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Florida vs. Georgia football game: Should it stay in Jacksonville?
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The annual University of Florida vs. University of Georgia football game -- the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party -- is played in Jacksonville, FL as a neutral site. The contract with Jacksonville is up after the 2010 game, which leaves the question: should the game be moved to a new location?
Jacksonville is a "neutral" site in that the game is not played on the campus of either college. Equal tickets are sold, so there is a clear orange/blue and black/red split down the middle of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. However, the pending contract end has some UGA officials taking a look at a potential move, citing that Jacksonville really isn't all that neutral -- instead favoring the Gators.
The main issue is that Jacksonville is much closer to Gainesville, providing the comfort of a quick bus ride for the Gators vs. flying to the location for the Bulldogs. In addition, heading North brings cooler temps for the Gators, while it's hotter for the Dawgs. Lastly, the game is in the state of Florida in a stadium that used to be called the Gator Bowl.
I agree that the proximity to Gainesville vs. Athens may have an effect on how the players prep for the game (flying vs. driving). However, the Bulldogs can't make excuses for their paltry 3-16 record vs. the Gators since 1990. Regardless of location, the best team will win the majority of the time. If the teams do decide to change locations, the Bulldogs better come out victorious more often or we'll look like a bunch of whiners.
At this point, Georgia athletics director Damon Evans said that there have only been minor discussions with Jacksonville, and that talks about moving the game to the Georgia Dome every four years have not yet been had. Evans seems to be handling it the right way thus far, even commenting that he us not an "excuse guy," which I love.
Evans said. “We’ve got to throw all the stuff on the board and say: What is really the right thing to do here? Not what’s best for me, not what’s best for any one person, but what’s best for the long term for the University of Georgia?”
As someone that has been attending the game to support the Dawgs for nearly a decade, I personally can't imagine the game anywhere else but Jacksonville. The city and surrounding areas -- like Amelia Island, where we stay every year -- does a great job of accomodating the masses and I never feel like the visiting team. If a new location is chosen, you can bet I will be there every year, hoping my Dawgs will finally turn the win ratio around and send the Gators back to Gainesville feeling used and abused. Until then, see you in Jacksonville!
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