The Holy Trinity is often a topic of passionate debate.
Different denominations often have different interpretations of the Holy Trinity.
I respect other doctrines, but it is my belief that the Holy Trinity consists of the following: Herschel Walker, Erk Russell and and Larry Munson.
In the religion that is Georgia Bulldog football, others in the faith regard Vince Dooley, Wally Butts, Frank Sinkwich, Squab, Charlie Trippi, Jake Scott, Buck Belue or even David Pollack as members of their hallowed trio - worthy choices all. But my personal Bulldog Holy Trinity consists of those three, and I pledge allegiance to it.
Unlike the real Holy Trinity, this threesome is not to be worshiped, but rather respectfully revered. As a true and faithful Dawg, you are to sing praises of their contributions to Bulldogkind, and never engage in the sin of questioning their divinity.
Of course, Coach Russell left us last year, and now, Munson, the voice of the Dawgs for over 40 years, frightened the Bulldog Nation recently by saying health concerns could force his retirement at the age of 84. Later, after meeting with UGA officials, he agreed to broadcast just home games on the 2007 football schedule. Scott Howard, his color commentary sidekick since 1993, will probably do play-by-play for the Bulldogs' road contests this coming season, according to published reports.
Munson's retirement talk prompted a flurry of activity on the message boards and blogs devoted to the Bulldog cause. What shocked and angered me was that some "Bulldog fans" were calling for Munson to retire. Blasphemy! Such heretics should be broiled from head to toe and served to Phillip Fulmer for a light, in-between-meal snack. Or taken to Thailand and weaved into a visor for Steve Spurrier to perspire upon and throw to the turf in agony. Instead of casting such a fate on these astray heathens, I, like any good Bulldog, prayed for their souls.
See, in broadcasting, they don't make them like Larry Munson anymore. And I don't think they ever did.
He's not a silky, detached, unbiased eye from the pressbox. He's a gravel-throated "homer" who uses "we" and "us" when describing his Dawgs. And he should. He's on the Georgia Bulldog Radio Network, for Erk's sake, not NBC.
His calls of famous moments in Georgia football history are legendary, of course, but it's the quieter Munson moments that I treasure - like his obsession with when the UGA students arrive in the student section.
"Dogs in a shotgun, two wideouts to the right, we're in the second quarter, and the student section is only 83 percent full... pass complete to Bailey at the 40..."
I want Larry Munson to be the voice of the Dawgs forever. While I know that's not probable, maybe science can do something for him, and us, like they did in "Robocop" - fix his broken parts and make him into a indestructible cyborg. That movie came out in 1987 (as Munson, the movie buff, could tell you). You have to figure that technology has advanced enough since then to make that scientifically plausible.
Larry Munson has earned the right to leave Georgia broadcasting whenever he feels like it. And, I, speaking for my own denomination, never want that to happen.
Can I get an "Amen" from the choir?
Len Robbins is an award-winning columnist whose weekly column appears in 21 newspapers in Georgia. He is editor and publisher of The Clinch County News in Homerville.
