by almost a TD in our performance in a loss. But look how we performed against our primary rivals: Giving up just shy of 38 ppg and over 7 TDs per game in a loss against rivals. Yikes. The D improved (how could it help but?) by the end of the Donnan regime, giving up an average of 17.7 ppg, but look at those last three numbers from 2000. Do they seem similar? That's because they are all the exact same. We lost four times. We gave up 27.8 ppg in those four losses. And all four were against our primary rivals. And that was all she wrote for Coach Donnan.

So how does that career-killing performance compare to the Men of Martinez? Well, let's go to the numbers (note: full season for 2008, season to date 8 games for 2009)

H/C	Donnan	Richt	Richt
D/C	Gibbs	Willie	Willie
Yr	2000	2008	2009
Record	W8 L4	W10 L3	W4 L4
Avg Pts Allowed	17.7	24.5	29.4
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	27.8	45.0	32.5
For Rival Games Only
Avg Pts Allowed per Game	27.8	35.8	35.8
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	27.8	45.0	35.3

Almost any way you look at it, the D that got both Donnan and Gibbs shitcanned was appreciably better than what's been going on in Athens the last couple of years. This year's 29.4 ppg given up is the highest of ALL the years compared. Willie's 35.8 ppg in the games that matter (for two years running) is astonishingly high (more than five TDs per game!) and second only to the Donnan/Kines debacle from 1996.

Whew. That hurts my retinas just looking at it (and without an eye gouge courtesy of Brandon Spikes). How do all these porous units compare the "Glory Days?" Glad you asked. Here are the same categories of numbers from a few SEC Championship squads:

H/C	Dooley	Dooley	Richt
D/C	Erk	Lewis	BVG
Yr	1980	1981	2002
Record	W12 L0	W10 L2	W13 L1
Avg Pts Allowed	11.4	10.2	15.1
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	0	13	20
For Rival Games Only
Avg Pts Allowed per Game	17.2	7.7	17.3
Avg Pts Allowed in Loss	0	13	20

THAT, my friends, is what good D looks like. Now, every year can't be a championship year, but there's a vast gulf between giving up 10 - 15 ppg on average, and almost 30. And there's a Big Damned Difference between holding your rivals to 17 points (or 7.7!) and the current Willie benchmark of over 35.

Now, is this a fair analysis? We all know the old saying about statistics. And there are a lot of variables to consider, too. Injuries. The changing nature of the game, and the more prolific offenses of recent years. The longer schedule and additional games. The varying quality of opponents on the schedule, and the up and down cycles of the conference and our primary rivals. But you can draw a few conclusions:

• We're currently performing on D at a level that historically, has gotten people fired.
• Even worse, in the games that matter most to the team, to the coaching staff, to the players, to recruiting, to championship aspirations, to the alumni base, to the monetary contributions, to the regional and national media and to the overall shine and health of the program....we're getting killed. And getting killed at an exponentially horrifying clip.
• Despite protestations of hard work and buckling down; and despite the glow of highly ranked recruiting classes from fertile ground, we're just not getting any better. In fact, we're getting worse. Much, much worse.
• Whatever magical juju it is that makes Dawgs into "Junkyard Dawgs," we haven't found it recently. And I'm not a coach (nor have I been in "The Arena"), but I don't think the answer lies in garish fashion statements or aggressiveness that results in penalties (penalties that extend opponent drives, shortchange our drives, and yet don't add any intimidation or productivity to the whole mess).

So how bad is it on D? And where's rock bottom? The numbers will bear that out, but the most important question is, what the hell are we gonna do about it?

Can't Hurt

So, what does one lone fan, many miles away from Jacksonville, do to create some positive juju for The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party?

This morning, watched every available youtube video I could find with Dawg highlights of victory over the lizards.

Mixing up potent cocktails in a "Run, Lindsay, Run!" stadium cup.

Wearing the Dawg sweatshirt with the winningest record in the wardrobe.

Drank the morning java in a UGA mug.

Changed my twitter icon:

Listened to the "Best of Munson" iTunes mix this morning while assembling the potpourri post.

Tossed half a carton of OJ out this morning, even though it was within the expiration date, because you just can't have anyfuckingthing orange in the house today.

Switched to a new CrackBerry wallpaper:

Realistically and statistically, it appears we're going to get hammered. But it all can't hurt, right?

The Willie Martinez Employment Act (Part 3)

Since it's quite apparent we've reached a point in his University of Georgia coaching tenure where Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez can no longer adequately perform the duties he has been given, we here at TNRLM thought we would offer some suggestions on future employment opportunities where his unique "skills" might be put to better use.

