Yahoo! Falcons to Super Bowl; Richt hammered again
Three more games for the locals this weekend. You get one item for each. Don’t be greedy. . . .
FALCONS
Just a little "Dirty Bird" flashback.
This might come as a surprise, given that the Falcons have played only four games this season and they’ve never posted consecutive winning records. But there’s tangible evidence that Atlanta fans are thinking about the Super Bowl.
Just stumbled on a story on Yahoo!, which not surprisingly makes Yahoo! central to the story (and that’s the first time I’ve had to type an exclamation point twice in one sentence).
According to (wait for it) the “Yahoo! Buzz Index,” Atlanta and Chicago were the top two cities for searches for, “Super Bowl 2010,” coming off last weekend. Apparently, the Falcons’ 45-10 win over San Francisco prompted fans to let their minds wander a little bit. The Bears actually were off last week, so Chicago fans presumably just had a lot of time on their hands. Regardless, it’s ironic that the Falcons and Bears play each other Sunday in the Georgia Dome.
Now, here’s where the whole, “Well, if we’re Yahoo! searching it than it must be true” concept falls apart. The city with the third-most Super Bowl searches was Los Angeles, which doesn’t even have an NFL team.
By the way: I’ll save you a search. The Super Bowl is Feb. 7 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Here’s a link to a countdown clock on SuperBowl.com.
Are you making plans, or do you think we should wait at least until after the Bears game?
GEORGIA
We've seen this look a lot lately.
The Georgia-just-ain’t-Georgia story has become a hot topic in several media outlets. But would you have thought to compare Mark Richt’s situation to that of former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville? I would not have, given that Auburn was looking to get rid of Tuberville ever since school officials secretly met with Bobby Petrino behind an airplane hangar in 2003 (before Tuberville went 13-0 in 2004)
But here’s some interesting — and stinging — analysis from Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News:
Put it on Mark Richt’s coaching tombstone. He was Lane Kiffin’s first SEC victim.
So this is what the beginning of the end looks like.
It looks like the second coming (and going) of Tommy Tuberville, another nice guy who finished his otherwise productive tenure by finishing last.
No one expects Georgia to finish last this season, though the Bulldogs will find it difficult to win even the B flight of the SEC East.
No one expects Richt’s tenure to end this season, either, but these things tend to follow a pattern.
A popular coach becomes unpopular gradually, and then suddenly, and no one can foretell exactly when the slow descent will pick up enough mass and speed to become a runaway snowball.
No doubt Richt has accumulated enough good will to survive another disappointing season, but let’s just say it would be in his best interest for his Bulldogs not to lose to Florida 36-0.
He makes some good points.
I’ve never written that Richt’s job should be in trouble, only that the team’s direction can be questioned right now and that whatever he was doing before isn’t working now. But the criticism of the program and the coaching staff this season has grown to a level I haven’t seen in the 20 years that I’ve lived here. Some of that is because of Richt’s success. He won two SEC titles and raised the expectation level. This is the downside of that. Your thoughts?
GEORGIA TECH
Tech sells out the UGA game, but many are Dog fans.
This isn’t an item off the wire, just an editorial minute: The Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech is not sold out yet, and that’s beyond disappointing. The Jackets, who are ranked 19th and have a chance to go to a BCS bowl if they can work their way into the ACC title game, are hosting the No. 4 team in the nation on a Saturday night on national television — and they can’t sell out the game?
Dean Buchan, assistant athletic director for media relations, said just over 1,000 tickets remain for the game. “We expect it to approach capacity. It could sell out but it will depend on the walk up.”
I’m aware of all the factors, including the economy. But to not sell out a stadium of 55,000 by the Friday before a game of this magnitude is stunning.
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340 comments Add your comment
Student
October 16th, 2009
1:08 pm
Notice that a full bobby dodd stadium includes about 25,000 Georgia fans
Karma Police
October 16th, 2009
1:14 pm
Jeff, please never show that Dirty Bird dance again. The football Gods punished Atlanta for 10 years after that season. The football Gods punish all silly dances and songs. (See Ickie Shuffle and that horrid Houston Oiler song.)
Hillbilly Deluxe
October 16th, 2009
1:14 pm
This is my required daily page view and post.
Wreckin & Thrashin
October 16th, 2009
1:16 pm
Sorry Jeff… you got fooled too…. that’s an infamous photo-shopped picture of the last GT-Auburn game. There were a lot of Auburn fans even in the real picture, but the stadium wasn’t that orange.
Paleeeze
October 16th, 2009
1:18 pm
Sounds like the typical Georgia Tech reputation – It takes the visiting team to sell the stadium – and they want to talk trash about Georgia – Little gnats, get some respect!!
Pitbull
October 16th, 2009
1:18 pm
It pains me to say it but when I see UGA play and then watch GT, the GT players have more discipline than the UGA players. For example:
1 The GT players toss the ball to the ref and run towards their bench when they score rather than celebrating like they have never been in the end zone before.
2 The GT offensive line players block their assignments and open holes. UGA linemen look confused as to whom to block.
3 The GT defensive backs stay with their assignments. UGA defensive backs were barely in the picture when UT receivers made Crompton look like Johnny Unitas.
