(First, a look inside the new public relations department of the recently sold Miami Marlins baseball franchise.

After learning the news that new CEO Derek Jeter could not trade the six-year-old Marlins Park, focusing instead on seeking buyers for the tacky yet colorful home run structure, the promotions experts were eagerly anticipating their next move.

“I got it,” one hot shot says. “If you are the last person to leave Christmas decorations out, you will receive a free pass to any Marlins-Pittsburgh Pirates series in the 2018 season.”

Another replies, “You know, we are still in a legal battle with the Pirates over the new slogan: ‘Minor League quality at Major League prices.’”)

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Speaking of bargain basements, you might be able to find Georgia Bulldog football going to the Rose Bowl or the National Championship game merchandise at discount prices. I myself found an SEC Championship T-shirt featuring the date and location of the game with a reduced tag at the University Bookstore during that previously chronicled visit to Athens.

There were those – and I am related to some – who refused to get anything that said Georgia and Rose Bowl together prior to the game. They were going to wait after the game, just to see if we would win. What’s that called? Stupid-stition? Super-stupid? Wait, I got it, Stupid Superstition.

Guess it worked, because we won it. You remember that game, though it does seem like ancient history after that Alabama true freshman threw that 41-yard bomb in overtime. Who would have thought a true freshman could win a big game with so much on the line … oh, that’s right, we Bulldogs kind of were thinking that would be our story.

Getting back to the merchandise theme, you have to wonder if all kinds of shirts and caps proclaiming Georgia the 2018 Playoff champions were taken out of the boxes ready to be passed out when it was a 13-point lead on the Mecole Hardman third-quarter 80-yard touchdown … only to be sealed up when Alabama tied it  … only to be opened back up after the first overtime drive … only to be eventually shipped away to the land of runners-up, following the path of 2017 Super Bowl Champion Atlanta Falcons gear.

But it’s not just about the stuff we don’t get to put on and show off how great it is to be a national college football champion (unless you go to Central Florida and can make up your own championship claim). The metaphor I present here are all the statements we had prepared for our winning team that came up short on the winning part in that last game. There was another box full of statements with us, but we did not acknowledge its presence because we were so certain victory was ours to enjoy. Then, boom, that 41-yard pass play we would be unable to answer.

So we find ourselves going to that alternate box and saying all the obvious things:

“Hey, we battled hard. It was a great season and great just to be in the final game. We will get them next time. Hold your heads up high, boys, for you gave it all you had.” And the greatest one of all, “It wasn’t meant to be.”

And much of that is so true. Those Bulldogs did leave it all on the field and went above and beyond expectations, from Rodrigo Blankenship knocking through 50-plus yard field goals when never asked to try one that far away as a Dawg, to an offensive line progressing to dominating form for that lethal running game, to a Tyler Clark emerging as a defensive line star from my former home, Americus.

But, you know the tone would be a whole lot different if we continued to throw that Crimson Tide freshman around like we did on the play prior to the game-winner. This is what we really wanted to say after the game:

“Yes, we are the best! There was no denying us, all those doubters out there! Georgia Bulldog football is back and here to stay! We made the greatest coaching change of all time! Down with Saban! The torch has not been passed, but snatched away!”

One thing is true. Georgia Bulldog football is back. Is it back to stay? Now comes the real test. This time last year was a time of rejoicing because so many juniors decided to return for their senior year. Well, that senior year has come and gone, and it was a great one, doing exactly what they stayed to do, but now, they are not coming back. Not Nick Chubb. Not Sony Michel. Not Lorenzo Carter.

Something like that may not happen again for the Bulldogs. Alabama, they lose underclassmen in droves year after year, this one being no exception. UGA junior Roquan Smith, perhaps the best linebacker in the nation, declared this week for the NFL Draft. That’s just one guy, but it’s not what we wanted to hear. Lineman Tristan Thompson is also turning pro early.

Fortunately, that’s it. The deadline was Monday. Other juniors of note were Terry Godwin, Jonathan Ledbetter and DeAndre Baker. I will then make a way-too-early statement about 2018. The Eastern Division should not be a problem, so it should be and must be another sweep. The games to watch for are in that Western Division. We get LSU along with Auburn. There’s no non-conference game to get excited about, either.

Funny thing about LSU. The new offensive coordinator is Steve Ensminger, a familiar name. For three seasons he was an offensive assistant for Ray Goff at Georgia (1991-93). Ensminger replaces Matt Canada after just one season for Canada under Ed Orgeron.

Funny, because I remember all the coverage of Canada’s hiring from Pittsburgh. He was going to “open up” the offense in Baton Rouge. People say “open up” like it’s supposed to strike terror in you, because if you are “opening up” SEC athletes … funny how these great pairings only last one year. The Tiger offense actually went down in numbers in 2017. And they lost to Troy.

Remember 2015 when Will Muschamp became defensive coordinator at Auburn? Wow, putting his genius on that side of the ball with Gus Malzahn’s offense? “Gus-Champ” only lasted one 7-6 year.

You know, George Lucas didn’t have high expectations for “Star Wars” back in the ’70s … is that a good contrast? Is it like the chances NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is actually rooting for New England over Jacksonville on Sunday (for the sake of Super Bowl ratings)? Not quite, but getting there. There’s always pre-game stuff to draw a crowd.

How about the hopes I had for this column? Better.