Job Opportunity:
Toll Booth Manager

Why Willie is a Good Fit:
Quite used to deploying his charges, only to have wave after wave of north-south travelers with someplace to go run through his strategic bulwark, which offers only minor inconvenience.

 Of course, from 2001 - 2004 this was the more likely result.

The Willie Martinez Employment Act (Part 2)

Since it's quite apparent we've reached a point in his University of Georgia coaching tenure where Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez can no longer adequately perform the duties he has been given, we here at TNRLM thought we would offer some suggestions on future employment opportunities where his unique "skills" might be put to better use.


Job Opportunity:
Major League Baseball Bench Coach

Why Willie is a Good Fit:
Often, the responsibilities of the Bench Coach include positioning the defensive players so that a catch can easily be made, free of distractions.

As we've seen several times this year, Coach Willie does an excellent job of putting the defensive players in a position so that a catch can be made without impediment.

(Unfortunately for UGA fans, said catches are made by the opposing team, but this knack for allowing hassle-free catches should translate well to baseball. After all, in both baseball and UGA's defensive outings, it appears only one team is allowed to be around the ball as it descends into awaiting hands).

The Willie Martinez Employment Act (Part 1)

Since it's quite apparent we've reached a point in his University of Georgia coaching tenure where Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez can no longer adequately perform the duties he has been given, we here at TNRLM thought we would offer some suggestions on future employment opportunities where his unique "skills" might be put to better use.

Job Opportunity:
Bullfighter

Why Willie is a Good Fit:
Bullfighters wave something red, only to have "opponent" run through it, momentum frequently undeterred.

Failure to competently perform even the "Ole!" can often leave the bullfighter in less than healthy condition.

It was a good 5:18

For five minutes and eighteen seconds, it looked like everything was “right” in the Dawgverse. UGA took the opening kick in the end zone for a touchback* and then reeled off an impressive opening drive that showed creativity and precision, culminating in a 4 yard TD pass from Joe Cox to Michael Moore.

*UGA fans may be unfamiliar with this term. It’s when the kicker kicks the ball into the endzone, and the receiving team doesn’t run the ball out, giving them a starting position on the 20 yard line.

I don’t know how much, if any, of this drive was pre-scripted, but it was certainly effective. After that drive, however, the offensive wheels came off and it was all downhill. Consider this:

• On that drive, Cox was 2 for 3, for 33 yards and a TD. After that, he was 13 for 27 with a pick and a fumble.
• On that drive, Richard Samuel rushed 4 times for 31 yards (7.75 YPC). After that, he ran 16 times for 56 yards (3.5 YPC).
• In that first 5:18, UGA rushed 7 times for 42 yards (6.0 YPC). The rest of the game, UGA rushed 23 times for 42 yards (1.87 YPC).
• Run/Pass mix on first drive: 7/3. Run/Pass mix remainder of game: 23/27.
• First drive: 80 yards and a TD. Next 11 drives? 186 total yards, 6 punts, 2 fumbles, 1 interception and 1 field goal.

The familiar refrain after UGA losses last year was “Fire Willie Martinez!” And at times, it was hard to argue with that sentiment, watching the D get torched time after time, give up 40+ points on multiple occasions, failing to create turnovers and showing a troubling inability to make tackles. Well, Saturday in Stillwater, you couldn’t pin this loss on Martinez and the D. Yes, the pass rush continues to be anemic. No, once again the Dawgs didn’t create turnovers. But given the odds stacked against them (questionable officiating, ridiculously short fields to defend – only one OSU scoring drive was over 32 yards), the D did their job and it was the O that let this team down, and frankly, signaled that this is going to be a very, very long season.

Before the season, there was great debate over whether Cox would be more like Joe Tereshinski or DJ Shockley. You don’t want to form a complete opinion based on one game, especially one which followed several days of flu-like symptoms, but Joe’s performance was certainly closer to the former than the latter. Passes, even those that were completed, were a little off target and a little late to arrive. Given that, it was even more perplexing that after the first drive, the playcalling mix became more weighted toward the passing game, when it was clear to everyone watching that the QB wasn’t sharp and the receivers weren’t hauling in the waffling floaters that got near them. This was a horrible game for OC Bobo, and a D that doesn’t create turnovers isn’t going to help bail him out.