4 The GT players stay with their units and their position coaches on the sidelines getting ready to go back into the game. I saw UGA players dancing for crowd behind the bench in one game this year.
5 The GT players seem determined to win. The UGA players look like they are playing scared and are hanging on.
6 The GT players do not make many penalties. The UGA players make stupid penalties that cost them wins.
It is all poor coaching. Coaching preparation for this season should have started with conditioning drills last February. The coaching staff needs to get the players on the same page with improved position coaching and an actual game plan for the week’s opponent.
Has success made the coaches and players at UGA lazy in their preparation and play? They sure do not appear focused enough to win. And that is on the head coach. I love him, but he needs to get their attention and if that means getting pissed off then that is what he needs to do.
The coaches are not his friends. They are his employees. The players are not his friends. They are student athletes that need to be taught the self discipline and position techniques to compete on the field.
Also, Evans needs to quit loading the schedule. The players are exhausted.
Mark
October 16th, 2009
1:18 pm
Richt, like Gailey and Dooley, rode the coat tails of a superior defensive coach (Tenuta and Irk)to keep games close so his conservative offensive philosophy could win close games. Now, without the defense to hold up their end, we are seeing that his offense is just not capable of running with the SEC. With Greene and Shockley – along with a great defense – he could win the close games. Not anymore —
Burdell
October 16th, 2009
1:19 pm
There is more red in that picture than was left in Sanford Stadium at the end of the game last November, that’s for sure.
I agree Schultz, what a sad state of affairs that we can not manage to sell out the game tomorrow…even with the questionable double press release yesterday about the ticket “scam”! But the tickets available are the returns from VT….you don’t ever see that mentioned anywhere.
GO JACKETS!! BEAT THE HOKIES!!!
Jaded Jacket
October 16th, 2009
1:20 pm
Not sold out yet? I’m a season ticket holder and I’m ashamed of my fellow Tech fans. Sad!!
Mean Dean
October 16th, 2009
1:21 pm
GT fans should be embarassed about the lack of interest in their football program. Ashamed.
UGA fans should get realistic. You lose MS and KM to the NFL and you expect your team to be great. Having said that, Richt MUST make some major changes on his staff at the end of the season. I love Richt. He’s a Tony Dungy-type guy who recruits well and wins. And I hope he’s at UGA for a long time. But he’s got to dump Martinez at least, otherwise it’s going to get ugly.
JT
October 16th, 2009
1:22 pm
It is surprising that the VT game isn’t sold out, but that’s one of the differences between GT fans and SEC fans. Personally I prefer watching big games on TV because you miss so many details when you’re actually at the game. I do remember students camping out for tickets every time we had a ranked team at home, and I assume they still do. I know the objective is to make money, but maybe Tech should consider giving out more student tickets as our alumni aren’t the type of people who set aside an entire day on their weekend for football.
Native Atlantan
October 16th, 2009
1:29 pm
Richt wanted to play “buddy ball” and is now paying the price. The D has gotten steadily worse since Van Gorder left leading to Martinez at DC and the hiring of John Jancek.
It seems the other teams D knows what Mike Bobo is going to do before the offense does. Is it just me or does it look like UGA has far more significant injuries year after year. I thought one of the Strength and Conditioning coaching responsibilities was to put players in shape not to be injured. Also, anyone notice how LSU and UT could run straight up the middle for five yards on 1st down? Anyone notice how Georgia struggles to convert 3rd and 1? Anyone notice UGA has to pass to convert a third and two?
It looks like atleast four changes are past due.
Yes Jeff, your are correct with the comparison of Tubberville’s BBQ Bunch and Richt’s Sunday School Buddy Ball. Tubberville was not proactive and things got worse until he got let go. I wonder if CMR will make the same mistake or be proactive, which is his job to do so.
Michael Bryan
October 16th, 2009
1:30 pm
This is just a plain un-disciplined football team. Richt is directly responsible for that. He’s gotta quit talking out of both sides of his mouth. He purports this nice-guy personna and promotes hooey about sportsmanship and team, while letting (and even encouraging) poor sportsmanship and thuggish, stupid play. These guys think they’re on some kind of reality show or something. What a bunch of egos. Tell ‘em to save the dancing and posturing, Richt. Don’t give in to your assumption that they are just kids being kids. These young men are carrying out behaviors that have just about ruined professional sports. They think they are only at Georgia as a stepping stone to the riches and acceptance of oafish behavior that comes to those who are able to enter the NFL. Live up to your tenets, Coach, and teach these kids that boorish behavior is the domain of lesser men. These kids are making you look obsolete.
firemarkricht.net
October 16th, 2009
1:32 pm
Richt doesn’t have what it takes to turn this ship around. He doesn’t have it in his coaching or genetic DNA to recruit, coach or build a power football program.
The Dawgs are looking at potentially going 6-6 next year, then AJ Green’s gone.
Richt might be gone after 2010.
Pi$$onaDawg
October 16th, 2009
1:33 pm
Sold Out or not the TECH PLAYERS will hear every voice screaming for them all evening/night on Saturday. I will not be embarassed by not selling out the game. I would be embarassed if I were calling for our coaching staff to be fired and our players to stay away from blocked-off streets while drunk on a moped.
