A step behind and a dollar short

Have you ever had one of those weeks where it seems to occur through an out of body experience? A week where no matter how fast you are running, you still are miles behind? Seven days where determined effort isn't nearly enough and tasks attempted leave you as confused as a cow on AstroTurf?

That was my week.

It started well.

I spent the previous weekend in Atlanta with a group of friends from South Carolina. This was our home until this past summer. At times my heart has a physical ache from missing our friends and community so much, until I realize that I now live in a place that identifies with my love for all things black and red. Those who understand that Sanford Stadium is a step short of heaven and the ONLY place to be on a crisp, Saturday afternoon.

A little side note here from my rambling: if you are not a Bulldog fan please skip the following paragraph. This may make your stomach hurt, or cause a momentary SNOOZE. However, please appreciate my restraint as I could devote numerous posts to this topic.(John, Jon and Chas - I hope you're reading this with your fists pumping in the air.)

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT GEORGIA WON THE SEC TOURNAMENT?

Those are offensive plays tattooed on his arm:


"I'm going to SIX FLAGS!". He can't go to Disney World yet - he still has some dancing to do next week.


The number 6 seed in the SEC tournament had to overcome the following seemingly insurmountable obstacles to balance on a ladder and ceremoniously cut down the net:
1. They went from about the worst to the absolute first. The last time a 6th seed team did so was in 1992.

2. Georgia needed overtime to beat Ole Miss 97-95 in Thursday night's first round.

3. Friday night, while the Bulldogs were waiting in their locker room before playing Kentucky in the quarterfinals, a tornado damaged the Georgia Dome, leaving a humongous hole in the arena's north side. (Yes, you read that right. A tornado in Atlanta, Ga, during the SEC tournament. I dare you to tell me that God's not a Georgia fan) This caused a disruption to the schedule and the minds of those not mentally prepared. The SEC postponed Georgia's game until noon Saturday at Georgia Tech.

4. The Bulldogs upset the Wildcats 60-56 in overtime (with a turnaround, three point shot made with 1.2 seconds left), their first win against Kentucky in nine tries in the SEC tournament.

5. Just a mere six hours later, Georgia upset SEC West champion Mississippi State 64-60 in the semifinals.Statistics show that Georgia is the first Division I college basketball team to win two games in the SAME DAY in 56 years.These fellows had to play a double-header with tired legs and a 9 member team in order to make it to the final game on Sunday. And they did, Glory to God.

6. Fans were not allowed into any of the games, with the exception of family members and close friends, much like their YMCA playing days of mismatched jerseys with only their mamas yelling out their names and juice boxes for refreshment.

7. And I want you to know that they beat Arkansas soundly in the final game, never trailing once, that ensured that there would be some Bulldogs dancing in the NCAA tournament. Can I hear a HALLELUJAH?!

A continued side note: Georgia has not won the SEC championship in basketball since 1983 when they also made it to the final four. If you are a Georgia fan, and you did not crank up the Soulja Boy dance on Sunday, you are no longer allowed to bark or call Vince Dooley a friend. It brings me great joy to think of the scrambling the NCAA officials had to do on Sunday to make a place for this miraculous basketball team in the bracket reserved only for the elite.

See what you've done. Now, I've forgotten what I was going to include in my post. Excuse my pause. I need to regroup now that my concentration is shot because I'm just so dang excited. Go you hairy Dawgs!