Despite a career long FG by Walsh and several long punts (aided by a couple of fortuitous bounces) by Butler, the special teams were a disaster once again. OSU averaged almost 34 yards per kick return and 15 yards per punt return.

So let’s sum it all up, shall we?

• After an impressive opening drive, the offense was poorly coordinated and haphazardly executed.
• The special teams continue to be an embarrassment for a top flight college football program.
• The defense performed admirably, but still cannot sack the QB or generate any turnovers.

Given that, I think it’s gonna be a struggle to stay above .500 this year. Hate to say that, and perhaps next week’s home tilt with the Chickens will give us more to work with, but right now the glass is looking half empty.

But we’ll always have that first 5:18.

Sanford Stadium in Miniature

Having some time on my hands, I downed a fifth of whiskey, got my Roy Neary on, and painstakingly built a scaled model of Sanford Stadium in my living room, complete with 80,000+ tiny fans. Sure, it took a while to trim those wee hedges and hide all the microscopic flasks under the bleachers, but it looks good, no?

click to embiggen

Kidding. Actually, I just engaged in some "tilt shift miniature faking," but it would have been fun to build an entire stadium, right?

I'll take potpourri for $5,900, Alex

Happy Birthday, Christina Hendricks!

109 has a look at sci-fi time loops.

Wil Wheaton remembers the Atari. God, I loved that machine. I tried a few times to get into a Nintendo, Sega or X-Box, but there are just too many damned buttons. Joystick and red button, and blow shit up. That's the ticket.

Banning comic sans, the ugliest and most overused font EVER.

Has Chuck been saved? Hey, I bought my $5 footlong! More Chuck, please!

Gillian Anderson on Doctor Who? Swoon.

Swine Flu panic? Let the movies show you how to handle it.

Lostpedia interviews Darlton.

A Lost "in memoriam."

Favorite TV hangouts.

Holier than thou gasbag Sean Hannity calls Kim Kardashian a "role model" for girls. A. I don't think he does much research, and B. when his daughter is getting fucked on camera for a porn tape, maybe he might want to revisit that statement.

Galactica Sitrep found these odd little videos, with animated characters bitching about BSG to a clown standing for Ron Moore.

If this is the case, I should be the least lonely person alive.

E! talks to Dollhouse's Topher.

Paleyfest report on Fringe.

Fake tits, "real" marriage and empty heads.

Anna Faris will start in a new comedy about that age old relationship irritant: What's Your Number? Apparently, her character sets a limit on the number of dudes she can bang in her lifetime: 20. If one of my exes had done that, she'd have hung up her panties during recess.

Speaking of which, I find it odd that this headline was from Columbus Ohio.

Yep, that's my home state. Forget the fish, bread and eternal life. Nothing says benevolent mythological deity like an affordable Korean car.

Like a lot of sci-fi fans, I enjoyed Ender's Game. But the author is a whackjob, and just joined the NOM, to "declare war on the government" if they recognize marriage equality. I guess giant space insects are bigots, too.

Another good interview with Darlton, from Variety.

Televisionary talks with Caprica showrunner (and writer of Friday's AWESOME Dollhouse ep, "Briar Rose") Jane Espenson. BTW, I saw Caprica on DVD, and it was terrific. Highly recommended.

Atlanta sports fans rejoice. Our long national nightmare is over: Terence Moore leaves the AJC. (Typical column: bad owners, race, Aaron, Braves suck, race, bad sentence, race, Big Red Machine, race. Oh, and race).

Good look at UGA from Tony Barnhart.

The 5 Hardest Things to do in Acting. I guess "read dialogue in a George Lucas movie" or "convey emotion in a Michael Bay movie" just missed the cut.

I'll take potpourri for $5,800, Alex

io9 has a good summary of "Evil Corporations." I actually have t-shirts for Blue Sun, Weyland-Yutani and Cyberdyne Systems. (I wanted to link to the video from the Angel episode "Harm's Way," with featured a Wolfram & Hart new employee orientation video, but I couldn't find it online. In it, you see that the evil law firm represents many of the companies listed here. Funny stuff).

MoMass has seen his draft stock improve lately. Good for him. I think he'll make a very good possession receiver in the NFL. (And good god, he did everything -- except make a tackle -- to keep us in that last regular season game of which we shall not speak). Several folks put him now with the Bears.

Awwwwww.

Some good behind the scenes stuff from Mo Ryan on CSI's totally geektastic episode on Thursday. And Hodges? I don't care how much you love your job, if Wendy wants you to come over to watch sci-fi, the answer is always YES.

