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Georgia Bulldogs: Back in black?

By Kathryn Morrison

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After a devastating loss to the Crimson Tide, the Georgia Bulldogs did away with wearing their infamous black jerseys. Will Coach Smart be bringing the Bulldogs back in black this season? Should the black jerseys really be considered a curse?

What’s in a jersey? To the Georgia Bulldogs, it’s much more than meets the eye. In 2007, these jerseys appeared to be a token of good luck as they were worn during many Bulldogs victories, including the 2008 Sugar Bowl.

However, those good luck jerseys quickly took what many considered to be a turn for the worst later in 2008. The Georgia Bulldogs, in their black jerseys, fell 31-0 in the first half against the No. 1 ranked team in the country: The Alabama Crimson Tide. Though they did make a comeback in the second half, the Bulldogs ultimately lost the game 41-30, and the jerseys haven’t been worn again since.

Just recently, rumors have begun that the black jerseys could be making a comeback soon. According to Georgia Bulldogs linebacker prospect Kenny Britt, who, amongst others, posted pictures wearing the black jerseys to social media during a visit, the jerseys will in fact make a return this fall. However, head coach Kirby Smart appears to be more concerned about the game and less about the team’s appearance.

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VIA Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald:

"“We’ll see,” the Bulldogs football coach said Monday evening before a private donor event at the Intercontinental Buckhead Hotel. “We’ll see where that goes. Nothing has been finalized yet.”What seems like an annual offseason source of speculation gained momentum earlier this month when recruits sent out photos on social media wearing black Bulldog jerseys.“Lol yes people. UGA will have black Jerseys this fall,” cornerback K.J. Britt of Oxford, Ala., tweeted during his visit.Smart said: “I think there’s a lot of energy around that and excitement but I’ve always been one that the energy and excitement should be focused on who you’re playing, not what you’re wearing.”Then Georgia coach Mark Richt said in November of 2014 he backed the idea of wearing black jerseys once a season, preferably in November, but it didn’t happen again."

Oddly enough, the Bulldogs were playing against Kirby Smart as Alabama’s defensive coordinator in that 2008 matchup. Now that the Georgia Bulldogs have Coach Smart on the home side of the field as their head coach, maybe those black jerseys won’t have the same effect.

Could it be that the jerseys really had nothing to do with the Alabama loss? Though the Bulldogs don’t go head to head with the Crimson Tide often, it is important to acknowledge the fact that they were playing the No. 1 team in the country. They were No. 1 for a reason…should the Dogs take the loss in relation to the jerseys so seriously?

Next: Atlanta Braves: Young position players to watch for in September

While nothing may be for sure just yet, and whether or not the jerseys are truly “cursed,” it can be assumed that Alabama fans are probably among those hopeful that the black jerseys will make their return. However, the Georgia Bulldogs and fans should take it for what it’s worth: you lost to what was the greatest team in the country…and just so happened to be wearing black jerseys.

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