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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Irresponsible vs. Criminal
The Georgia Bulldog fans who were experiencing the relative joy of a much needed victory Saturday got derailed by the news that RB Caleb King was behind bars this morning. There were rumblings over the weekend that something might be going on with Caleb, but today’s happenings were different.
It seems Caleb got a speeding ticket in Walton County back in the summer. He failed to either pay the ticket or show up for his court date. A bench warrant was issued and when Caleb went to help a brother out, literally, he was arrested. His brother Brandon had been stopped early this morning and was driving without a valid driver’s license. The vehicle in question belongs to team mate Brandon Woods. Although Woods went along to pick up his vehicle, Caleb was going to be the one driving it home. I’m not sure why that would be, but it prompted the ACC police to check both Woods and Caleb’s licenses and that’s when the warrant for failure to appear was discovered.
Many people both in and outside the Dawg Nation are outraged that yet another player has been arrested. I understand that completely, but unless Caleb has done other things that we don’t even know about, this particular transgression does not rise to the level of him getting kicked off the team. It’s irresponsible, not criminal.
I see fans refer to these players as men, just because they are 18-22 years old. How does a number translate into true maturity and responsibility? The young people that make up any team are not only diverse racially and socio-economically, but in maturity as well.
Mark Richt can only do so much. He lives his life openly, as an example of what these players could and maybe should consider for themselves. Many will follow a similar path based on the comments I see from players I follow on Twitter, but not all of them will, obviously.
I had a conversation with one of my old team mates Saturday before the game. Neither of us could imagine how difficult it must be to even attempt to keep track of all these guys. It was tough enough when we were all under one roof at McWhorter Hall. When the NCAA did away with athletic dorms, the intent was for athletes to have a more well rounded college experience. That would be great if it were not for the fact that the expectations are so much greater for the athlete than the regular student.
We had curfews and a coach(Kasay) that lived on the same property and although stuff happened from time to time, it can in no way compare to living at another dorm or especially off campus in an apartment or house. I don’t know how they do it.
The bottom line is Caleb was irresponsible in this matter, but in no way deserves the consequences of an offense where he could have endangered lives like a DUI. Again, I say this with no real knowledge of any other extentuating circumstances or prior offenses.
Somewhere along the way, there has been a disconnect between the Athletic Department and the surrounding law enforcement agencies. There is obviously no attempt to handle things discreetly and still have consequences. How many people in Walton County with knowledge of this situation watched Caleb King and the Dawgs all year long and no attempt was made to resolve the issue. It’s not like Caleb is some secretive figure that no one knows where to find him. There knew how to find him.
Resurrection Day
The Georgia Bulldogs did not walk, they ran out of their tomb yesterday. Led on to the field by their Head Coach for the first time ever, the Dawgs responded with an energy not seen in Sanford Stadium in quite a while. It was great to see.
Mark Richt seemingly pressed all the right buttons(Click here), from tougher practices to getting off the bus dressed and ready to play, to the aforementioned run through the Redcoats, it was a great game for the Dawgs. There were many great calls on Saturday, but the best may have been Honorary Captain Boss Bailey’s pre-game speech. It sounds like Boss’s passion for Georgia Football shone through in a way some of the player’s had never, ever seen.(Click here)
Awesome!
If there was a theme for this game it’s “Where preparation met opportunity”. Tennessee did plenty to help the Dawgs Saturday, but the fact that we were in position to take advantage makes all the difference.
Aaron Murray continues to lead the way, distributing the ball 17 times to 7 different receivers. That’s a very important development. It’s only going to create problems for defenses down the road. We do however need to be able to run more effectively and not expect Aaron to carry so much of that load. We don’t need him hit as often as he’s being hit.
He’s a tough nut though!
Now it’s time to turn the page. Vanderbilt is next and I hope the CMR magic continues. Thanks to Bernie and Nama for the tickets and for the other offers to help an old Dawg see this great game! We’ll see you in Athens sometime soon.
A.J. always looks good, even wearing orange!
Righting This Ship
If the USS Bulldog is to right itself, it will be a process. This is a rather large vessel, not some Sea-Doo that can turn on a dime. It didn’t get to this shallow water with growing concern of running aground, overnight. This ship seemingly went off course several years ago and will not be righted in one or two games.