AK_in_OH
October 16th, 2009
1:34 pm
Jeff you have to realize that most of the Tech Grads do not stay in Atlanta!!!! we are off in the world leaving our mark. You know aswell as i do that the majority of the state pulls for UGA and they live within driving distance to Athens. We are with the team in spirit and support them, we do not need to sell out the stadium to prove that we love our White and Gold, GO JACKETS!!!
Archie Alexander
October 16th, 2009
1:34 pm
The selling of tickets is such a trite and blown out of proportion point. When all factors are weighed it is completely understandable and I would even say Tech draws more fans, considering all the factors, than any other urban campus in America. My family has had season tickets since the Dodd era and could care less if the corners of the stadium are full or not. Let’s stick to talking about the product on the field and the rest will take care of itself. Go Jackets!
BugKiller
October 16th, 2009
1:35 pm
Jeff, this week I have become a solid member of the Mark Richt must go camp.
This is the way I see it: The moment Mark Richt put his personal relationship wth Willie Martinez ahead of what was and is best for our team is the moment he lost the moral authority to coach our team. This was and is a break in trust that is unforgivable.
To look at Willie Martinez’s performance as the worst DC in Georgia’s history should not be surpising, at least since his horrible past performances as the DC of Central Michigan and Eastern Carolina have come to light.
The fact remains that Martinez should have NEVER been hired to replace BVG based on his past performance. The ONLY reason he was given this job is because he was Richt’s former college roommate, a groomsman in Richt’s wedding, and because he is Richt’s best friend. This is Jeff Bowden all over again.
The simple fact remains, Richt does not deserve to coach this team anymore. He elevated his friendship with Martinez over what was and is best for our team.
Then you come to the point that he keeps on EXCUSING mediocrity on his staff and his players. This is a waste of a season with Cox at QB, and he refuses to bench him. Richt is simply unwilling to do whatever it takes to win or to prepare his team to be better next year by benching Cox who won’t be here to prepare either Gray or Murray.
Mark Richt has to go. He won two SEC Titles when Zook and Shula ran SEC power programs. He simply cannot compete with Meyer, Saban, or Meyer… or even KIFFIN!!!
And for you idiot blind homers who refuse to acknowledge that there are better choices than Richt out there to coach our team, here are but five names off the top of my head:
1) Kyle Whittingham, Utah
2) Chris Peterson, Boise State
3) Brian Kelly, Cincinnatti
4) Bronco Mendenhall, BYU
5) Charlie Strong, Florida DC
These are guys who can take chicken s–t and create a 7 course meal. These are guys who know how to win, and unlike Richt, have the WILL to do what it takes to win. Guys, who like Paul Johnson, refuse to accept mediocrity as Richt does.
I am now retiring my fire Willie Martinez demand, because you know what… the buck began and must stop with Nice Guy Richt. And where do nice guys finish?
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
gdawginkalamazoo
October 16th, 2009
1:36 pm
“..and that’s beyond disappointing” and that’s Georgia Tech football.
They are scared to show up. What they don’t offer free cokes and hotdogs anymore? Blame it on the VT fans for not wanting to travel down to Georgia. No, blame it on the Tech fans who don’t want to travel down from Dunwoody, Roswell or God forbid Buckhead.
“..and that’s beyond disappointing” Well that’s Georgia football this year. But the brand still sells out.
Cuz
October 16th, 2009
1:37 pm
The last time I saw that stadium sold out was at a Rolling Stones concert in the Eighties.
Native Atlantan
October 16th, 2009
1:38 pm
Let’s put the UGA assistants in charge of Wall Steet and any economic stimulus package. They took some worthless material in UT’s offense and Jonathan Crompton and turned it into gold in three hours.
Reality Check
October 16th, 2009
1:39 pm
You have the #4 team in the country coming in town for a night game, while playing better than you have in many, many years and you can’t sell out a 55k stadium in the middle of the largest city in the Southeast. Now that, my friends, is VERY VERY sad!!!
blazerdawg
October 16th, 2009
1:39 pm
In defense of Tech (ugh), those remaining tickets were just returned by Va Tech…this game will be sold out and then some.
Papadawg
October 16th, 2009
1:41 pm
GT fans and alumni never supprt their teams. I have a retail store which sells College trinkets and I don’t carry much GT stuff Cause it does not sell. GT fans make fun of all the redneck Georgia fans but they do buy T shirts, ball caps etc. You show your true fan colors always even in bad times. GT doesn’t even show it now that they have a decent team, they don’t even fill their Little Stadium
TML
October 16th, 2009
1:43 pm
Don’t worry…Bobby Dodd will be full of Yellow Jackets smelling the Coastal championship. We will be there and we will win! Cooked turkey tastes GOOD
.
“Toe Meets Leather” – now available at http://www.stinGTees.com!
Jeff Schultz
October 16th, 2009
1:43 pm
Wreckin and Thrashin – OK, I’m not sure if that’s true. But you got me worried enough that I changed to a staff photo that I KNOW is not photoshopped.
