Mike Berardino is a staff writer for The Augusta Chronicle.FILE

Web posted January 1, 1998

By Mike Berardino
Columnist

TAMPA, Fla. -- Just because you play on New Year's Day doesn't necessarily mean you've arrived. It doesn't automatically make you big-time.

Just ask Jim Donnan, whose Georgia Bulldogs were forced to practice in a Hyatt Regency ballroom this week when yet another Florida monsoon wiped out their field at the University of Tampa.

``We had to work on our Arthur Murray ballroom stuff,'' the head Bulldog quipped on the eve of the Bloomin' Onion Bowl against (yawn) Wisconsin. ``We were worried about the chandeliers.''

In case you're wondering, there's no danger of Mike (Fugitive) Bobo dancing the rhumba with Robert Edwards in the Georgia backfield for today's Outback extravaganza. That 11 a.m. kickoff should keep things pretty basic. (Eleven a.m.! Who's doing the coin flip? Katie Couric?)

So should the preponderance of left feet among the Athens boys.

``The only dance move our players know is the Elevator,'' Donnan said. ``It doesn't have any steps.''

The Elevator?

``I don't know,'' Donnan said. ``The players told me to say that.''

At least he wasn't letting Tom McEwen write his jokes for him. The ancient sports columnist for the Tampa Tribune misspoke while emceeing a bowl banquet this week.

``Welcome,'' McEwen told a roomful of players, coaches and officials, ``to the Outhouse Bowl.''

It's been that kind of week here in the shadow of the Big Sombrero, where Pewter Power has taken hold.

Why, Uga V could swallow Bucky the Badger whole and it would hardly register with the locals. Maybe that's because they know this Outhou, er, Outback Bowl should get ugly early.

The pick: Georgia 31-10.

While we're at it, here's a few more selections from the remaining Chamber of Commerce shindigs:

Gator Bowl

Since Mack Brown couldn't wait to start bleeding burnt orange, Carl Torbush makes his head coaching debut against Virginia Tech. With one major twist. Torbush will stay upstairs in the coach's box. That will leave the Tar Heels without a commanding sideline presence.

Of course, Brown's detractors will wonder what's so new about that.

The pick: North Carolina 27-7.

Florida Citrus Bowl

Thanks to a great sale at S&K, Steve Spurrier no longer has Enis Envy. Nor will he make any more jokes about Phil Fulmer's reserved parking spot outside the Citrus Bowl.

The pick: Florida 33-17.

Cotton Bowl

Yeah, the Bowl Alliance really works great. So great that UCLA, maybe the hottest team in the country, will end up losing money on this trip to chilly Dallas.

The pick: UCLA 35-27.

Sugar Bowl

John Cooper's Buckeyes are 2-6 in bowls this decade. Bobby Bowden's Seminoles are 6-1. Gee, let's see.

The pick: FSU 24-9.

Peach Bowl

Terry Bowden's biggest complaint after the SEC championship game was about the heat in the Georgia Dome. Sorry, Terry, but the place wasn't designed to accommodate crowds of more than 42,000.

The pick: Auburn 30-17.

Rose Bowl

They're calling this the Conflict of Interest Bowl, thanks to ABC's announcing crew of Keith (Go Cougars!) Jackson and Bob (Look out, Brian!) Griese. The real upset will come on the field, where Mike Price has offensive weapons coming out the WaSU and the Pac-10 will complete a 6-0 bowl season.

The pick: Washington State 27-24.

Orange Bowl

You knew it had to come down to this. Tom Osborne chewing his gum (or is that cud?) on the Nebraska sideline one last time. Peyton Manning running through tires with the game's happiest feet one last time. Hmmmm. Aw, let the good doctor make it three out of four.

The pick: Nebraska 30-24.

Thanks for playing, everybody.

Happy New Year.