The Georgia Bulldogs' Thanos Moment
I have to admit that I’m a huge fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the story arcs of all 23 main Avenger-related movies. I enjoy when good conquers evil. I love it when the protagonist, against all odds, somehow wins the day. It makes you feel good. And feeling good is cool. But this Thanos guy intrigues me. If you haven’t watched the movies, I encourage you to do so…just to escape for a little bit. In Avengers: Infinity War, (spoiler alert!) the audience is reintroduced to Thanos, the most powerful being in the universe. He’s singularly focused on resetting the universe according to his vision.
He’s ruthless, and in the final moments of that movie, he destroys half of all life. The Avengers are devastated at their failure. Sorry for the movie review….anyway, Thanos had a mission, and he accomplished it. However, he figures out later that he left a little too much to chance, and came back to finish the job. A snap of his fingers was all that stood between his goal and failure. His final words before the finger snap continue to bounce around my brain – “I am inevitable”.
Georgia is at that moment this week. To quote Tom Petty (yeah, he’s a Florida guy, but he had great music) “the waiting is the hardest part”. I have tried to be productive this week, but find myself scouring Twitter and other mediums for any factoids that would help bridge the time between the end of the Tech game (or regulated practice) and 4 PM this Saturday. I have read every piece I can find that analyzes this weekend’s tilt with the Tide to the point that the numbers have blurred. I’ve actually rewatched games to get a better sense of what the Dawgs are up against Saturday, all in an effort to pass the time. Like my efforts will lead to anything relevant...
It hit me this morning, though, that the stats, analytics and narratives won’t do anything to truly help. It simply comes down to this….Georgia has an opportunity to leave no doubt. And this team is as locked in as any team in Kirby’s coaching career--in fact, they are probably more locked in. While the game Saturday won’t be as simple as a finger snap, this team is poised to wipe away 2d and 26, blowing a 14-point lead the next year, and failing to seal the deal with a halftime lead last year. Each of those situations, however, can’t be used as motivation.
This year’s team is different than those previous three, and the situation we find the Dawgs in, as a 7 point FAVORITE against the hated Tide, should show the world that the past doesn’t drive the future. Alabama has a good team that can win this game. But it doesn’t mean that they will purely based on recent history. And while comparisons shouldn’t lead to causal outcomes, it is quite interesting to look at the outcomes of the 4 common opponents between the Dawgs and the Tide. The UF, UT, AU and Arkansas games show some tendencies that, while not causal, should raise some eyebrows. Each game is different but it’s hard to not look at those outcomes and smile.
Enter Thanos. So, I’m not just focusing on our defense, which would be easy, and lazy. The entirety of the program must have this attitude come Saturday. We already know, based on leaked audio, that Kirby wants to break people. I kinda figured that to be the case without the tape, and I think I pulled a hamstring while I listened to it. But that tape showed something – this coach, with his staff, have instilled a belief and ethic that isn’t dependent on who the opponent is each week. They play to a standard, and along the way try to kill whatever positivity you may have in your life. They are on a mission and don’t care who is in the way. It’s just the next victim. It’s a ruthless approach that shows little concern for you, your feelings, or anything else. Read: Thanos.
So, while impatiently waiting for Saturday, there is no amount of statistical analysis or rewatching of previously played games that will provide any answers for what WILL happen in the Benz. No prognosticating of what bunch formations will do against cloud coverage will tell us anything that is more relevant than the attitude of each squad. For the last three contests against Bama, it’s appeared to me that Georgia FELT like they could play with them. That attitude has changed. Georgia KNOWS that, not only can they play with Bama, but they have the superior squad. They KNOW they can win. They must approach Saturday like Thanos. You know the objective, and you must be ruthless in your effort to attain the objective. It’s time for Georgia to be Thanos. Leave no doubt. It’s time to be inevitable.