Burdell – I would’ve thought the thing would sell out early in the week, even in this economy. Maybe with the word getting out about tickets being left, they’ll get the walk-up tomorrow. Especially with a 6 p.m. start, 1000 shouldn’t be that hard to sell.
AK in Oh – I’m aware of a lot of grads not living here. But we’re talking about one high-profile football game in a city of, what 5 or 6 million now? There are many Tech fans who didn’t go to the school, or you’d at least think enough to fill up the stadium for this one.
tired dawg
October 16th, 2009
1:43 pm
We all know Richt has to make changes this offseason. Jeff,u nailed it in your column the other day. It seems odd to me that so many people are trying to jump on Richt an bury the program. I think alot of opposing fans are hoping this is true
Tech Tony
October 16th, 2009
1:44 pm
Some of that is because of Richt’s success
Not that I’m qualified or even overly inclined to comment on Georgia’s woes, I think you started to pick up on a point I’ve felt brewing for some time: that quite possibly this year Georgia has, as a program, become a victim of its own success. I think it stems back to last year when guys like Stafford and Moreno spent the season looking ahead to the greener pastures of the NFL instead of at the task at hand. The program has put so many players into the pros under Richt (some were Donnan’s recruits to be certain but that’s beside the point) that I think it’s only natural, in the now now now generation in which we live, that every player that at Georgia competes with an eye on the next level. There’s nothing wrong with that. No one would criticize a youngster who wanted to be an engineer for going to Tech nor would anyone blame a kid for choosing the UGA journalism school if that’s what that kid wants as a career. Therefore, many UGA recruits choose UGA as nothing more than a stepping stone to the profession they hope to attain, and because of that sometimes they play proverbially “for the name on the back of the jersey, not the front”.
That doesn’t wash away all the woes that team has had this year by any means but the more I watch them over the last 18-20 games, the more I see that as systemic.
Shug
October 16th, 2009
1:46 pm
Basically, Tech people have better, more constructive, worthwhile, things to do than waste a Saturday night at a silly spectator event. I’ve never blamed a school or city for not blindly worshiping the local team. Sports should be a very small part of life. Credit to those who don’t say, “Wow, someone tells me there’s a hyped-game this weekend. I’d better stop whatever it is that I would be doing and go buy a ticket and sit in the stands to watch a bunch of people that I don’t know.” There are surely better things to do in the Empire City of the South than attend a football game.
(By the way—GO SOONERS!)
Hollywould
October 16th, 2009
1:48 pm
Falcons slam Bears!!
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
October 16th, 2009
1:49 pm
Now Cuz, you should pay more attention to what goes on on N Ave. Pink Floyd sold out the place in 1995. Lets give credit where it’s due
Shananeeeeee Fananeeeeeeee
October 16th, 2009
1:49 pm
There thinking Super Bowl alright, there thinking which player is going to have the Super Bowl Party.
kingsfoil
October 16th, 2009
1:50 pm
Mean Dean,
Some of the most sane comments I’ve read yet on the UGA situation. If we had only Moreno back this year the dawgs would probably be 5-1 now, even with the pathetic o-line performance to this point. I agree that a coordinator shakeup is needed, but the Richt/Tony Dungy comparison is spot-on and Mr. Scarbinsky apparently forgot about that particular “nice guy” that’s a winner (and Bill Walsh and John Wooden and Dean Smith and…). Of course, given the delusion of those in the Alabama football universe, he would miss that. After all, isn’t life only about “roll tide” and listening to the Finebaum show.
As for Lane Kiffin, he’s a motor mouth who to this point, like Obama, has produced much more talk than results (and is being deemed by some, mostly in Vol nation, as deserving of the NCAA football Nobel prize).
Kevin
October 16th, 2009
1:50 pm
People keep saying that because we lost Stafford and Moreno we shouldn’t have had such high expectations. Why not? USC has lost more QB’s, WR’s, RB’s, etc, etc high in the draft the last 10 years, but continue to be in the MNC title hunt every year. UGA has had multiple top 10 recruiting classes in the last 10 years. How come we can’t just insert player B into player A’s spot and not miss a beat? Coaching, attitude……I don’t know what it is, but it needs to change.
collegeballfan
October 16th, 2009
1:52 pm
Guysn ease off on Richt. There is no reason UGA can’t finish the season with 9 wins. Not bad in a rebuilding year.
reebok
October 16th, 2009
1:56 pm
Tech fan here. Not selling out the stadium is a DISGRACE and I don’t mind admitting it. In a metropolitan area of this size, Tech should be able to create a gameday experience that will pull people in. SHOW UP AND PULL FOR YOUR TEAM, PEOPLE!
On the Mark Richt item, that ‘gradually, then suddenly’ line was paraphrased from either Hemingway or Fitzgerald…it was a line about someone describing how he went broke…Can some lit major check me on that? Thanks.
Joe Fan
October 16th, 2009
1:58 pm
Keep in mind when GT ran all over UGA last year the stadium was 20-25% filled with GT fans. Look at the scene at the end of the game and you will see I am right. The game might of been sold out but I guess UGA fans weren’t interested in supporting their team since they evidently got rid of their tickets. Also, keep in mind that the only tickets remaining are those returned by VT approximately 1000 and most of those will be gone to the sidewalk fan by game time tomorrow.