Coverage of Dollhouse at last week's PaleyFest.

Hilarious! "Uncomfortable Plot Summaries".

Empire looks at 5 shows that should be movies. Good ideas, no?

Jane Espenson talks to AMC about Caprica. On DVD next week, right?

Brian Austin Green talks to CBR about T:TSCC. Prison Break did even worse than TSCC and Dollhouse on Friday. Good news for our favorite sci-fi shows? Or does this just mean FOX will go back to cheap reality crap there?

I was gonna complain about morons scheduling their lives around fictional characters, but then remembered that I needed to be home on a Friday night to find out what happened to Starbuck and Baltar.

TWOP's "Supporting Characters that we Hate." Randy Jackson and Mohinder. One has exquisite command of the English language and one has a "word a day" calendar that only runs for 3 weeks, yet neither says anything comprehensible. And here are their Best Sidekicks. (I think personally, Cameron and Sam & Fi would be most useful).

Den of Geek lists Top 10 English psychopaths in American movies.

A chat with Johnny Galecki of Big Bang Theory.

Chuck Lorre's title card addresses the current economic downturn. With references to Skynet and Cylons.

Awesome Toby Ng charts. And I feel better about my place in the flame.

More about HIMYM with Mo Ryan.

And now, a quick break for politics:

• I understand the frustration behind the tea parties, but the loonies turning out aren't doing the excessive taxation movement any favors.
• Anti-equality bigot Maggie Gallagher, the "brains" behind the idiotic "gathering storm" video, seems tone deaf in more ways than one. This is funny.
• National Review recently had a stupefying and intolerant editorial against equality. Several thoughts on that are here, here and here.
• Newsweek looks at the "end of Christian America."
• On the same subject, Hitchens completely dismantles some poor stammering boob.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Coach Richt is in it for the long haul. I say "huzzah."

Cinematical lists & TV Stars Who Should Be In More Movies.

Jason Whitlock speaks the truth about "The Answer."

Most quotable movies?

Forbes looks at what TV shows make the most money.

Lots of pop culture "last suppers." (h/t Pop Candy)

Quickies

The posting has been lighter than usual around these parts, because I've been in a bit of a funk, and had a lingering migraine-esque brain intrusion. But here are a few quickies:

I think that the daughter on Castle and Rory Gilmore are the only two kids (not involved with vampires) that I've ever liked on TV. And that show really is a charming and easy procedural, like Bones used to be (and occasionally still is).

Last Friday's Dollhouse was the best episode of the series, even better than "Man on the Street" two weeks ago. It figures that just as it is getting to the "must watch/I love this show" stage, FOX will put it on death row. Please Joss, go to cable next time. I'm sure all your fans know how to change the channel.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles sure ended with a bang, didn't it? I love this show, too, but the handwriting has been on the wall for some time with it, so the inevitable cancellation won't crush me. So, did John (and Weaver) wind up exactly "when" they were supposed to all along, or is this a separate, and new, branch in the timeline?

I'm more of a Marvel than DC fan (though I understand the corporate sensibilities involved with producing Big Bang Theory), but the nerds were spot on with their comic book references last night, weren't they?

It was nice to see UGA football on the television Saturday, even though it was about as exciting as standing in line at the DMV. With Cox, Gray and even Murray, I'm not worried about the QB position. Someone needs to break out at the RB position, and let's hope that we don't have another season of WR "dropsies" spreading like leprosy. And of course, as it did last year, a good deal of the season will come down to what Willie does with his talent.

That final round of The Masters was a joy to behold. Phil certainly let one get away, giving up about 4 strokes (rinsing the tee shot at 12, and missing makeable putts on 15 and 17, not even couting a bogie on 18).

I usually watch CSI: Original Recipe, but this is just can't miss:



Okay, I'll be back tomorrow with Idol thoughts. Time for some Advil and whiskey.

I'll take potpourri for $5,600, Alex

How much of Lost has now been affected by a sandwich?

DirecTV will be showing some canceled series. (I loved Eyes, which I thought deserved a much longer run).

The Blade Runner ending. Deckard? Yep, Replicant.

50 great "finishing moves" from the movies.

A Lego, musical version of Silence of the Lambs? Of course. It puts the lotion in the fucking basket!!

Interview with Nathan Fillion.

Talk about a narrow built in audience. I think I'm one of the only people on the planet who remembers, and actually had and played with, this toy now becoming a movie.

A chat with Jane Espenson.

TWOP looks at BSG's unanswered questions.