You may say that nothing less than a Georgia victory will show that we are on the right course again. Wes Durham on 790theZone has repeatedly said that this will be the most important 60 minutes of the Mark Richt Era. I don’t disagree, but all I want to see is if the hard right turn that Coach Richt took this week. If the days of practicing in full pads, with an intensity that has been so seldom seen in any Georgia team in recent memory, is evident tomorrow, I’ll be satisfied.
I want to see these guys respond. Whether to the balls to the wall practices or the fact that Coach Richt will be leading the team on to the field for the first time ever.
I hope he doesn’t pull a hammy!
I want to win tomorrow, but more than anything, I want a recognize a mid-course correction and a team that behaves like a Georgia team should. I want Derek Dooley and every stinking piece of orange in Sanford Stadium to rue the day that they ever come back to OUR HOUSE!
Make it so, Coach Richt! Make it so!
A Few Good Fans
“Hey Fan, we live in a world that has footballs, and those balls have to be kicked and passed by men with heart. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Dawgvent?
I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for another coach and you curse the Dawgs. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that losing to Mississppi State, while tragic, didn’t cost lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives.
You don’t want the truth because, deep down in places you don’t talk about at tailgates, you want me on that sideline, you need me on that sideline.
We say things like Go Dawgs and Finish The Drill. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent pursuing a dream. You use them as a punchline.
I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a fan who rises and sleeps under the banner of the very success that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said “thank you” and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you pick up a helmet and hit somebody. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.”
Coach Mark Richt
Been There, Done That…Got The Ring
Any true Georgia Bulldog fan is hurting today. A third SEC loss and a 1-3 record is uncharted territory for Mark Richt and his staff. It is painful to watch because at times I think I am experiencing an acid flashback, and I never did drugs. The flashbacks I have are from 1977 and 1979, the years when turnovers were not just for breakfast anymore, but were available pretty much 24/7.
I was critical of Coach Mark Richt at times last year. Some of my comments were ill-timed and worded less than perfectly. Eloquence goes on vacation too, sometimes. I came in to this season cautiously optimistic, but not overly so. But now, we are at a new low for this regime. CMR knows it. His staff knows it and I’m sure the players know it. So feel free to NOT rip the players a new one on Twitter and/or Facebook. It might make you feel better, but you’re not helping solve the problem, believe me.
Being a part of a mediocre or worse team like ’77 and ’79 sticks with you as a player as it should. I think of it just as much as I do 1980, because without the adversity of those earlier seasons, the desire to overcome and never, ever feel THAT feeling again, would not be possible.
They don’t call it the “agony of defeat” for nothing.
Now, here’s the deal. This is a different scenario than 2007 when CMR ignited a team through perceived gimmickry. The “celebration” and “the blackout” worked as a short term “patch”, but was not a long term solution to whatever is ailing the program. I’m not claiming to know what that is, but obviously something is amiss.
I’m not going to get into things like play-calling because the loss to Mississippi State was not about play-calling. The passes to Washaun Ealey that ended in a fumble and touchdown to Chris Durham were both great play calls because they took advantage of MSU’s aggressiveness and hurt them with it. It just so happened that an un-necceasary holding penalty killed that TD.
Georgia fans have continually taken shots at the coaching staff in recent years, and sometimes it’s been understandable. Now is not that time, in my opinion. One of the things I uttered last season that got me in hot water was that the coaches were not in complete control. Well, that is a two edged sword. There comes a time when pride and resolve has to come to the fore and the players decide themselves that they will not be denied. That kind of effort will be evident. When I watch other games on TV, the difference if obvious to me. From how we tackle to how our running backs run the ball.
I can’t tell you the number of times I have told young athletes that if you are waiting for your coach to make you great, then greatness is not your destiny.
Greatness comes from inside each player. It cannot be imposed, it is exposed.
I pray that the seeds are now being planted for future greatness. The PLAYERS must decide, with their effort, their focus and their priorities in life. There is nothing wrong with having a good time in college, but it has to be with the big picture in mind.
That “big picture” should include the “TEAM me” ideal.
Go Dawgs and GATA!
NOW!