ChippersLoveChild
October 16th, 2009
1:59 pm
Three? The Thrashers only have two games this weekend…. oh that’s right, you don’t cover them unless it is something negative.
Chris
October 16th, 2009
1:59 pm
I don’t want to hear a Tech fan say another thing about Georgia. Even when we are having a down year we show up and pack the stands. See LSU game attendance when a #4 team came to town. Tech should be embarrassed and their support is a joke.
BugKiller
October 16th, 2009
2:01 pm
there’s no reason why UGA can’t finish with 9 wins this year?
are you stupid or just retarded?
thy would have to finish the season with 8 wins and then beat someone like Clemson or Miami in the Peach-Fil-A Bowl.
but let’s get back to finish the season with 8 wins. Georgia is going to be LUCKY to finsih with 6 wins. And that’s IF we beat Kentucky.
To win 8 games we have to beat Auburn and Tech.
That’s not happening.
Richt lost his moral authority to coach this team and is now reaping what he had sown by elevating his friendship with Willie Martinez over what was and is best for our team.
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
Statue for CPJ
October 16th, 2009
2:03 pm
The game will sell out.
Dr. Warren
October 16th, 2009
2:09 pm
Obviously, that Falcon kid who hid while the balloon flew around is a big fan of the Falcons. Let’s hope our Birds aren’t a fraud like that poor kid’s daddy.
Eastside Jacket
October 16th, 2009
2:11 pm
As someone else pointed out, these are tickets Va. Tech retruned from their allotment. We can thank Stokan and Chick-fil-A for that. Va. Tech came to Atlanta in early September to play Bama. Who can expect their fans to make another road trip to ATL six weeks later. The game will sell out.
Jeff Schultz
October 16th, 2009
2:13 pm
ChippersLoveChild — It’s a football blog. And if you’re going to pound on hockey coverage at the AJC, you picked the wrong staffer to talk to since I’ve written more stories and covered more games than anybody else here.
braddawg
October 16th, 2009
2:13 pm
LOL….LMAO….Tech cannot even sell out a game against a Top 4 opponent?! OMG! Tech…how pathetic. As a Georgia fan, no matter how bad a season we are having, (and this one sucks), it could always be worse, you could always be a TECH fan.
Paddy
October 16th, 2009
2:15 pm
Native Atlantan…you make some very valid points, all of which I can agree upon. The thing that galls me the most is not being able to run the ball. We where to have one of the best O lines in the country this season. We did not need a premium back to gain yards. Our line would give a good back a chance to establish the run game. What the hell happened? I don’t think we give our offense enough chance to establish the run. I have never liked not having the qb under center for the majority of plays. The shotgun snap takes away most of the deception in what you are about to run. And the rest of the league knows what we are about to do before we do it!
Jeff Schultz
October 16th, 2009
2:16 pm
Dr. Warren — Can you believe that story? That’s worse thank claiming a Sasquatch sighting.
East Jackets — It shouldn’t be about Virginia Tech tickets being returned. It should be about how many Georgia Tech fans are buying tickets. The game wasn’t sold out BEFORE Virginia Tech returned tickets.
PMC
October 16th, 2009
2:17 pm
With the Falcons… it’s a process One game at a time. Take nothing for granted. Results are coming slowly but surely.
Red Shirt
October 16th, 2009
2:18 pm
Frankly, the stuff being directed at Donnan during his last year was worse-there just wasn’t a “comments” section to the ajc online.
Reid Adair
October 16th, 2009
2:19 pm
Why is it that all of the Georgia “fans” commenting on this blog post want to spend their time talking about ticket sales at Georgia Tech instead of the status of Coach Mark Richt?
Steve
October 16th, 2009
2:19 pm
Boy are Tech fans pathetic. All they care about is bashing UGA because they know UGA always has been and always will be the best overall team. They get so excited by beating UGA last year, by three whole points, for the first time in 8 years. How on Earth did they not sell this game out months ago? All UGA home games are sold out before the season even starts. What excuses are we going to hear after VA Tech wins? “That was a bad call!” “They cheated!” “It was the weather.” “I didn’t have my lucky pocket protector!”
gdawginkalamazoo
October 16th, 2009
2:20 pm
Cuz, if I recall correctly the last time that I saw it sold out was at a Buffett concert. Many, many moons ago.
dandydawg
October 16th, 2009
2:24 pm
BugKiller – All of those coaches that you named would never fit in the south. And CMR would crush teams if he coached in the WAC. He did for years at UGA.
Nick
October 16th, 2009
2:25 pm
BugKiller,
Can you please explain how the folowing coaches are better than Richt?
1) Kyle Whittingham, Utah
2) Chris Peterson, Boise State
3) Brian Kelly, Cincinnatti
4) Bronco Mendenhall, BYU
5) Charlie Strong, Florida DC
The only one who MIGHT hold a candle to Richt is Charlie Strong and Brian Kelly. Settle down. The man has a 75% winning percentage since he’s been in Athens. That’s in the top 5 big guy. I have faith he will make the right decisions at the end of the year. Firing him is not the answer.
William
October 16th, 2009
2:26 pm
If you want to remain at UGA then you have to be a winner! I see no reason to support losers or losing. It just my thing and my money.
