2011 Not a Good Year for Dawgs
No, it has not been a good year for Georgia, it has been a great year. On the brink of collapse and possible firing, Mark Richt has resurrected the Dawgs and put them on firm footing for the future. But let’s be real. As far as we’ve come in one year, we still have areas to continue to improve in before we can be counted as “back”.
As much as I hope for the best for Saturday’s game, my head tells me we are in for some trouble. The sheer numbers of LSU’s depth and talent across the board will be very difficult to overcome. But, I have always believed in “the heart” as an intangible that many times can trump talent. I’ve seen it, and I played on teams that overcame all obstacles and WON!
Here’s the reason for my post this day. As recently as the week after the Florida game, I met Georgia people calling for Mark Richt’s head. At that time it was because of the suspensions and the possible implementation of a true “empty backfield” formation(thanks Kerri)! I will bet there are certain Dawg fans that are secretly miserable right now because they wanted Mark Richt to be fired this year. They can just pucker up because he ain’t going anywhere.
These same “fans” will be up in arms if the Dawgs happen to not be ready for the likes of a NUMBER ONE, UNDEFEATED LSU. All it will prove to me is that we’ve come a long, long way, but have a ways to go to reach our ultimate goal, a National Championship. That’s not a bad thing to me, because certain members of the “Dream Team” need to transition(grow up) and do the little things to reach their full potential. Right now, a few are relying solely on their God-given abilities and have not developed the work ethic required to compete on a weekly basis in the SEC.
Here’s a crazy thought. A win on Saturday might delay that process. A loss and a reality check might be just the prescription for our “Dream Team” to win it all before they leave Athens.
Riding The Storm Out
It’s hurricane season and Georgia Coach Mark Richt is in the center of a Bulldog maelstrom created by a few stormy seasons of underachievement. After an 0-2 start, the stuff has hit the fan more than at a Baboon’s Birthday Bash. As I said a few days ago, the South Carolina game gave me reason to be hopeful. When your star players make uncharacteristic blunders it takes the wind out of your sails pretty quickly.
But, one great thing I noticed in the Twittersphere was a comment by true freshman Jay Rome.
He made this comment Monday before practice. It sounded as if the team had made a positive impression on an impressionable young Rome, a member of this past year’s ‘Dream Team”. THAT is what we need. A group of upperclassmen showing the stars of the future how it’s to be done. No pouting and apparently NO hangover from Saturday’s loss.
This is as it should be.
Proud to Be A Georgia Bulldog?
Since I am nothing more than a Georgia Bulldog fan with a name you might recognize, I’m approaching this post as such. I’m a Georgia Bulldog fan and I’m proud of my team this day. Happy? Not really. Satisfied? No. But I’m proud to see a team that seems to care.
There have been games in recent years where I was not so sure. Now whether that is because of a love for Coach Mark Richt or just a team whose level of vigilance has reached a new level, it matters not to me. That focus that comes with caring put’s them in a position to win. Chuck Oliver of 680 the fan was saying yesterday that if Georgia fans were satisfied with just “good effort” and “not quitting”, that the program had indeed fallen.
I’m not satisfied, I’m encouraged. This program has fallen on hard times, but it is showing signs of life. A program that had been on life support is close to breathing on it’s own. It still needs intensive care, but all of you that want to “pull the plug”, just need to chill. If this Georgia team can build from here, we have a lot of reasons to believe we have turned a corner and can still make this a great year.
The future does indeed look bright.
Why So Cocky?
I know Georgia fans realize how competitive most South Carolina games are. They are usually low scoring affairs and very tightly contested. But the series record of 46-15-2 is very lopsided in Georgia’s favor. Hell, Vanderbilt has beaten the Dawgs more times(18) than South Cackalacky.
Herschel, The Actor?
Here’s a little scoop for Georgia Fans. Last week at the viewing of SEC Storied-Herschel, #34 told me that one of the latest additions to his ever burgeoning bucket list is acting. He has been in discussions with the people at Law and Order and they have agreed to have Herschel in an episode that would air early next year. Actual filming would be around November.
