Jim Diffly: Product of America's Middle Class Suburbia: UGA VI Funeral Processional @ Sanford Stadium

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

UGA VI Funeral Processional @ Sanford Stadium

The University of Georgia's mascot, bulldog UGA VI, died on June 27, 2008. UGA VI was almost 10-years-old, but suffered from heart problems which led to his death. On Monday June 30, 2008, UGA VI was burried in Sanford Stadium's southwest corner. The funeral processional was private. UGA VI was owned by Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler of Savannah, Ga. Sonny and his family decided to keep the funeral private, meaning that students were not allowed to attend. What is up with that. I am a staff photographer for the University of Georgia's newspaper, the Red & Black, and I did not get in. I was stuck outside the gate in the southwest corner, and had to get my photos through a fence. Why couldn't a photographer for the school paper get in?! I was not too irritated until I started seeing more and more photographers inside the stadium getting the angles I needed. Also, I was standing next to a man from Snellville, Ga. who had bought one of UGA VI's puppies and he was not able to get in. He drove from Snellville to stand outside of the gate with me. Most of the students from the University of Georgia were standing on a bridge on Sanford Drive which overlooks the stadium. However, they couldn't see anything or hear anything. So I understand it is hard for the family of UGA VI, it is hard to lose any dog (my mother's dog, Ginger, died about a week before UGA VI, but students of the University of Georgia deserved the right to attend.

Photo on the Right: Cameron Banks, a University of Georgia fourth year health promotions major, was upset that he was not able to attend the funeral processional for UGA VI. Banks and other students stood on the Sanford drive bridge overlooking the stadium. Banks and other students could not see or hear the funeral processional.

Photo Below: UGA VI's owner Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler gets comfort from family members who attended.