I have now been writing posts to this blog for over 3 years now, and this will be the 4th time that I am writing a post to predict the Georgia football season. As many of you know, my intentions for this blog were to post only articles on real estate. However, I quickly realized that I needed to branch out a little and make it more fun if anyone was going to read it. On the other hand, I was very frustrated with Georgia football during year one of this blog, and that may have lead me to write more football posts as that season went down the drain. I am planning to write a post about Zillow from a broker’s point of view in case you have any interest in a real estate topic, but for today I will focus on Georgia football.
First, let me get some bragging out of the way. If you read this blog, you may recall my predictions from last year. In August of 2017 yours truly called for the Dawgs to go 11 & 1 with a difficult loss to Auburn which proved to be exactly right. I took a little ribbing from my friends for such a positive and totally homer prediction. One friend from Toccoa found the prediction to be hilarious even if
he was hopeful that I would be correct. But he predicted 10 and 2 so what does he know about it anyway? At the end of the day, I am not Chip Towers or Jeff Danzler. These posts are riddled with grammatical mistakes because I am real estate broker and not a sports writer. But I do know Georgia football and I have an opinion to share. So why hell not?
UGA vs Austin Peay Sept 1st– Obviously, games like this aren’t hard to predict. Georgia should win this one easily, but there will be a lot of interest in how this one goes down. Oddly, they are going to kick off at 3:30 here in Athens, and all the talk will be about Justin Fields. It is funny how the Freshman QB is always the toast of the town until he throws that first interception. That being said, I expect Jake Fromm to have a good day and sit out the 4th quarter. (1-0)
UGA vs South Carolina Sept 8th– If you ask any SCAR fan they will tell you how good their team is going to be and how they will beat Georgia in Columbia this year. Trust me these folks are fired up for this one, and the stadium will be
rocking. SCAR is well coached on defense, Jake Bentley is a very good quarterback, Debo Samuel is going to be healthy, and the game is early in the season. All signs point to an upset right? I respectfully disagree with that thinking. South Carolina is good, but the depth chart will play a big role in this one. It will be hot over there and come the 4th quarter SCAR’s 1st team players will be tired of Holyfield, Swift, & James Cook. That’s right James Cook and not Zamir White. Georgia wins this one in similar fashion to last year’s match up. (2-0)
UGA vs Middle Tenn State Sept 15th– This is another one that Georgia should and will win easily, but this is a critical point in the season. It is critical because the team will need to be clicking by this point or the season could go South. The next five weeks after this game will be crucial for a successful year. Georgia wins it big. (3-0)
UGA vs Missouri Sept 22nd– This game scares me more than most people. I am hoping this one is a night game and not a 12pm start. The game is at Missouri, and that stadium can be a little flat for an 11am local kick. Their quarterback is very good, and they will take some chances in the passing game. However, they have a new offensive coordinator and I hate to say it, but Mr. Dooley may not be the right hire for the position. Dawgs win by 3 touchdowns. (4-0)
UGA vs Tennessee Sept 29th– This game sure was fun last year. I watched it from a bar in Birmingham before a good friend’s wedding. During the game a homeless man outside the bar struck a waitress in the face and then wrestled a bouncer along with the police before ultimately being arrested on numerous charges. That homeless man put up way more of a fight than Tennessee did that day. Tennessee will be better coached this time around, but they just don’t have enough talent at this point. Dawgs win big again. (5-0)
UGA vs Vandy Oct 6th– This game use to scare me from time to time during the Richt era. Our team was always liable to look past Vandy which could still happen with LSU looming the week after, but I think this one goes as expected with Georgia winning big at home. (6-0).
