GET WELL SOON VINCE

Everybody send hopes, well-wishes, get-well cards and prayers down to Athens, where Coach Dooley is recovering from throat surgery to remove a tumor from his vocal cords. Barbara says he's doing well but can't talk for ten days.

That said, let's talk about some of the things that made Vince great. Beyond the championships and the winning in between, there are a couple of things about Vince that I just loved.

1) Erk Russell used to describe Vince's sideline antics as \"a one-legged man trying to do the twist.\" Anyone who's seen old footage of CVD on the sidelines can attest to that weird dance he does when he gets into a play.

2) While AD, Vince hired Mark Christensen. For those of you who aren't familiar with the UGA football trainers, Mark Christensen was originially a volunteer assistant who is now a full-time employee of the UGA Athletic Department in training & rehab for the football team. Mark is described by players who've had severe injuries -- like Thomas Brown and Sean Bailey -- as one of their major motivations in getting better and getting back out between the hedges. Vince is a great man because he was able to look past the fact that Mark has cerebral palsy and see the potential, work ethic and burning desire within him. One of the last things Vince did before Michael F'ing Adams chased him off campus was to approve CMR's request that Mark be a paid employee of UGA. Excellent story, excellent man.

What else do you Dawgs love about Vince? Share some stories. Also, send well-wishes here.

GET WELL SOON VINCE, AND GO DAWGS!!!!

dapolla, I too wish Dooley and his family all the best and a quick recovery.

I'll have to think about some stories for a while but I always loved it how Dooley ALWAYS poor mouthed his chances of winning ANY game........right before he went in and kicked your butt.

wlayton wrote:

I always loved it how Dooley ALWAYS poor mouthed his chances of winning ANY game........right before he went in and kicked your butt.

One of the great stories is that before the 1980 season Vince told the team, \"Well, this is probably the worst bunch of seniors I've ever had.\"

Speaking of CVD and his players, what I love is that after the 1976 season, he had to fulfill his bet of shaving his head should the Dawgs win the SEC. Well, led by Ray Goff, we tied Kentucky for it -- actually played for the NC that year but lost to Pitt -- and Vince wound up bald. Go Dawgs!

According to georgiadogs.com, tests performed on the tumor removed from Vince's throat concluded that it is malignant. CVD will undergo radiation treatment starting this month, and his prognosis is excellent for a full recovery.

So, what it means is that Coach Dooley does have throat cancer, but it's been caught very early and with proper treatment will go away.

Hopes and well-wishes and GET WELL SOON, VINCE!!!

AMEN

My father had the same throat cancer back in 1985. I had the opportunity to have dinner with him this evening!
If you look real close you can still see the 2 dots that were tatooed on his neck to mark the precise location the radiation needed to be delivered. We were blessed the radiation got all the cancer and no further surgery or treatment has been neccessary for 22 years.
I pray that Coach Dooley will have the same successful outcome as my father.

MARK G