Some cool uga sports images:
One Era Ends – Another Begins – R.I.P Uga VI – Long Live Uga VII
Image by UGArdener
I realize that this picture is quite different from the ones that I have been posting for the past few weeks. It shows a side of me that most of my Flickr contacts have not seen, and that many will find difficult to understand, especially in Europe. Today is the start of another College Football Season in the American South.
In a few hours, in Athens, Georgia, home of my Alma Mater, the University of Georgia, over 92,000 people will assemble at Sanford Stadium from all over the country to brave the mid-day heat for the first of 12 regular season, Fall Saturday games. If preseason predictions are accurate and the team escapes injuries and other misfortunes, it will then play in early December for the Southeastern Conference Championship in Atlanta, and if the stars really align favorably, the Bulldogs, or “Dawgs”, as they are called by most of their fans, will play for a National Championship in Miami on January 8.
Today will also mark the end of one era, and the beginning of another. In June, the team’s beloved mascot, Uga VI, (pronounced “ughh-uh”) died peacefully in his sleep after serving the team for nine full seasons. The picture that I have posted is a shot of the official commemorative photo that was handed out at the 1999 South Carolina game, which we were fortunate enough to attend with our son and daughter in law.
The tradition of having a purebred white English Bulldog serve as the team mascot began in the 1950’s. For that entire time, the Seiler family of Savannah has selected and supplied the anointed canine, and has traveled to each game with him. In the 1990’s, his grandfather, Uga V, appeared in the movie “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”, and another was named America’s Best Mascot by Sports Illustrated magazine. Today Uga VII will be unveiled. Here is the official university press release:
ATHENS, Ga. — The seventh in the Uga line of Georgia mascots will be introduced to the Georgia people on Saturday, Aug. 30, during pre-game ceremonies of the Bulldogs’ season opener against Georgia Southern. “Loran’s Best” will officially become “Uga VII,” when he is introduced for the first time to the Sanford Stadium crowd prior to the 12:34 p.m. kickoff. He will be escorted onto the field by members of the Frank W. “Sonny” Seiler family of Savannah who have owned the continuous line of mascots since Uga I took up the mantle in 1956.
Uga VII’s coronation will become official when UGA President Dr. Michael F. Adams slips the new red leather spike collar over his head during the ceremony at midfield. He succeeds his father, Uga VI, who passed away in June of this year. Uga VII will be escorted onto the field by Charles Seiler and two Seiler grandchildren: Margaret Story and Sara Thompson. At 56 and one half pounds, he’ll be second only to Uga VI as the biggest mascot in the line. Seiler said he “has an excellent coat and bears a striking resemblance to his father.” “He’s a great pet, already answers to his name, loves to travel and ride in the car,” said Seiler. “He sleeps in his kennel in the den and is fed Hill’s prescription maintenance dog food at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Uga VII already loves to sit on the dock by the river and is ready for his first boat ride.”
“Loran’s Best” was originally named for long-time Georgia Athletic Association personality Loran Smith. Seiler said Uga VII has an entire new wardrobe made with the same material as the team jerseys.
Participating in the pre-game ceremony will be UGA Director of Athletics Damon Evans and the Georgia Redcoat Band. University Alumni Association president Trey Paris will also present a proclamation to the Seiler family honoring Uga VI and welcoming Uga VII. Other Seiler family members on the field will be Frank W. “Sonny” and Cecelia Seiler, Swann Seiler, Wendy (Mrs. Charles) Seiler, Shannon and Bess Thompson and their children Tennyson and Seiler Thompson, Todd and Sara Story and their children Anna and William Story. A video tribute to Uga VI will be shown on the stadium scoreboard prior to the official introduction of Uga VII.
Here is Uga VI’s Gravestone Epitaph (he is interred with the others in a special area of the stadium):
UGA VI GEORGIA MASCOT (1999 – 2008)
KIND WITH A BIG HEART THAT FINALLY PLAYED OUT
• TWO SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS
• NINE BOWL GAMES
• FOOTBALL RECORD 87-27
• 19 NATIONAL TITLES
• 34 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS
“A BIG DOG FOR A BIG JOB, AND HE HANDLED IT WELL”
If your eyes havn’t already glazed over by now from all of this, here are a few more links to stories about Uga VI, his funeral, etc:
www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/06/30/…
www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/08/29/…
www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&SPSID=48586&…
www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48586&SPID…
www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48586&SPID…
UGA v. South Carolina 2003
Image by DAveA
UGA wins 31-7.
Pictures from the GT-UGA Women’s Volleyball Game 2009
Image by hectorir
Georgia Tech Won 3-2 on August 28, 2009 winning its first game in the Clean Old Fashioned Hate series for this sports season
