In yet another article (but, the best by far) about the argument of whether to keep the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jax or not, Tim Tebow confronted UGA HC Kirby Smart at the media days event in Atlanta.

Tim Tebow ended up agreeing with Kirby Smart's assessment and argument.

The following is the article in its entirety as just released on AJC's DawgNation and written by Mike Griffith; it's an EASY READ:

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ATHENS — Kirby Smart bowed up like the fearless safety he once was at Georgia when Tim Tebow figuratively lowered his shoulder into the Bulldogs’ head coach on the SEC Network last week.

It was a moment Georgia football fans watching the event live won’t ever forget. Smart’s stand was the stuff of legends, harkening memories of how Pat Dye stood up for Auburn in bringing the Iron Bowl to the Tigers’ campus some 30 years ago.

Tradition can be tough to take on and topple, even when it makes sense for changes to be made.

Dye, who was an All-American player at Georgia, angered many Alabama fans with the historic move, much like the Florida faithful are fighting to keep the Georgia game 70 miles from their campus.

Tebow has been among the most vocal Gators, and he did not hesitate to call out Smart during the national television segment at the College Football Hall of Fame last Wednesday.

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you,” said Tebow, who makes no secret of his passion for Jacksonville, a city desperate to keep Georgia pinned to its NFL venue 340 miles from Athens.

“I’ve heard you no longer want the Florida-Georgia game in Jacksonville,” Tebow said. “It’s literally one of the best environments …. "

Smart has said the location comes at too great of a cost, and now, in what amounted to an open field, one-on-one showdown with Tebow on this debate, he was not about to get run over.

“Why is it one of the best environments?” Smart shot back at Tebow. “How many times have you played in Athens, Tim?”

“None,” the popular SEC legend replied.

“How many times did we get to play in Gainesville? I think that’s special, I think that’s special.”

The rivalry game is contracted to be played in Jacksonville through 2023 and is up for renegotiation of a possible extension through 2025.

Smart was also pressed on a Jacksonville radio station about the game, and once again, the 1998 All-SEC safety did not back down.

“It would be like me saying in June there are four weekends you can have prospects on campus, but at Georgia you can only have three,” Smart said.

“That’s what it’s like, I’m self-sanctioning myself an opportunity to have the best prospect in the country, fly into Atlanta and drive over every other year to see Georgia play Florida.”

Some UGA fans — and even media — like the idea of a vacation weekend each year close to the Atlantic Ocean, putting their wants and needs ahead of Smart’s judgment and program needs.

“I don’t know that people understand the value of that, they don’t respect it,” Smart said of the recruiting implications, “especially people in Jacksonville.”

Smart said he grew up in South Georgia and has friends who live in the area that want the Bulldogs to continue to play their designated home game with Florida 340 miles from Athens.

This, even if it means asking Smart and his staff to give up what would be the biggest recruiting weekend of the season.

“But at the end of the day, I have to make decisions based on what’s best for the University of Georgia,” Smart said.

Tebow, whose willpower led him to a Heisman Trophy and two national championships, didn’t give up on his argument with Smart so easily.

Tebow stated that Georgia plays many home and away games but Jacksonville is special because it’s the only game with a 50-50 split in ticket distribution.

Smart pointed out UGA plays neutral site games in Atlanta and suggested Tebow call the Florida athletic director and ask UF to play Georgia in Atlanta —there could be a split allotment of tickets there, too.

Former Bulldogs coach Mark Richt once suggested the same thing, but it fell on deaf ears with former UGA AD Greg McGarity, who is now the Gator Bowl president in Jacksonville.

“It’s not a neutral site,” Richt said flatly last year at the ACC Media Days.

Smart doesn’t think the location of the game necessarily factors into the outcome.

But Florida benefits by virtue of its proximity to the Gators’ campus, and an estimated $35 million a year gets pumped into the Northeast Florida economy, while Athens’ infrastructure remains challenged.

“It’s more about for me, I’m competing against guys all across the SEC who host kids at their biggest game,” said Smart, whose Bulldogs have only three league home games this season with their fourth designated home game being played in Jacksonville this season.

“When Auburn plays Alabama, guess where the recruits are? They are at Auburn,” Smart said.

“When LSU and Alabama play, that’s where the biggest recruits go,” he continued.

“(So) it’s an opportunity for us to bring these kids that fly in from all over the country, what game do they want to see Georgia play? They’d like to see Georgia play Florida, they can’t do that. It’s very important. Recruiting is very important.”

Tebow, sensing Smart’s firmness, conceded.

“That makes sense,” Tebow said. “It’s a good argument.”

Smart said the status of the contract for the game will be decided by UGA president Jere Morehead and athletic director Josh Brooks, who recently granted the head coach a 10-year contract worth $112.5 million.

The contract implications are Smart will be expected to compete for more national championships and improve a business model that produced just one title in the last 41 years.

“I certainly have my beliefs,” Smart said, “that the lifeblood of our program is recruiting.”

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