One of the sticking points was that the L&O writers wanted him to be a cop. Herschel said he didn’t want to do it unless he could be a bad guy. After some time passed, they called with the perfect role. A serial killer.
Things like this don’t always happen as soon as we think they will, if at all. Herschel told me several years before his first MMA fight that he was going to do a reality show pitting MMA fighters vs. Former Pro Athletes. I don’t think that ever materialized, but I’m looking forward to seeing this one.
Oh, you Herschel Walker!
Still Looking To Turn A Corner
Many Georgia Bulldog fans are licking their wounds today, while others lash out to inflict pain on whatever segment of the Dawg Nation they deem complicit in the losing effort Saturday night. Mark Richt, Mike Bobo, Nike? The list continues to grow. Boise State certainly lived up to their ranking as a Top 5 program, while Georgia flashed some real signs of hope but settled back in to some old, familiar bad habits.
I really don’t want to get in to all the details of the who, what and why. There are plenty of bloggers that will write about that today. I have many of them listed in my right side bar.
Check them out later.
The thing I have never been able to get my head around is how so many fans can build up a player, a team or a program IN THEIR OWN MIND, only to attack those same entities when it does not intially pan out.
Many of you still refuse to acknowledge that Boise State is a damn good TEAM. Really? I guess that doesn’t suit your purposes in running down a team and a coach that has yet to be given a real opportunity to show if they are an improved group. This week’s game versus South Carolina is another tough row to hoe.
That being said, sometime soon Coach Mark Richt and staff must turn a corner if they are to survive. I want them to survive, but they have to want it even more.
SEC Storied – Herschel
Dawg Fans will be glad to know, that next week on Wednesday, September 7th the first installment of a news series, SEC Storied will air. Our favorite son Herschel Walker is the first subject. I was fortunate enough to join Herschel and a contingent of my team mates at an advance showing last evening. Coach Vince Dooley and other members of his 1980 staff were there as well. The show will air on ESPNU and there were ESPN representatives as well as SEC Commissioner Mike Slive in attendance. This was a bigger deal than I had imagined.
The documentary was very well done, with many of the highlights we’ve all come to know and love and will never tire of. But, there were some new clips I had not seen and re-enactments of childhood scenes of trauma suffered at the hands of classmates. If you read Herschel’s book BREAKING FREE, you know some of those details. This trauma/abuse was the catalyst that brought about a certain rage that has fueled Herschel in almost everything he does. The struggle to feel ‘good enough” and find healthy outlets for his rage.
Football was that outlet for many years, but when his football career was over, problems arose.
I won’t reveal any more details and risk ruining the actual documentary for you. It is must see TV for any Dawg fan. Again, it airs next Wednesday at 8:00 PM on ESPNU.
Get After Them Aggressively?
I’m not sure if all Georgia Bulldog fans have seen the NIKE PRO COMBAT UNIFORMS promo, but it is very well done. No matter what you think about the unis themselves, the video link below gets me fired up for the game! One reason is their attempt to include the famous battle cry of GATA.
The fact that they say “Get After Them Aggressively” is understandable.
I think our guys know the deal. GATA!
All I Want This Season
I have no idea what the typical Georgia Bulldogs
fan wants this season. It could be an SEC East title, an outright SEC Championship and I’m sure there are some that want a new coach. My wish for this season is much simpler than all that.
I want my old Dawgs back!
I want old school, hard-nosed defense. I want consistent effort from both sides of the ball. I want to watch a game and know that it matters to each and every player that they are wearing red and black and most of all the “G”.
The bottom line is, at least show up!
780 minutes of football start this Saturday…that’s all they have. That’s 13 games for you Boise fans. If “Ole Lady Luck” graces us with her presence, maybe 14 games and a return to the Dome. THAT would be awesome, but I’m commited to not getting hung up on numbers of wins and/or titles. I just want to see something different. A team that cares less about swagger and more about focus. A team that never gives up in any situation. A team that pulls together and never apart…that’s right, I want a TEAM!
I want my old Dawgs back!
Do “Clothes” Really Make The Man?
