Give me (the) Liberty (bowl) AND give me the practices!

Sorry Patrick Henry, but I had to paraphrase you a tad.... For more Georgia coverage, head to www.chuckoliver.net

So Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs will be spending New Year's Eve in Memphis for the Liberty Bowl. OK. I guess it could be worse. They could be back in Shreveport for another Independence Bowl. In all seriousness though I would much rather have a bowl to play in than no bowl at all. Does a 6-6 team with ZERO signature victories that needed wins over Louisiana-Lafayette and Idaho State to even be eligible for a bowl deserve a postseason? Probably not, but the way the current system is set up, Georgia qualified and should thus take advantage.

The thing is though, I could care less about the trip to Memphis; I care about the extra practice that the bowl season allows. Georgia will get an extra 12-15 practices with the coaching staff watching over the team for the extra month which is exactly what this team needs right now: MORE PRACTICE. The Georgia coaching staff and Mark Richt have said in several instances that the team is a play here and a play there from being 9-3, and perhaps with the extra practice next year's squad could make a run at winning 10 instead of struggling for bowl eligibility. The extra practice could allow Aaron Murray to build a rapport with Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten with the likely departure of AJ Green. The extra practice could be just what Jarvis Jones and Richard Samuel need to solidify themselves as two of the starting linebackers for next year's defense. The extra practice will be good for the offensive coaches to monitor the young offensive linemen that will get huge reps next season.

I don't like the idea of Georgia being rewarded for a 6-6 season. I DO however like the idea that a 6-6 team gets more practice. This is precisely the team that needs extra practice. Mark Richt will get it, and with his seat likely being equator-hot next year, he'll need to start the 2011 season right now. If the team really is one or two plays away, these practices could be where he swings those plays next year his way. He should hope so, otherwise he may not get the extra practices next season and he might be using that month to send out resumes.