Dawgs Victims of Micro-FANagement
I’m not sure what the typical Georgia Bulldogs fan’s expectations for 2010 were exactly. I for one had no delusions of either SEC or National Championships dancing in the back of my mind this summer. I basically took the summer off from RTK and I am somewhat loathe to jump back in to the deep end this early in the season.
After three games, the Dawgs are 1-2, having suffered a last minute loss to Arkansas this past weekend. If I had been asked, I would have predicted 2-1 at this point. The loss to South Carolina was a surprise, but only because of lethal combination of the running of Marcus Lattimore and the Dawgs thinking it was two hand touch.
While many Dawg fans lament the less than stellar play the last two weeks, and I don’t disagree completely, I do think there is another point of view to consider.
I have seen several blog posts with in-depth analysis and somewhat reasonable characterizations of the coaches and players alike. I have also witnessed Tweet-crazy folks who have no perspective on this team, this season or life itself. I now call this micro-FANagement. It’s way too early to try and build the case for keeping or firing anyone.
I want to share the way I look at coaches and coaching.
One, do the players under their tutelage get better over time. Second, does the TEAM get better over the course of a season(of course, the very best teams start strong). Third, are the players fundamentally sound and/or disciplined. Some of these questions are being answered and some have yet to be answered.
I will try and wait to see the season in it’s entirety, before I assess the ultimate success or failure of individual players, coaches or this team as a whole.
I said I will try.
What’s Red, Black & Green All Over?
I don’t know, but it’s worth $1,000 and a four game suspension apparently. Georgia’s AJ Green has been suspended for three additional games, pending a UGA appeal for selling a game worn jersey to someone technically considered an agent.
The Dawg Nation is beside their collective selves, which is understandable. What I don’t understand is why they consider AJ a victim. He knew the rule and he broke the rule. If you think the rule sucks fine, but don’t place victim status on him.
AJ was and is dead wrong. I have no love for the NCAA, but just as in any real world working relationship, there is the “BOSS” and the “employee”. The NCAA controls the activities and the amateur status of athletes under scholarship at their member institutions.
Unlike other decision makers, the NCAA has chosen to up the ante in order to nip this type of thing in the bud. Four games is harsh, but harsh was what was called for, I guess.
As a Georgia fan, I am convinced that we have plenty of offensive weapons to survive the early slate of games. Our defense is the question and many of those questions have already been answered in a near shut out of Louisiana Lafayette.
The Dawgs will survive this nightmare. I believe it to my core.
Dawgs Back on Track
I really hate it when so much negativity is swirling around the Classic City. I want to stay positive as much as possible, so I’m going to take a deep breath and blow off some steam, in a minute.
My impressions of the Dawg’s first game was very positive. We looked good in all phases, offense, defense and special teams. We beat an over-matched Louisiana-LaFayette team and save a blown coverage by Baccari Rambo, we pitch a rare shut-out.
We beat La-La soundly, the way we should have. But how long has it been since that happened? For several years we won these kind of games in a somewhat ugly fashion.
Coach Richt and Company have righted the ship and we’re on the way. South Carolina is alway tough, but we have the right attitude to go with the talent. It’s going to be fun this year(on the field).
SEE NEXT POST FOR STEAM BLOWING!
Things Mark Richt Says In Private
I just had a thought. Okay, okay, it is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. I was “Tweeting” earlier and the commercial came on with R. Lee Ermey as a “therapist”. Based on his counseling, I would never ever want to live in Mamby-Pamby Land or be considered a Jack-Wagon. I kiddingly suggested that it sounded like something Mark Richt would say in private.
Not really, but what if?
With everything happening in Athens, from DUI’s to NCAA inquiries(bogus), what might one hear emanating from the Butts-Mehre Building late at night? From time to time, the term “Evil Richt” comes up. We have seen a few things “Evil Richt” can do, but what else could he do and what does he sound like? I would love to hear your suggestions. I want these to fall in the line of Chuck Norris jokes, where Chuck is beyond amazing.
So if you had to guess, what else could “Evil Richt” do or say?
Please keep them clean!
Coach Richt, RTK and Down 34
I had a great time at the Georgia Kicking Camp last week. I saw Dax Langley and Billy Bennett as well as many young kickers I have met over the last few years. I am hopeful I will be able to be involved in the camp more in the future. One of the interesting developments of the day was seeing Coach Mark Richt for the first time since I started this blog.