Nike announced several weeks ago that both the Georgia Bulldogs and Boise State Broncos will wear Nike Pro Combat Uniforms in their September 3 contest. The uniforms were unveiled this week and it has sent some poor Dawg fans over the edge. Many think it’s a ploy like the Blackout jerseys of yesteryear or the “Grambling” experiment of 2009. It’s not. It’s an opportunity to be included in a fairly select group of programs Nike uses to promote their product in a big way.
Think of how many times NIKE PRO COMBAT JERSEYS/UNIFORMS has been uttered on radio/TV and written in print and online media, all for free. You can’t buy that kind of advertising at any price. This Chickfila Kickoff Classic has become such a huge game that Nike could not pass it up. The exposure for UGA in this game and the buzz surrounding the uniforms, should be construed as positive.
As far as the actual uniforms go, I like them okay. These uniforms should not over-shadow all the right moves Coach Mark Richt has made in his staff and in the Strength and Conditioning program. It’s about attitude. I fully expect this Georgia team to be much improved, especially on defense. That does not mean they are going to win every single game. Boise State will be an extremely tough game and win or lose, the uniforms will have nothing to do with it.
Now today, I see Maryland has unveiled a set of new uniforms from Under Armour. Check them out here to make yourself feel better about Georgia’s unis.
Nothing to Say
I am for the first time in my life, refusing requests to be interviewed for radio shows and/or fan podcasts. Not that the phone is ringing off the hook, but I have had a few requests. If you have been a reader of RTK, you have probably noticed the diminished flow of posts this season. I guess the only way to say it is this.
“If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.”
New Blood is Old School
Georgia Bulldog fans are out in force tonight, “discussing” the news that Dave Van Halanger is out as Strength and Conditioning coach at UGA and Joe Tereshinski is in. No, not the quarterback, his dad. Joe was an offensive lineman for the Dawgs in the mid-seventies. It was also announced that John Kasay would act as assistant S&C coach. No, not the kicker, his dad. Coach Kasay also played O-line for Coach Dooley back in the mid-sixties. This new blood is definitely old school.
I must say I was very surprised by the news. Most people realize that Coach Van is one of Coach Mark Richt’s closest friends. Now CVH will be working even more closely as his administrative assistant.
Reaction from Georgia Fans runs the gamut
from skeptical to what the hell?
Most fans expected an infusion of new blood. What Coach Mark Richt has done instead is withdraw what can only be described as “cord blood” to this football program. How many times has the DawgNation screamed for the days of Erk Russell. The old school approach to winning football. Hard work, toughness and a junkyard mentality.
Well here you go Dawg fans.
For the first time in recent history, we will have direct descendants of Coach Erk Russell. Men who played for and coached with the man synonymous with what we consider “Georgia Football”. We seem convinced that having each new Uga remain a direct descendant of the original mascots somehow significant. How much more so that “offspring” of our glory days have the opportunity to infuse these young Dawgs with old school work ethic.
This could work Dawg fans. It depends on the players and how much they buy in.
Go Dawgs!
I saw this look more than once while in Athens.
Whatever you think of my career at Georgia,
no man had a bigger impact on me than John Kasay.
Whether short or long term,
nothing but good things can come from his infusion of passion
into a seemingly anemic S & C program.
A Weekend to Remember
As I mentioned last Thursday, the 1980 National Championship Bulldogs had a 30 year reunion this weekend. It’s always amazing to see this group of ultimate winners, and continue to learn what made this team tick. I wish I could have videotaped several of the after dinner conversations that went in the wee hours Saturday morning, but alas I was ill prepared.
Hugh Nall was able to attend his first reunion ever because he had always been coaching on the collegiate level somewhere at each of the other three reunions. Since he no longer coaches, but runs a trucking company in Albany, he had time and it was great to be with him again. I had seen Hugh at coaches clinics and the like, but this was the first time I had been around him for a prolonged period.
