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Every Damn Good Dawg has his day
Kirby Smart
Georgia's head coach Kirby Smart greets fans prior to the celebration of Georgia’s College Football Playoff national championship at Sanford Stadium in Athens on Saturday, Jan. 15. - photo by Jeremy Coleman

“And it’s intercepted.” 

Those three words, along with the following play-by-play call from Scott Howard in Indianapolis on Monday night will forever be remembered as the words that ushered in a tremor in the Deep South that rattled the Georgian piedmont to her granite foundation.  

The call of Kelee Ringo’s interception for ages to come will forever be immortalized in the pantheon of Georgia football. What a season.  

While the collective Dawg Nation basked dreamily in the afterglow of a dominating season culminating in a Goliath vs. Goliath rematch of the SEC championship, the doubters, the nay-sayers, and the haters realized what Georgia fans have known for some time. This team is good. Excuse me, this team is elite.  

This past Saturday, with the chapel bell echoing through the rarified air of Athens, Dawg Nation, summoned by Larry Munson’s ghost, gathered together, to hunker down one more time.

The faithful responded. 

Lumpkin Street was lined with tens of thousands who braved the chilly weather chanting and cheering and hunkering. Glory, Glory. As with any game day in Athens, throngs of fans bedecked in red, and black, gray, white, and silver-lined the route of the Dawg Walk in celebration. 

But this Dawg Walk was different. Instead of celebrating a game to come, fans celebrated the games already played and a national title now resoundingly won. The drill was finished.  

Coach Kirby Smart arrived at the head of the convoy leading the team just as he led them onto the field for every game. Joined by his son, they disembarked their vehicle and walked amongst the raucous crowd leading them in a powerful “Go Dawgs” cheer. It was like watching a head-of-state among his people — a most hunkering people.   

For now, UGA football runs this state and the nation. 

Soon, worthy foes will line up once again across from our boys in the silver britches and try and take the crown. 


But for this short sweet season ahead, let the Georgia faithful drink deep and savor the moment being mindful to remember the old saying, “Every good dog has its day.” 

Well for our damn good Dawgs … this week … they had two. 

How ‘bout them Dawgs!

Jeremy Coleman is a native Georgian, photographer, videographer, and storyteller. He can be reached at jeremy@mediabycoleman.com. You can find him on Instagram @jcreativemedia.

Kirby Smart
Kirby Smart