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Published Tuesday, August 11, 2009 in Opinion

Georgia's Cox doesn't play the 'what if' game

The Joe Cox story is not yet finished, but it deserves a happy ending. His affections for Georgia began with love at first sight, and while he has spent much of his career on the sideline, his passion and feeling for the Bulldogs has not waned in the least.

Joe's story is like a blind date evolving into matrimony.

When he was in high school, a friend of his father, Doug Paschal, who had played for North Carolina offered two sideline passes to Joe's dad for the Georgia-Tennessee game in 2002.

Now, cue Joe for the rest of the rest of the story.

"Doug worked for the company which installed the scoreboards at Sanford Stadium and wound up with the two passes.

"We drove to Athens on a Saturday morning, parked downtown on Dougherty Street and walked to the stadium.

"We stood at the fence up against the hedges and watched the game.

"On the way home, I told my dad, 'This is where I want to come to school.'"

Not even when Georgia signed Matthew Stafford who became the incumbent quarterback for three years did Cox, who was red-shirted in 2005, get down on himself, pout or send out signals that he could be had if another campus wanted him to take up residence.

He was a committed Bulldog, smitten from that first sideline experience.

Like in marriage, Joe chose Georgia for better or for worse.

Now that he has fresh opportunity, his emotions are experiencing an accelerated upswing.

There is elevated vigor with his routine, and he is driven with a balanced and renewed confidence.

Grateful for the opportunity to run the Bulldog offense, there's not a whit of arrogance to bring about a nose dive or a pratfall to spoil it all when it comes to attitude.

His attitude is impeccable, but he knows practicing good thoughts and talking the talk will not get the job done.

Performance is the proof in the pudding, and while he speaks with no presumptuousness, there is an ebullient eagerness to his day.

His all important work ethic, like his attitude is exemplary.

Waiting in the wings is not anything unfamiliar to Joe.

He played behind Chris Leake at Independence High and was promoted to the starting position in 2004 when Leake left to play at Florida. Joe promptly led Independence to an undefeated season.

Counting the Colorado game in 2006 and last year's spring game, Joe has an undefeated record as a quarterback.

He watched the David Greene-D.J. Shockley scene unfold when he was in high school and has taken heart in that circumstance.

D. J. was patient. Joe has been patient.

D. J. believed in himself. Joe believes in himself.

To fully appreciate Joe Cox, all you have to do is recall his energetic behavior on the sideline in the past.

If you recall the last three years, he has always been into the game even if he were not on the field.

His body language gyrated with the movement of the ball downfield.

His eyes were intently focused on the action.

He was forever verbal, always offering encouragement.

He says that he got more excited on the sideline than some who were on the field.

That suggests that the popular Cox will be a fiery leader.

More from Joe Cox who became the quarterback incumbent when Stafford became the most solvent corporation in Detroit in May.

"At a place like this, you know they are gong to bring in the best every year.

"I wasn't promised anything when I came.

"It just happened we got a great quarterback who did some great things for our school.

"Hey, I love being out there.

"I love the practice field, being with the younger guys in the huddle. I wanted to contribute.

"I knew Matthew was going to be the quarterback, but I needed to be prepared.

"You never know when you might get the call."

Cox doesn't play the "What if?" game.

He believes in himself.

He doesn't go around with, "Remember Colorado" stickers on his car.

But it is a source of inspiration that three years ago and saved a game that was on the precipice of plummeting into the "L" column.

He was so busy this summer preparing for the season, out every day playing catch with the receivers, lifting weights, running and stimulating esprit de corps among his teammates that he had no time to fish.

If there is anything that he loves better than football it is fishing.

"I'll have time to fish later," he said on a hot pre-season day as he headed out the door with a bag of footballs in hand.

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