Steve
October 16th, 2009
2:26 pm
Florida has owned UGA for quite a while now right? How often do you hear UGA fans talking crap about Florida and saying how much better UGA is then Florida just because UGA won a few years ago? It does not happen. Take a lesson from that nerds.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 16th, 2009
2:28 pm
Oh don’t worry the game will be a sell out. After the first 54,000 people are mugged on their way to the game the robbers will then snatch up the remaining tickets with the stolen loot for a little relax time at BDS.
Saint Simons
October 16th, 2009
2:28 pm
45 – 19 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
uuugh...
October 16th, 2009
2:29 pm
I would like to correct one of Pitbull’s points above. GT’s Offense line does in fact block and open holes for their running backs but they do it by diving at the D Line’s knees. If you can’t block the proper way, try the cheap way!
The dawgs O-line may not be able to block the other team’s D-Line and they can’t open holes for the RB’s…but at least we get called for a whole bunch of false start penalties!
Go Dawgs, Go Falcons, and Go Jackets…but eat $hit GT fans.
Herschel Talker
October 16th, 2009
2:29 pm
Schultzie:
I am interested in your comment to BugKiller’s post at 1:35. I happen to agree with pretty much all of it (I’m not so sure about some of the guys he mentioned as replacements). Most specifically, I’m interested in your comments on the first 5 paragraphs, about Richt and Willie.
I have been saying this for a while. For Richt to look all of us in the eye at the end of last year and to say that Willie’s performance was not even on the table for discussion was disgraceful. Either he was too loyal or too stupid. Either of those make him unfit to be the head coach of the Bulldogs. All of us “idiots” have seen this defensive train wreck brewing for years. Do you think Saban or Urban would have put up with it? Surely both of those guys would have fired Willie after last year. And for Richt, it didn’t even merit an assessment! Completely and utterly disgraceful.
Alpharetta Dog
October 16th, 2009
2:31 pm
9 wins – are you nuts! UGA will be lucky to win ONE more game this year. They are terrible in every respect – oh wait, there is the punter.
I totally agree with BugKiller. CMR lost the right to coach UGA when he was more concerned about his friend than the team he was responsible for leading.
Paul A
October 16th, 2009
2:31 pm
Noooooooooo !!!
Please don’t say that Jeff.
Remember the commercial with Jim Mora? “Playoffs?…. Don’t talk about playoffs ! …. Playoffs?”
Herschel Talker
October 16th, 2009
2:32 pm
I think Brian Kelly would be an excellent choice. I’m not sold on the others.
kindergarden math
October 16th, 2009
2:33 pm
Re the Falcons Super Bowl thoughts: ” Super Bowl ! Super Bowl? Did you say Super Bowl? Super Bowl? ” Of course, you need to have the JM,Sr. facial expression and voice inflection to fully appreciate it. But seriously folks, let’s just please take one game at a time.
dawgrific
October 16th, 2009
2:33 pm
enough excuses bumbles, your program is a joke and it plays in a minor league conference, and that’s why PJ won’t be around for long. enjoy your brief time of happiness over UGA, because it SURELY won’t last, and by the way, vt will own your high school offense this weekend.
p.s. yes, I know, 45-42, which was about the 17th and most telling exhibit of why we need a new d-coordinator, and that was before this season’s pathetic display of defense
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
uuugh...
October 16th, 2009
2:33 pm
Herschel…no assesment!? Martinez got a RAISE after last year!
ChippersLoveChild
October 16th, 2009
2:33 pm
I apologize Jeff. I had just gotten out of the car and back into the office. 680 the Fan was running down games for the weekend, with no mention of the Thrashers, even though they themselves carry the games, and saw the blog with no reference to hockey over the weekend either. It gets old when no one in this town wants to give the Thrashers support or help expose them to new audiences and perhaps new fans, gasp. Maybe I should listen to 790 more often, I normally love them, but lately they have been known to have these annoying guest hosts on… I don’t know.
Ben
October 16th, 2009
2:35 pm
The Bulldogs coaching staff does need to be called into question, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but to start hinting that this is the end of Richt’s career is so ignorant that it would HAVE to come form Alabama…My only question is: What happened to the D?? It sure looks like we have athletes on that side of the ball but that they’re out of position and poor tacklers which is a coaching issue but if we win that game against LSU I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have laid an egg in Knoxville
All I'm Saying Is...
October 16th, 2009
2:36 pm
Richt’s problems stem a bit from success breeding higher expectations but mainly from the success of LSU, Florida, and Alabama. Those teams have hired coaches since Richt came on the scene, those programs have been turned around, SEC championships have been won and, in some case, national championships have been won.
When Richt joined UGA he said it seemed like there had been some type of cap on the program. Well, guess what? The perception is that the cap has been replaced since they finished #2 in the country in 2007.
They were pre-season #1 in 2008 and had a disappointing season including losing to Georgia Tech (meaning not only were they not National Champs and not SEC Champs but they weren’t even State Champs(!))
Now, 2009 gets off to a disappointing start, the anointed starting QB looks to be over his head, the offensive line still disappoints, and the defensive is inconsistent at best.