As you may or may not know, as last season wore on, I had posted some controversial comments that got me in hot water with some fans. I wanted to make sure CMR knew where I was coming from. When I asked him about it, he said he had heard a little about it. We were interrupted before we could get too deep, but we talked about meeting down the road to finish the conversation. He certainly does not owe me anything, but it’s important to me have the discussion.
I saw several players while in Athens. Drew Butler looks like a decathlete. He spoke to the campers about the process he has a gone through as a player and young man. He did a great job. I met Richard Samuel for the first time. He is more beastly than ever before. He is up to 233 lbs. Brandon Boykin, Baccari Rambo and A.J. all look great. I met and spent a good bit of time talking to Coach Van Halanger. He was effusive in his praise of the work the guys have done this off-season.
Last and least is my continued effort to get back in shape. I had plateau’d between 25-30 lbs for several weeks. A trip to Jacksonville and the lure of great seafood did not help. I am happy to report that I now have broken through to a new and seemingly legit loss of 34 lbs.
My workouts have been slowed a bit the last week because of a strained flabdominal, but my daily walk is up to 3.5 miles and I’m just being consistent with moving forward, even when making eating mistakes. You can’t let a mistake derail you. Just keep going!
Have a great week folks!
Time To Join The Battle
I am at a point where want Roughing the Kicker to be a vehicle to provide what I consider valuable information to the Bulldog Nation. Not so much football related, although the closer we get to the season, my juices are starting to flow. One such instance is coming July 12th when the 6th Annual Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer Golf Tournament(click here) takes place at the Georgia Club in Statham.
For those of you that don’t know, Chris Abbott was an offensive lineman from Douglas County who played for the Dawgs from 2002-2006. In 2003, his mom Teresa was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought this battle and won, having been cancer free for over five years now. The Abbott’s now host the golf tournament to help women in need to get the mammograms they need for early detection and treatment.
Some of the Bulldog coaching staff as well as present and past players play in each foursome with participants. There is probably not a better chance to truly get to know the Dawgs than this.
Breast Cancer Awareness is at an all-time high, but until it is eliminated completely, we all need to fight this fight.
I hope to see you there.
Hard Line Just in Time
It seems many Georgia fans are continuing to question Mark Richt’s decision to dismiss Zach Mettenberger. They want an explanation for the seemingly hasty decision. They want details. Well, this ain’t TMZ and Mark Richt owes no one any explanations.
People have screamed for several years about discipline in the program both on and off the field. I myself have offered opinions that Coach Richt had possibly lost some control of the team and I got put on blast. Now that he seems to want to reassert himself, the other camp cries foul. It’s another example of how you can never please all of the people all of the time.
Maybe you think he should have given young Mett more latitude because he had the chance to be our starting quarterback. I say BS. It’s that kind of inconsistent disciplinary standard that breeds resentment on a team in my humble opinion.
I have seen Georgia fans characterize the Mettenberger decision as knee-jerk and reactionary. They think Coach Richt has initiated a zero tolerance policy. I haven’t heard that. I see no evidence of that. I don’t know that the “spring break incident”(click) was the first or last transgression on Zach’s record, do you? I have heard some rumors from fans, not the athletic department, so I will not spread that stuff. That friend of a friend stuff just doesn’t fly here.
I want to remind you all that some consider Mark Richt on the hot seat in 2010. I don’t, but many do. Even so, I have wondered if the changes in the defensive staff would be the only ones made in the culture in Athens. I think we have the answer. It’s one thing to dismiss a back-up punter(click). It sends a real message when your potential starting quarterback is told to hit the bricks.
Georgia Fans can’t have it both ways. Nor can CMR have different rules for your favorite guys versus the ones you could do without. If “Evil Richt” has returned, 2010 is gonna be great.
Doing The Right Thing
The last few days have reminded me of how important doing the right thing really is. I played in yesterday’s Boy’s and Girl’s Club fundraising golf tournament which is obviously fun but a more than worthwhile group to support. I was tempted at one point though, to do the wrong thing.