The best DSLs in Hollywood. (And no, that doesn't have anything to do with an internet connection).

You know, this explains a LOT.

Matt Stafford's parents got a divorce when he was a kid. And I'm sure that led to Georgia Tech rushing for 700 yards in the second half, too.

The Suicide Girls weren't particularly enamored with the BSG finale.

10 Sexiest "Damsels in Distress?" MJ hotter than Princess Leia? And even though Spider-Man 3 blew chunks, Gwen Stacy was hotter than MJ. There's really a lot to disagree with in this list.

Still can't get enough Battlestar?

• Six of the best BSG moments.
• Top 10 BSG episodes.
• BSG composer Bear McCreary's epic blog post about the music for "Daybreak."
• Ron Moore took to the Skiffy forums to answer some post-"Daybreak" questions.

The ShamWow dude is arrested for beating a hooker. The conflict probably started when both of them realized they weren't getting what was advertised.

An in-depth analysis of and conversation about, a very underrated sci-fi remake, Solaris. I unashamedly love this movie.

Not sure I agree with the choices, but here's a list of the 25 Best and Worst TV episode titles.

Pure concentrated awesome: Vintage Dharma Ads.

The lovely and talented Alicia Witt will guest on The Mentalist. (I actually watched a painful majority of 88 Minutes on a movie channel the other day because she had a significant role. Truly a terrible, terrible flick).

io9 looks at crazy space racists!

Ron Moore's script for The Thing prequel is getting shelved. Now, the alien no longer appears on Earth to kill and maim an Antarctic expedition because "God wanted it to."

Photos probably forthcoming from Columbus, GA.

io9 tries to sort out Terminator timelines. Get migraine meds ready.

Pajiba checks back in on Dollhouse, and finds it lacking. (Personally, I thought the last couple of episodes, particularly "Man on the Street," were terrific).

The "reboot" hasn't even premiered yet, and the writers are signed for a Trek sequel.

Noted comedy writer Ken Levine has found a letter Lost's Juliet has written to her sister back home.

Economic times are tough, and people are "trading down" on spirits. Is there any difference between the vodkas? (Personally, I keep a bottle of Ketel One for dry martinis, and some cheap stuff for everything else. You absolutely, no pun intended, can't tell the difference in vodkas in Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers).

I'll take potpourri for $5,500, Alex

Someone has attempted a BSG timeline.

LA Times chats with Ron Moore.

TWOP's 10 Reasons BSG is leaving at the right time.

IF Magazine talks to Tahmoh Penikett about BSG and Dollhouse.

Move The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party to Atlanta? In a dome? Uh, NO. Antiseptic atmosphere. Tailgating with the homeless. Diminished south Georgia and Florida recruiting. Fewer available tickets. "Neutral site" games should have a singular location for tradition and history. College football in a dome sucks.

Stafford has a good pro day workout.

Alan Sepinwall's favorite BSG episodes.

Richt doesn't have a problem with Spurrier or Urban Meyer. I'll just pretend I didn't read this, and that they are both still gaping assholes.

RDM talks about the "Daniel fiasco." I still think it would have made sense.

AfterEllen chats with Jane Espenson about Buffy, Caprica, Dollhouse and BSG.

Highlights from Joss's recent conference call.

Fun look at the history of Batman logos.

Video Q&A with Kate Vernon (aka Ellen Tigh). Gods, she's adorable.

More with Kate and Michael Hogan. Who wouldn't want a happy hour with the Tighs? (Though apparently, if you can't keep up with the Tighs shot for shot, you wind up in an alley puking on yourself, Adama).

Yeah, I need some new furniture.

TV Guide chats with Elizabeth Mitchell.

10 guys you're allowed to have a man-crush on.

io9 thinks about 10 great sci-fi endings.

Interesting chat with the guy in control of Batman's film rights.

Lost's Damon Lindelof chats about Watchmen.

Sarah Silverman sums up how to think about "divas."

Rivals looks at 2009 UGA.

When TV shows change their DNA.

A history of Trek Movie titles.

80s sitcom intros. Ahhhh, my eyes!

Annoying habits of a geeky spouse.

The things to say during sex flowchart.

Weekly Poll

In last week's poll, we asked about your favorite Dawg of all time (excluding 34). Old school Terry Hoage led the voting, closely followed by Eric Zeier and Hines Ward (only serving to highlight the blistering incompetence of the Goof Era). And poor Terence Edwards. I guess everyone still remembers that drop against the Jorts, since he didn't receive a single vote.