UGA vs LSU Oct 13th– Well here comes the first hiccup on the schedule. Well at least that is what some people think, and the people that think this way don’t 
really know LSU quarterbacks. Don’t get me wrong, this game will be hard, and that stadium will be rocking come nightfall, but here is my thinking. LSU has a hard schedule this year. They play Miami, Auburn, Mississippi, and go to Florida the week before playing Georgia. I personally think they catch Georgia at a bad time and could be in for a disastrous season. Georgia wins a close one in a great atmosphere, and Ed Orgeron will be fired come December. (7-0)
UGA vs Florida Oct 27th– The real blessing in this game will be the bye week Georgia has between LSU and Florida. I think the game against LSU will be a very close physical one, and without a bye week Georgia could easily lose. Florida will be better this year for sure. Hell, they get back 12 or more players from that embarrassing credit card scandal. They will be hungry and looking for revenge on Georgia. Nevertheless, I don’t think they have enough players to get it done. Furthermore, their new Defensive coordinator is Todd Grantham who has been burned badly by Georgia offenses since leaving Athens. Just look to Grantham’s defenses at Louisville and Miss State. Dawgs win, and then I will belly flop into a pool somewhere on St. Simmons Island later that evening. (sort of a tradition) (8-0)
UGA vs Kentucky Nov 3rd– Kentucky has some real talent these days, but this isn’t basketball. I don’t see their roster beating Georgia unless UGA gets hit hard by injuries. Dawgs win another one. (9-0)
UGA vs Auburn Nov 10th– Well here we go again. Georgia is an undefeated 9 and 0, and prime to lose to Auburn just like last year. Auburn will be picked by many for an upset in this one. Especially after losing to Georgia in the SEC
Championship. No doubt that Georgia can lose this game against Auburn’s formidable defense. However, this one will not be played in Jordan Hare but in Sanford Stadium. Georgia wins this one in front of ferocious home crowd. (10-0)
UGA vs UMass Nov 17th– Do you know the last time Georgia was 10-0? It was 1982, and I just predicted it to happen for the first time in 36 years which is laughable to many of you. Well call me crazy if you want but Georgia will be 11-0 after this game. Dawgs Win! (11-0)
UGA vs techies Nov 24th– The sum of all Georgia fan fears could be realized on this Saturday in November. That fear being an undefeated Georgia team losing to Ga Tech at the end of the season. Can you imagine how horrible that would be for the fans and team. These are the kind of games that can make that horror a reality. Tech runs the triple option which helps them play with better teams. It will be a scary, scary morning for me and all other Georgia fans, but Dawgs will win another one. (12-0)
HOLY MOLY! I can’t even believe it myself. I am honestly predicting my beloved Bulldogs to go 12 and 0 for the first time since 1980. I must be out of my d@mn mind. What the hell am I thinking? Alabama doesn’t even go 12 and 0. I know this prediction may seem crazy to many of you because it is so hard to win them all but look at the schedule. South Carolina is good but not great. LSU is in the same situation with a much more difficult schedule before playing Georgia. Florida and Tennessee have year one coaches. Auburn has to play in Sanford Stadium this year, and Tech is Tech. The only reason people think Georgia will lose one or two games is because of history. For 38 years, Georgia has not been 12 and 0, and that seems like a long enough period of time to end the streak. The current team certainly lost some leadership from last year, and it will be hard to replace Roquan, Sony, and Chubb. But if any team in Georgia’s history could it might be this one. The last four recruiting classes rank as follows: 6, 11, 3, and 1 nationally. This current team could very well be the most physically gifted Georgia team EVER! The roster is bigger and stronger than it has ever been in my lifetime. So, keep your fingers crossed, and hope they avoid the injury bug because this year could be a lot of fun. Go Dawgs!
fielding questions about arrests that took place over the summer and not about a quarterback controversy. These days Georgia is viewed in a little different light than in past years. But I must give Kirby credit because he has done a good job of making Georgia a non-story for off the field issues, and he now handles the media like a seasoned pro. On the other hand, Georgia and its former players have still been a big story in other ways this week.
decided to jump on board and continue the Pruitt bashing. This created some buzz, but thankfully it was not from one of the current players. Lastly, the Florida Gators can’t help but be themselves even when they are losing. One of their players not only predicted they would beat Georgia this year, but even went on to say last year’s game was closer than the score reflected. If you recall, that game was 21 to 0 in the 1st quarter and was easily one of the biggest A-S-S whippings handed out in the SEC last year with a final score of 42 to 7. At the end of the day, if Gator players are having to discuss our team this early in the season that is a good thing.
certain Jeff Danzler plays the same game and may have invented it. If so, good for Danzler because the answers are quite revealing. For example, do you think a Georgia Tech fan wanted Mark Richt to stay or go? I bet they wanted him gone. As another example, Georgia fans were sad to see Chan Gailey be fired as the Tech head coach. So now that you understand the game, we can look at the current coaches and ask the same question from a Bulldog point of view. Should They Stay, or Should They Go? (Clash reference intended)
poorly too many times, and other than one game his teams have performed badly against UGA. I personally want the GUS BUS to stay in Auburn a long time. He makes Auburn a good win, but not real good real often. Sorry War Eagle that is how I see it from Athens, GA. No one loved his contract extension more than me.
think he is a good coach, and he could be a dangerous hire in Gainesville. But only time will tell, and I think this has about a 50/50 chance. For example, he and his players are already trolling Georgia with comments and braggadocios remarks meanwhile the current team has accomplished nothing. Personally, I like it when I see one of Florida’s best players having to answer questions about a Georgia loss from last year.