A group ahead of us, included an Auburn fan who left his ball marker on the green. As a Dawg, my first impulse was to skip it across a nearby lake. I did resist and as it turns out, one of my playing partners works with said “Tiger” and introduced us after the round. Based on some preliminary discussion, I may be able to do some business with them.
The right thing was rewarded.
My son recently wrote an interesting post about how video games can be a reflection of your innermost self. As they say, character is what you do when no one is watching. Click here.
Which brings me to Zach Mettenberger. I don’t know any more details than any other fan. My Blackberry was blowing up with questions, but all I can say is this. It must be pretty bad. Between being a leading candidate to be our quarterback to having a mom working at UGA, this could not be something borderline. Mark Richt does not do anything rashly. His decisions are always thoughtful and balanced. So my thoughts could be summed up this way.
Mark Richt chose to do the right thing because Zach Mettenberger refused to. Period.
Are You a Disney Dawg?
I guess this terminology originated on the The DawgVent…www.ugasports.com. You know the type. Zippity Doo Dahz all the way through life, not even considering that there could be something wrong with our beloved Dawgs. You can’t even say a glass half full kind of person. They would insist the glass was too small to begin with.
As I have dipped my toe into Fandom and seen both sides of this equation, I have questioned which is worse, the Disney Dawg or the guy who’s never satisfied with anything but a Mythical National Championship.
Those guys can only be represented by the two old guys from the Muppet Show, Statler and Waldorf. See below. Look, they are on the Dawgvent as we speak.
Statler and Waldorf want Mark Richt fired…right now. Nevermind that he has taken dramatic steps to improve our defense. The mistakes of the past can never be rectified by any measure of success.
Check the comment posted here by BuLLdawg.
Neither end of this pole is productive. We have to be realistic. You can’t put your head in the sand like a Disney, but give Coach Richt his due when he does something right. Do we have work to do? Absolutely. Work resumes today in Athens, and I can’t wait to see the product this fall. G-Day is fun, but will not give a great picture of what is to come.
Go Dawgs!
Death By Ego, The Mike Leach Story
Another chapter in the Mike Leach story was written yesterday. He was deposed for five hours in his lawsuit against Texas Tech (click). Bernie beat me to the punch(click), but I still want to share some of my own thoughts. While there is no disputing his track record on the field, Mike Leach was given just enough rope to hang himself in the end. His ego, like a Toyota Prius was out of control.
It’s the only explanation to his “taped” profanity laced…no wait profanity filled…no…profanity engorged tirade following a game last fall. It’s one thing to recognize complacency and identify it for what it is. It’s another thing to drop F and MF Bombs like a Hall’s mentho-liptis. It may make you feel better, but it doesn’t cure anything.
The fact that he allowed such a tirade to be video-taped proves to me that he thought he was above reproof, untouchable. Well he was touched by an angel, Adam James and he may never coach D-1 football again. The more that is revealed, the worse his PR becomes. Can a University President and AD hire such a nightmare? Maybe, but very few.
I have witnessed many tongue lashings and have received a couple as well. It’s a part of being a part of a football program with expectations. But my Lord, try and count the number of bombs he dropped in this six minute and thirty nine second video(Rated R)(click). There is no doubt that a football locker room is no place for the timid, or weak of heart. Getting a group of 80 young men to act as one takes fortitude and tremendous force of will. Even the Georgia locker room with a Christian coach like Mark Richt cannot be devoid of passion and reality checks.
But remember this. Keep all the dirty laundry in the family and don’t allow any videotaping.
Divorces can be a ______!
Quarterback Controversy Averted
As of this writing 138 Georgia Bulldogs fans have voted on the RTK poll regarding the 2010 quarterback situation. I am happy to report that all is well. Aaron Murray has won in a landslide receiving 78% of the vote. Zach Mettenberger was second with 10%, Logan Gray had 7% and true freshman Hutson Mason just 4%.
The official tally has been hermetically sealed and sent to Funk and Wagnall for verification. You old Georgia Dawgs will know what I’m talking about. Once approved, the results will be forwarded to Coach Mark Richt so he can make the necessary adjustments to the practice schedule.
Since we have had such an over-whelming response, there will be no need for QB’s to split reps evenly. Thanks to all who voted.
Tell me what you really think!