So how's this for a segue? In honor of this (Dude!) amazing picture, this we'll ask about your favorite Lost character.

As always, feel free to choose more than one option, and explain here in the comments if you want.

Namaste. Sic 'em. Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!

Don't you love it when two of your favorite things come together? I'll be back with more later this week on last night's Lost, "LaFleur," which was one of my absolute favorites from this year, which is saying a lot. However, I just ran across some preview pics of the next ep of Lost, "Namaste," which will air in two weeks. (Pictures courtesy i09, via Doc Arzt).

I wasn't really looking for spoilers. (And if you don't want to know anything about that episode, avoid the whole batch of pictures, because there are certainly some interesting images there). Just skimming over the article, actually, when something caught my eye. Check it out:



In a word: AWESOME.

Love and Hate and College Football

Some interesting college football and UGA links for your perusal and debate:

Scouts, Inc. looks at, and ranks, the impact of early enrollees. It's an ESPN Insider piece, so if you can't see it, here's the takeway for UGA:

1. Georgia: With QB Matthew Stafford gone, senior Joe Cox is the likely starter. But the Dawgs were the only school to sign two top-10 quarterbacks, and both are already enrolled. Aaron Murray, our No. 3 quarterback, and Zach Mettenberger (No. 9), will push Cox this spring. Murray has the 2009 quarterback class' best, fastest release, and Brett Favre-type moxie. Mettenberger is more of a pocket passer -- but he's a tremendous pocket passer. The Dawgs' third early enrollee, lineman Dallas Lee (our No. 15 guard), could play on either side of the ball. Coaches will at least have the spring to figure it out. We like the physical brawler more on offense.

AJ Green says some nice things about Joe Cox.

The AJC's Mark Bradley compiles a list of the SEC's "most irritating" coaches. Mark Richt number 5? Really? The "holy roller" act wears a little thin, especially with me, but as Gob Bluth would say, "Come On!" And yes, Lane Kiffykins is number 1 with a bullet, but sanctimonious assmunch Urban Meyer has to be number 2.

SI's Andy Staples looks at the "destination jobs" for college coaching. UGA falls into the "Gold Standard," along with some other SEC schools. What's considered "Platinum?" Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, and USC. I find it laughable that no SEC school is considered "platinum," given the quality of the football, the TV deal, the perennial national championship contention, the recruiting classes, the depth and breadth of the coaching talent, the profitability and the rich history and traditions across the board.

Here's another interesting SI piece that looks at where the schools get their recruits geographically. Lots of good info in there, so click around. Also, here's UGA's map on google maps.

Finally, ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Ivan Maisel look at things they love, and things they hate, about college football. There is a CMR mention in the "love," list, but it also features (holding back gag urge) Tebow and Paul Johnson. In the "hate" list, of course you'll find the BCS, but also interesting takes on the "death of radio" and conference alignments. Interesting stuff.

Other things I would add to the "hate list:"

• The inordinate media focus on Notre Dame (though I do enjoy schadenfreude).
• Tebow.
• FOX's coverage of the BCS games.
• Lou Holtz and Mark May (Rece Davis must have the patience of Job).
• 12:30 kickoffs.

Anything to add to either list?

Monday Geeks and Dawg Favorites

The weekly poll is closed, and it seems the geeks have inherited the Earth. Or at least Monday night on the boob tube.

On TV's most competitive night, two clear favorites emerged: NBC's Chuck and CBS's Big Bang Theory. No argument from me there. I watch all the shows listed in the poll, and enjoy them all, too. (And of course this isn't a "scientific" poll with a delicately balanced sample. People that frequent these parts probably do so because they enjoy rambling thoughts and musings on all forms of geekery, from Lost and Watchmen to BSG and Dollhouse, more than wondering how Brenda Leigh Johnson will drawl her way through another interrogation). Still, Monday nights are an embarrassment of TV riches that, with the miracle of TiVo, oftens stretches into Wednesday viewing.

This week's poll changes course from the tube to the gridiron. In a post this weekend, we mused on the UGA "Mount Rushmore." The notion of the "greatest" players (or figures) in UGA history can boil down to a select few. However, your choice of "favorite" player doesn't necessarily require pantheon level statistics and accomplishments. So that's what we'll ask this week: Who are your favorite players in UGA history? (For obvious reasons, we'll leave Herschel out and assume he's a unanimous choice). You can vote for more than one selection, and if your choice isn't there, pick "other" and elaborate in the comments.