The coolest thing for me personally was something David Chandley of all people had for me. You may know David as the weather guy on Channel 2 in Atlanta. Well in 1980, David was a freshman student trainer at Georgia. I was talking to a couple of people Friday night and could see David out of the corner of my eye, like he was waiting for me to finish so we could talk.
He explained that as a student trainer you don’t get much love. He said from time to time, you might go ahead and “keep some stuff”. He said he had a box of “stuff” in his basement for nearly 30 years and just a couple of years ago realized he had something I might want.
I have had numerous people ask me over the years, if I had my old jersey or my old helmet. I never even considered taking either of those items because equipment manager Howard Beavers was a crotchety old cuss that had me thoroughly intimidated. I would not even think to ask much less just keep a jersey.
Well Friday night after 30 years, I received my old jersey. Better late than never!
Thanks David! You da man!
1980, Brothers are Brothers
It started out innocently enough. The captain of the 1980 Georgia Bulldogs Frank Ros, emailed an updated itinerary for the 30 year reunion this weekend. This is an “official” reunion weekend when many Bulldog Lettermen will be out in force. It’s a great fraternity to be a part of.
Frank’s email hit my Blackberry at 10:19 AM
What has transpired since is nothing less than comedy gold. The abuse and trash talk back and forth is an instantaneous trip back 30 years to a time when a group of young men went all the way from being just players, past becoming a team all the way to a brotherhood.
Being a blood brother is a powerful thing. Becoming a brother by choice is even more so. You may have heard the notion that an adopted child is supremely loved because it is chosen. A group of adopted brothers can achieve greatness.
Of course, being brothers has many facets and this team runs the gambit. Just like any family, there are good, bad, and ugly(Creamons) elements to it.
But we will always be family.
Go Dawgs!
In Todd We Trust
Georgia Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham has become an instant celebrity for his overtime antics Saturday. In case you have just gotten back from your honeymoon in Fiji and don’t know what I’m referring to, Coach Grantham communicated his sincere desire to Florida’s Chas Henry that Chas would just go ahead and swallow his mouthpiece.
This BEFORE his game winning kick attempt.
Of course Chas chose not to comply and actually kicked his best kick in his month of being a college place-kicker. It just goes to show you, you can’t miss them all. The 37 yarder in overtime spelled doom for a Georgia team that had shot itself in the foot over and over and over.
The now infamous choke sign displayed by CTG is being both lambasted and lauded. I just wanted to take a second to share my viewpoint, as if anyone really cares.
My first reaction is that really no coach should be engaging another team’s players. Our players should have been doing that, and they probably were. Coach Grantham could have and should have implored his troops to convey the message to Henry. But in my humble opinion, he should not have jumped in himself.
Now, that being said…
I absolutely love Todd Grantham’s fire. I love his aggressive style. I actually love the sentiment conveyed by the choke sign. We need that attitude, especially against Florida. If he stays for long, we need all our guys buying in to the notion that we are not scared of anybody, especially Florida.
I bet if you asked him, CTG would say he was ready for a rematch RIGHT NOW. Any time, any day, any place. Jacksonville, Gainesville, Athens, Atlanta….. or even in the middle of the freakin’ Okefenokee Swamp! AND I bet we win the best two out of three. As I said earlier this week, we beat ourselves Saturday.
We need CTG to stay in Athens long enough to recruit and/or convert enough players that believe in Todd and his gospel of winning football. Did you ever see NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN? The “bad guy” in the movie played by Javier Bardem was one of the scariest characters ever, and now that I think about it, he was a perfect combination of CMR and CTG.
Cool and calm(Richt), but lethal and heartless(Grantham)…I’m telling you, if given the chance, this could be a combination for the ages. But the team has to reach critical mass of buy-in.
Everybody loves to win, but not everybody refuses to lose.
Can You Break Your Own Heart?
The Georgia Bulldog’s loss at the hands of the Florida Gators was especially difficult. There have been many years in the past 21 that the Gators beat us. This was NOT one of those games. We beat ourselves…again.
Sure Urban Meyer had some wrinkles and/or tweaks, but those did not win this game. Aaron Murray unfortunately picked the wrong time to struggle. There were early opportunities in this game that we did not take advantage of. I am very proud that Aaron did come back and make some plays late in the game to get us in to overtime.