$650,000 will still move well in the 5 Points area. But we have seen the highest price point start to level off. Right now, I would classify anything above $600,000 as our top price level in Athens. While we are still seeing these homes sell, it appears the price appreciation at this level has finally cooled off. I believe this to be a good thing in the long run. As I have said many times on this blog, “trees do not grow to the sky”. It is good to see the price values calm down in one area of the market. Another contributing factor is the current pricing by sellers. There are some properties on the market asking for a little too much money which is understandable given our market trend over the last two years. This is typical of any market going as hard and as fast as Athens and Oconee. Interest rates are ticking up, but demand remains high for home buyers therefore I don’t see our market tanking anytime soon. In fact, I am relieved and encouraged to see a slight cool down in appreciation.
Woodlake have appreciated 8.5% in less than a year. If you cross the river to the eastside on Barnett Shoals road the results are the same. The Summit, The Woodlands, Brookwood Mill, and Drayton Square have all seen a big increase in value of the last year. The condo market was hit hardest by the recession due to new banking regulations and fear amongst buyers. Thankfully, the fear is gone, and lenders are now able to lend money on most condos in our area. But the lending is not the same as a traditional home so be sure to work with a professional when buying or selling condo units. A loan approval from a buyer doesn’t exactly mean that loan will work for a condo purchase.
many cases, it becomes a real difficulty on families. Another thing to consider is that many property owners in Athens are not local to the area. We have a large amount of property investors or landlords living outside the county, the state, and even outside the country. These increased costs will be noticed by property managers and landlords alike because they effect the bottom line. And most of the time these landlords will pass through the increased cost to their tenants by raising the rent. Many people in town are concerned with affordable housing, and this will do nothing to help that issue. I don’t know our county’s budget needs off hand, but revenue going up doesn’t necessarily mean spending should as well. With our increased tax revenues, it may be time for our elected officials and the county to consider reducing the millage rate used to calculate taxes on our property. All things considered, we are still lucky to live and work here in the Classic City. Hopefully, we can keep ourselves from messing it all up. Thanks for reading, and I will try to share a post on a football topic next month. Enjoy your summer.
housing with Cap Rates below 7%. At this point, I have not seen a dip in the demand or jump in supply so I think the market will hold for a while longer barring any unforeseen changes in the economy. This is all good news for property owners and sellers, but when the market is strong mistakes can still happen. One of the biggest mistakes I see sellers and property owners make is selling under value. This usually happens one of two ways. The seller is either desperate and needs to sell quickly or they have been misled by a “predatory buyer.” In most cases, if someone needs cash quickly they have to take a lesser price to speed things along. This is unfortunate but a reality. However, what bothers me is when an investor or even other real estate agents use deceiving practices to buy or list a property. Allow me to explain:
are willing to buy, but only at a price that makes sense to them. And that price is usually low. Let me be clear that some properties that are not kept up or have an obsolete floor plan do provide good opportunities for people to add value and flip the house. I would not call this predatory, but simply seizing an opportunity. On the other hand, we are starting to see a new model in larger cities where people will buy your house in cash to help you move. In theory, this sounds like an intriguing new model in the housing industry. However, I would have some reservations before entering into one of these agreements. First of all, people are usually in business to make money. And people can’t always make money if they buy your property at fair market value. I understand this business model attempts to provide some certainty, but it may leave you with less money. If you are considering this please take the time to ask some questions. For example, how did they arrive at the purchase price? What will they do with your home after they buy? Are there any extra fees? How long have they been in business? Please take the time to research the process before you agree because if something sounds too good to be true it often is too good to be true.
integrity and class. Therefore, I would never purposely mislead someone with regard to my services. I have never listed a house with an agent that promised to buy it, and I am not personally aware of any realtors that have bought a client’s house in one of these agreements. That doesn’t mean it may never happen, but based on my experience it seldom does. Working in real estate is extremely competitive, and agents need to be aggressive in marketing not only to gain business but to help their clients. So please beware a realtor that promises to buy your house if it does not sell. In most cases, this is likely a bait and switch tactic. They simply want to get their foot in the door so to speak. If you call them they may very well agree to buy your house, but I can assure it will be at a price well below its value. As I stated before, people are in business to make money not to lose money. And they cannot make money on your house if they pay too much for it. If you choose to call a realtor because they promise to buy your house, do the same thing and ask some questions. How much will they pay for the house? How did they arrive at the price? What will they do with the house if they have to buy? How many houses have they actually bought? In closing, I would like to make sure property owners educate themselves when selling and make sure they read the fine print.