All you need to know about 2009 is that beating Vandy is a must-win game? That tells you how far UGA has fallen in less than two years.
Reason why UGA fans are fearful is because they know they will lose to Florida, they worry they will lose to Auburn, and they are scared to death that they will lose to GaTech for the second year in a row.
If and when all that happens, you are not only looking at a bowl-less season but also looking at a six loss team that has been surpassed in the SEC by Florida, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee and in the state by GaTech.
Wow.
juvenal
October 16th, 2009
2:40 pm
in the 30 years i’ve had season tickets i’ve missed a handful, but i don’t go to be part of a herd-i really don’t care if anyone else is there!we have a lot of nerds, & the yankees who invaded ATL prefer our 4 pro teams-if atlanta wasn’t 1 of the best places to go in the south, we’d sell even fewer tickets..the u never sells out, & they do o.k…if they play for applause instead of pride, they went to the wrong place, but not only can they read, only the Academies require math that i know of in 1A-the 4 to 5 K diehards i was with at B.C., C.U., uga, & fsu thelast games were making more noise at the end of the games than what was left of the locals–we are about Quality, not quantity!
sell out????????????????
October 16th, 2009
2:40 pm
stop getting waitresses at the varsity to fill your cheerleading squad out and start playing less than half your games on thursday and you might sell out a bigtime game you tech nerds!
Empty seats
October 16th, 2009
2:43 pm
All this talk about Sanford and Son Stadium selling out months in advance. Did anybody watch the LSU game on TV? These seats may have filled up later, but at kickoff time, both corners of the upper deck in the endzone were EMPTY. The last time I attended a game there, those corners were not part of the student section, so why were they empty at kickoff time? And did they indeed fill up later? I don’t think the cameras ever showed that angle again. Also last year for the Tech game the TV showed LOTS of EMPTY seats in the corners of the other endzone. I know the Tech fans (what few seats you give to us) were there, so those were obviously no-show Georgia fans (or unsold seats). If you don’t believe me, then look at the recordings of either game. I think it’s pathetic that the game tomorrow wasn’t sold out in advance too, but don’t blame Tech for it; it’s the stupid people in the area who, for whatever reason, have no interest in going to the game. Hell, I drive up from Augusta for both football and basketball games. You would think people in Atlanta could spare the time to go. But then, they don’t support the pro teams there either.
tech / ga. game
October 16th, 2009
2:43 pm
with just over a month to go before the after thanksgiving intra-state rivalry game its good to know that the embattled Mark Richt is 7-1 against the insects….in a dissappointing season even a wounded canine will give the bugs all they want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Old Dawg
October 16th, 2009
2:46 pm
The thing about Tech is that even when its good, fans don’t show up. Case in point, the year after they won the national championship they couldn’t sell out the stadium. When GT was in the conference championship in Jacksonville, a dismal crowd of fans appeared.
Can you say pathetic!
St. Simons
October 16th, 2009
2:47 pm
1,000 – 55,000 !!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
hey ......empty seats
October 16th, 2009
2:47 pm
what pro teams you nerd…have you been under a rock for the past 50 years…Atlanta’s pro teams have produced all of…..1….professional champion….during that time span…crawl back under your rock buggie
Finally
October 16th, 2009
2:48 pm
Thanks Schultzie for finally writing an article relating to the patheticness of not selling out the game this weekend….I’ve been waiting for an article like this all week.
firemarkricht.net
October 16th, 2009
2:48 pm
I’d like to hear some people explain why they think Richt can turn this program around. OTHER THAN past stats.
Matthews Dawg
October 16th, 2009
2:49 pm
BugKiller,
I didn’t realize that you know all the conversations going on between MR and WM, through their entire lives!! You are an idiot!! This is NOT a homer who is blind either. There has to be some changes, period. It’s not going to happen during the year! We may lose 3 or more games the rest of the year. If so, MR will do what is necessary. If he doesn’t then his butt is on the hot seat. He has directed over 80 wins in his years at UGA. I don’t like them losing either, but to say he is not a winner, you don’t actually know what a winner is then. The coaches you name have done well. Charlie Strong has been at USC and UF, screw that and him!! Don’t want him, because of that alone! The others, let time see how good they really are and then we all can decide. Firing MR is NOT the answer. Go on another blog and get off this one. Firemarkricht.net, MR doesn’t have the DNA, as you call it, to turn the ship around and he does have the skill to turn it around. He did years ago and will again this time. Also, no matter what AJ Green will be back next year! He’s only in his 2nd year, knucklehead! Pitbull, UGA players don’t go celebrating to the crowd and GT just “run back and hand the ball to the ref and go to the sidelines, like they’ve been there before”! GT is having some success and their offense is sharp, but they haven’t been there much and especially not before! Watch games are you watching! The other points have some merit and could be argued. UGA people pull for the Dawgs and see how it all turns out. If we win this weekend, we were suppose to win. If we lose, I won’t read the blogs, because there will be a lot of Top Head Coaches typing their opinions from all around the country! We’ll be fine and win 8 games! It’s not what we want, but all things considered, I’ll take it at this point.
Go Dawgs!!
Let's look on the bright side re: UGA...