But we should have never been in overtime.
This Georgia team is not great. They could still be a good team, but they have to learn to not beat themselves. I was very out-spoken on-line yesterday and used some strong language in the face of fan’s gloom and doom attitudes when we were down 21-7. Florida was not beating us then, nor did they ultimately truly beat us in OT.
We beat ourselves.
The three game winning streak was not nearly as dominant as it may have seemed. The Vanderbilt game was a very solid game overall, but the Tennessee and Kentucky games were won because of our playing with more intensity and being in position to take advantage of the other team’s miscues. Those same gift wrapped opportunities went unopened yesterday and it made all the difference.
I’m sure many people, including Coach Richt will say, give Florida credit, because that’s the classy thing to do. So let’s do that. I give Corch Meyers credit for the fast paced offensive game plan. It thwarted the early pressure that the Dawgs were putting on Brantley. It also forced Todd Grantham to make some substitutions he normally might not make, including an entire series with number two’s in the front seven I believe. I give Corch credit for a third “QB” in the mix with Brantley and Burton. I give Corch credit for a lot of things, but his true genius lies in his willingness to sacrifice for his team.
Urban Meyer sacrificed his integrity for the good of the team.
His decision to reinstate Chris Rainey after what was universally considered a heinous crime(click), was a new low, even for Corch. It actually gave us an unobstructed view into the depths of his soul. Not that it’s that deep. Chris Rainey’s impact on this game was immeasurable, but let’s measure it anyway. 84 yards on 16 carries…5.3 avg…1 TD. 2 receptions…9 yards…6 KO returns…148 yards…24.7 avg. That pretty dang good, but Rainey’s real impact was that Georgia’s defense could not focus on Trey Burton who truly ran wild gaining 110 yards and scoring two TD’s .
Let’s call it the “AJ effect”.
Having that one additional option has an exponential impact across the board. When I looked at the TV screen and I saw Trey Burton in the shotgun, with Demps to his left and Rainey to his right? I thought, “Holy crap”.
Even so, we were in a position to win by forcing an overtime, a first in this series. Many people questioned Coach Mike Bobo’s play-calling all game. I admit, I had flashbacks to the infamous Georgia Tech philosophy with Calvin Johnson, but I’m not sure if it was a Bobo thing or a Murray thing. The third option was suggested by a friend last night. We’ll call him “Coach Pain in the Arse”. His thought was that Murray was under so much duress(my word, not his), that he didn’t have time to find all his options, including AJ Green. I countered with AJ needs to be your first option most of the time.
We’re not going to have AJ much longer, we better get all the juice out of him we can.
I actually believe CMB gave us chances throughout the day. Many early opportunities went for naught because of Aaron’s struggles, but make no mistake, the plays were there. All in all, I was proud that this year, unlike so many in the past, we fought our asses off. We fought the adversity and we fought the Gators, toe to toe.
It just so happened that their “toe” got the last chance.
Beware the Gator Kicking Game
In case you didn’t know, the Georgia Bulldogs have perhaps the best over-all special teams in all of college football. The Ray Guy winner in Drew Butler, a Lou Groza finalist in Blair Walsh and perhaps the best kick-off returner in Georgia history in Brandon Boykin. That’s all well and good but that’s just part of the equation this weekend. A lot of people have wondered about whether Florida might tweak their offense or defense in their bye week. The easiest thing to do is put in some wrinkles in special teams. But why would they do that?
The Florida Gators kickers have been struggling. Caleb Sturgis, the PK who had missed several games because of a back injury was going to try and come back for the Georgia game. He aggravated the injury Wednesday and punter Chas Henry will continue to placekick. Henry started out okay versus Alabama, but has struggled since.
The news you may not have heard is that the freshman kicker that had been kicking off, Brad Phillips pulled a hamstring last week. That means Chas Henry might kick off as well. I have not worked with him in four years but I will be shocked if he is a super strong kick-off man at this point. Florida may employ the pooch kick at times to keep Boykin at bay. The fact that Chas may do all the kicking changes his weekday preparation, his pre-game warm-up and in game preparation.