Saturday. I don’t care what the coaches say, this one is DIFFERENT! THIS ONE MATTERS MORE! No explanations needed because any real Dawg fan gets it. Sadly, this game has gone the other way too many times over the last 27 years. Wow, that is tough to swallow let alone type. Of course Georgia has won a few games over that period, but overall Florida has controlled the rivalry since 1990. But guess what? That dominance will end this Saturday around 7:30 PM eastern standard time.
season has been an absolute JOY to watch. There are so many positive things happening in the program and that is so very exciting to see. But that is not what this blog is about. This blog is meant to scare you. Besides, everyone is entitled to one good scare around Halloween right? So Here We GO!
besides when is the last time Florida lost three games in a row? I’m just saying.
Dawg fans over the last 25 years. I just hope we can run him and the Gators out of Jacksonville next week.
different university, and I don’t want to live anywhere other than Athens. Long and short, I am all in when it comes to the school and the state of Georgia. I know this team is good, and I know the new coaching staff was brought here to change things for the better. But I still have reason to worry. I hate to be a “Negative Nancy” or a “Debbie Downer”, but allow me to remind you of a few big games followed by some tough losses from the ghosts of UGA’s past.
over Tennessee this Saturday. I don’t care how they get it just as long as they win. Have you also considered that Florida is already 2 and 0 in the SEC? I know they don’t deserve to be, but regardless of a comically bad off season they are still 2 and 0. If Georgia loses this weekend, they are already behind the 8 Ball in the SEC East. So in my opinion, the season starts Saturday in Knoxville, and Florida is already a win ahead of both Tennessee and Georgia.
here in Athens and Atlanta over the last 15 or so years. LSU 2004, BAMA 2008 & 2012, along with some trips to the Georgia Dome come to mind. However, I think you have to go back to 2002 when Georgia returned to the Sugar Bowl as the SEC Champion. In 2002, Georgia fans were itching to get down to New Orleans to watch their Dawgs play Florida State. I was one of them of course, and I had a blast even though it wasn’t that great of game. If you recall, FSU that year was a little beat down, and an underdog to Georgia. I think Anquan Boldin had to move from receiver to quarterback for that one game. In the end, Georgia fans weren’t as excited about the match up in 2002 as they were about the trip. And I worry that too many fans feel the same way about this trip to Notre Dame.
30 might be unaware of Notre Dame’s long history. Sadly, the same can be said for UGA. For many fans this is for certain a big game . But on the other hand, this is simply a fun trip for a lot of fans . And yes it should be fun. Fans can visit Chicago, see a Cub’s game, stare at Lake Michigan, eat deep dish pizza, and yes visit South Bend to watch Georgia play. I truly hope all of the Bulldogs enjoy the trip, but I also hope they know that this game means something.
relevance differently. For me, being relevant is defeating a Top 10 team or even winning a game as the underdog. I know Georgia beat Auburn last year in Sanford, but that one doesn’t count for me. I think the last big game Georgia won away from Sanford was Florida in 2012, and even that game was on a neutral field. I could be wrong, but I think the last time Georgia had a big upset was 2006 against Auburn which was a 12 noon kick off on the plains. Now I know that Notre Dame isn’t ranked in the Top 10, but the game airs at 8pm on NBC for all the world to see. Georgia is currently the underdog, and if they can win this one then they are relevant at least for a few weeks anyway. On the other hand, if they lose they could still have a great year. But winning in South Bend at night with a freshman quarterback could make a statement for this team and coaching staff. And that’s what they were hired to do here in Athens. Winning this game could change the tune or narrative of Georgia Football from what it has been over the last 10 years. So have fun up in South Bend and be sure to keep it classy. But if you get into that stadium, scream your head off for your Bulldogs because this one is more than a vacation dawg fans. Go Dawgs!
over Auburn and TCU the season could have been a complete failure. But was it really a failure or were our expectations a little too lofty? I was guilty of expecting a 10 win season myself. And with wins over Vanderbilt, Tech, and Tennessee which seemed reasonable to expect the 10 wins could have happened. I don’t believe that any Georgia team should ever lose to Vandy, and a loss to Tech is acceptable about once every ten years. But when I look back at what UGA had to overcome the record seems more realistic than I previously thought. Think about it for a minute. Georgia had a first year coach, a dismal offensive line, a freshman quarterback, slim receiving corps, and a weak kicking game. How does that equal a good year? So what the hell was I thinking? Obviously, like most I was blinded by red and black glasses along with my unabashed love for all things UGA. So if my expectations were unrealistic last year, what would be realistic for this football season? Why should Georgia be any better? Well, I bet I can come up with a few reasons to think so.