Cheers for Russ

Another thought comes to mind. When "Russ" goes to Bulldog Heaven, does he get to share space with with the others from the same family tree? Or, supposing that he does not, what does that have to say about the 2011 Football Season . . . . disregard the 10 victories that "Russ" participated in. Sometimes folks can be a bit too "high falooting" from where I sit.

In the clip below it says the Seiler Family gave no further details as to why the delay. Read somewhere else that the Seiler Family thought it might be too hot in September to introduce a new mascot. Another reason to stick with a tough, grizzled veteran like "Russ".

www.11alive.com/life/Pets/248222/79/Russ...ot-for-season-opener

Georgia's new mascot Uga VIII, left, is greeted by interim mascot Russ during a ceremony to introduce Uga VIII as the school's mascot before a game between Georgia and Vanderbilt on Oct. 16 in Athens. This is copy for the jpg listed below.

While I'm on board to definitely keep Russ, I have to admit that I am a traditionalist and would like to keep the tradition of an all white Bulldawg. I've always liked that and it distinguishes our bulldog mascot from MSU's bulldog mascot that has always been a brindle bulldog.

All white is just cool to me......definitely stands out as unique.

Appreciate each and every mascot UGA has had. Have been around for all of them . . . yikes!!

If the powers decide that "Russ" and his services are no longer needed, willing to pay the price for this "Veteran Stand In", has a special place in my heart.

wlayton, understand your thinking, and also know that you are the proud owner of the special breed. Special breed meaning . . . . BullDog.

I have always been the type that pulled for the "under dog" . . . . school/bar fights and the like.

Buc wrote: Appreciate each and every mascot UGA has had. Have been around for all of them . . . yikes!!

If the powers decide that "Russ" and his services are no longer needed, willing to pay the price for this "Veteran Stand In", has a special place in my heart.

wlayton, understand your thinking, and also know that you are the proud owner of the special breed. Special breed meaning . . . . BullDog.

I have always been the type that pulled for the "under dog" . . . . school/bar fights and the like.

I'm with ya Buc, always pull for the underdogs as well. I would love any UGA.......sometimes a "traditionalist" to a fault. Yeah we have "DJ", he's so much fun and pretty big (62 lbs, no fat either). He's about 90% white with a brown patch over his right eye and a small brown patch just above his tail. No matter how bad a day I may have had, he greets me at the door, with a toy in his mouth for me to throw and always puts a big smile on my face. Need to put a pic on my avatar.

You are right.....Russ does have a special place in all of us fan's hearts.

Spent some time last evening thinking about the fortunes of players and mascots.

When I think of Russ the closest comparison I can draw player wise is the same situation that Richard Samuel IV has been in since arriving on campus.

Never fails when someone has to stand in at a position, we hear Richard Samuels name, same can be said for Russ. Same thing happening thus far this pre-season. Richard was going to move to fullback, problems occur and now he is going back to tailback. I do understand that if you are going to claim the position you are or should be the best.

In Richard's case I sometimes think that many of his so-called problems were problems caused by coaches and their decision making. Will always believe that he should have been a linebacker.

Russ, comes down to decision making also. Bless his Bulldog heart, he was born with spots. Can we only imagine what a great mascot he would have been if only he had not arrived with those markings. Really hope that his replacement, if there is one, will live a long and storied life between the Hedges.

You know what? I'm glad he's got those spots. I know that tradition demands a pure white dog, but that purity seems to play into some bad genetics. I think those spots might help Russ live a more healthy life, or at least I sure hope so. I don't know much about genetics and even less about canine genetics, just what I read in the popular journals, but it sounds like too much in-breeding to keep that line "pure" has led to some shortened life spans. Here's hoping Russ is around for a LONG time!