Here’s the other thing.
Chas Henry was a high school quarterback at East Paulding HS and has shown the ability to both run and throw for first downs on fake punts. I would not be surprised if UF did not try to pull out the stops on special teams tomorrow. A part of “Urban Renewal” was Corch relinquishing the special teams. Having the off week is plenty of time for him to assume control once again.
The one thing that they have not done with Chas is a fake field goal. Beware!
So, in review, beware the short KO….fake punts and/or FG’s…and punt blocks as well.
Blair Walsh Sets Georgia Record
Georgia fans are feeling a little better after a Bulldog blowout for Homecoming. Vanderbilt was no match for a resurgent Georgia team that continued their air assault, but found a decent ground attack as well. Washaun Ealey played his best game of the year, but I am focusing on my man Blair Walsh for today.
Blair broke the Georgia record for consecutive PAT’s held by Brandon Coutu at 114 in a row. Blair now has 115 and a season and a half to go. I thought I would let you know what he is up against in terms of the SEC record. The list is below:
- John Becksvoort- Tennessee (161) 1991-1994
- Van Tiffin-Alabama (135) 1983-1986
- Michael Proctor-Alabama (130) 1992-1995
- Damon Duval-Auburn (125) 1999-2002
- Jonathan Nichols-Ole Miss (117) 2001-2004
- Blair Walsh- Georgia (115) 2008-present
If Georgia’s offense continues to improve, Blair could be in second place before the season is over. I wish him well.
Dirty Dawgs?
I read the other day that some Tennessee players were quoted as saying the Georgia offensive line was dirty. I can’t find the article now to link to it, sorry. Anyhoo, I don’t want our guys to be dirty, but just to play hard and be tougher. Football can be a nasty game played by even nastier men, when it’s done right. Some people had questioned if the Dawgs were tough at all. Sounds like they are on the right track.
And look at which pot is calling the kettle black! lol
Bruuuuuuuuuce!
He’s Big! He’s Bad! He’s Bruuuuuuuce! But you can call him Uga VIII. The grandson of Uga VI and a fitting mascot to lead the Dawgs. See that big bad Dawg to the left. I can’t wait to hear the chorus of Bruuuuuuuuuuuce when Uga VIII enters Sanford Stadium!
Another Damn Good Dawg! Thanks to the Seilers!
Mark Richt Can’t Win
Mark Richt announced today that Caleb King will be suspended for the next two games for his Monday morning arrest for failure to appear in court. Fan reaction ranged from “not strong enough” to “way too harsh”. Let me be the first to say, “It’s perfect”! You may ask why? Well, I’m glad you asked. Let me explain.
First, let me go back to when Washaun Ealey was in a bit of a pinch(click here). Washaun was guilty of the hit and run of a parked car while driving with a suspended license. The discussion on Atlanta sports talk radio was varied. My boys Buck and Ole Kincade couldn’t come to a meeting of the minds.
Surprise! Surprise!
While John Kincade wanted heads to roll, Buck kept saying Coach Mark Richt had to be consistent in his choice of punishment. I actually disagreed with both. My take on this growing issue of mostly irresponsible behavior with some downright appalling criminal behavior is this. The only type of consistency I want to see is the heat consistently turned up on these players until they get the message. To me, that’s what happened today.
As I stated yesterday, an expulsion from the team would have been too harsh. A one game suspension for similar offenses had not yet worked had it? It reminds me of when my two sons were coming along. Neither were bad kids but we had the occasional issue to resolve. My philosophy was to find where their pain was. If it was a couple of smacks on the backside, fine. If it was taking the Nintendo away, great, but I was committed to finding what hurt the most and worked the best.
For most players, that means playing time.
Once again, I believe that CMR has pressed the right button, the perfect balance. The heat has been turned up, but we haven’t lost our player. It’s not just a different verse of the same old song. It’s a new song. He is definitely on a roll in the last eight days.
I hope he can keep it up.
Tell me what you really think!