Dear Isaiah Crowell, ....... Sincerely, Dawg Nation

On Tuesday, prized and star recruit Isaiah Crowell opened a car door, and stepped foot on Athens soil for the first time as an actual UGA Dawg. No player has made that step with such expectations in many, many years. Today I decided to write an open letter to Isaiah, to outline a jist of what we the people of Dawg Nation are expecting out of him............


Dear Isaiah,

First and foremost, welcome to Athens. Your time here, if used wisely, will be stocked full of irreplaceable memories and good times with people who will become the base of your friendships throughout the rest of your life. Also, and again back to the term "if used wisely", you should leave this fine town in a few years armed with a college degree which will be invaluable to your lifetime success.

Now that you are here, we the people of Dawg Nation have lofty expectations for you. These expectations go beyond anything we expect on Saturdays during the fall months. We the people of Dawg Nation are a frustrated bunch, and more often than should be in the last couple years, an embarrassed bunch as well. You have the power and ability to change perceptions of Dawg Nation from anybody looking from the outside in on our traditions which are so worthy of envy.

We would like you to learn from your new peers who are already established in the Classic City. Please listen with an open mind and ear to the mentors who will be reaching out to you from day one. These people have your successes on and off the field as a high priority in their own busy schedules. You will be given endless resources and support to guide you through the trying first months of being away from home for presumably the first time in your young life.

Learn to use negative media as a pedestal of motivation. Back before you decided to accept a scholarship from the University of Georgia, every other fanbase in the land spoke highly of you, in hopes of you gracing their football team with your god given gift of running a football. Funny how the moment you commit to UGA, the others all of a sudden doubt you and question anything they can in attempts to discredit your potential. Tack this on with the enormous expectations all media has placed upon you, and harness this as pure motivation, to silence the doubters and prove the naysayers wrong. If you learn how to do this, the sky will truly be the limit for where you can go in terms of personal character as well as a football player.

You are now representing the University of Georgia. Not just the student-athletes, not just the football team, not just the student body, fans, or alumni.... but the University as a whole. Every decision you make from here forward will be scrutinized and deciphered under a microscope of epic proportions. We ask only that you make these decisions in the best interests of yourself, as well as the University.

We look forward to spending the next 3-5 years growing with you. You are now an official member of a family which is counted in millions, who all have your back and will offer support to you through thick and thin. The only thing we truly ask of you is that you make the family proud by doing everything you can possibly do to strengthen the family as a whole. If you do these things, the successes between the hedges will naturally fall into place as a result.

Now go be a kid, Isaiah. Go enjoy college, which you have already worked so hard to reach. Go laugh and play, meet new people, flirt with the amazingly beautiful women of UGA, and establish yourself as a member of the University of Georgia. We are glad you are here, and we hope you enjoy your stay as much as we will enjoy following you.

GATA!!!!
GO DAWGS!!!!

Sincerely,
Dawg Nation