October 16th, 2009
2:49 pm
…at least that sorry a$$ football team has taken the pressure off the slovenly fans who cluttered up the North Campus earlier in the year – now nobody is talking about that, thank goodness!
Worthless GT FANS
October 16th, 2009
2:50 pm
GT FANS, buy tickets. I am ashamed to be a GT fan right now. You people are utterly worthless. Get off these blogs, stop talking trash, and buy a ticket if you are a REAL fan!
Empty seats
October 16th, 2009
2:51 pm
What is your point, hey…? How was that relevant to what I posted? Are you saying Atlanta sports fans should only support the pro teams if those teams win championships? I support my teams win or lose. And what about those empty sections in Sanford and Son Stadium? Any answer for that?
whaaa?
October 16th, 2009
2:53 pm
sanford sells out prior to the year, every year. The only seats ever remaining are the ones that are given back that the opposing school does not sell which are then sold out in minutes at uga.
Falcons4Ever
October 16th, 2009
2:55 pm
JOHN ABRAHAM HAS A MESSAGE FOR ALL ATLANTA FALCON FANS FOR THIS SUNDAY’S GAME – LISTEN TO IT HERE!!!! http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media_library/Videos/Sponsors/2009/Defend_the_Dome_10-16-09.aspx
uuugh...
October 16th, 2009
2:55 pm
empty seats…if everyone sat in their ticketed seats in Sanford Stadium, it would look sold out on TV. We always sit with our friends, regardless of where our seats are. I think many people do this same thing.
Maybe next home game we can ask all 92,00 people to kindly sit in their assigned seats so that we can get a better picture of a sellout for one idiot tech fan in Atlanta, that way he will know what one looks like.
BugKiller
October 16th, 2009
2:56 pm
Also something NO ONE, and by no one, I mean Jeff Schultz, is talking about on NFL news is that hate-monger George Soros is a part of Dave Checkettes bid to buy the Rams.
Now, I agreed with Jeff’s take, for the most part, when he took his stand against Limbaugh, even though his take was slightly hypocritcal considering his stance against Augusta National and fir Martha Burke, but I digress.
So why hasn’t Jeff spoken out against a man who can be considered even more radically dangerous than Limbaugh?
Hmmmmm.
the mighty acc
October 16th, 2009
2:57 pm
i guess it is necessary to bring up the picture of the faithful ACC fans again. I guess tech falls right into place in this conference. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4XbnIUEPY3Y/SSsndv_fvPI/AAAAAAAAAKM/NYJqKk_jZc0/s1600-h/acc_championship_game_crowd_view_2007_empty_stadium_jacksonville_altel_acc_sucks_sux.jpg
Wanda
October 16th, 2009
3:01 pm
Who cares about the dawgs. GO FALCONS!!! GOTTA LOVE’UM!!!
firemarkricht.net
October 16th, 2009
3:02 pm
Matthews Dawg:
Here’s what I wrote in my post.
“The Dawgs are looking at potentially going 6-6 next year, then AJ Green’s gone.”
Please note the mention of “next year”. That would mean Green’s Junior year…then, after that season, he would be gone because he’ll be eligible for the draft and, in my opinion, he’ll split.
You, madame, are a knucklehead. A knucklhead lacking in reading comprehension.
JB
October 16th, 2009
3:02 pm
guys, please quit saying ‘ We sell out our Stadium and you don’t. Who cares If they have 5,000 empty seats and beat us every year, who cares. It is really not a good argument for us.
It’s like taking your Daddy to the ER for a stroke, and the Doctor say’s, damn he needs a hair cut. forget it.
hey ......empty seats
October 16th, 2009
3:02 pm
how many seats need to be sold out at Booby Grunt stadium anyhow Mr. Nerd, does it hold 30 or 40 thousand people.?
hey ......empty seats
October 16th, 2009
3:04 pm
oh and we’ll see you trainbuilders after thanksgiving, i’m sure the georgia team will be ready for the insects of the trade union
LetsGetRealAlready
October 16th, 2009
3:04 pm
While I do find it a bit shocking that we haven’t sold out Bobby Dodd Stadium for tomorrow’s game, let’s get real. The economy is BAD. Foreclosures in Atlanta are up again this year. The rain and flood damage to the Atlanta area was so severe we were declared a federal disaster area. I’m a Tech grad (’85) and have had season tickets for 24 yeras. However, if I didn’t already have tickets for tomorrow, , I would NOT be buying tickets to this game simply because I have other priorities right now…..like working my butt off to pay for the repairs to my flooded basement.
hey...JB
October 16th, 2009
3:06 pm
First, that is a terrible analogy. Second, tech doesn’t beat UGA every year, but once every 8. So, what is your point?
Proud Nerd
October 16th, 2009
3:07 pm
Steve
GA fans don’t even talk about FL. I have never understood how they ignore that annual loss. Urban has owned the SEC east since joining. Obviously it’s scary having your own program diminishing while your in state rival is getting better than it has been in a decade.
Paul's Johnson
October 16th, 2009
3:07 pm
AK_in_OH:
“Jeff you have to realize that most of the Tech Grads do not stay in Atlanta!!!! we are off in the world leaving our mark”
I wouldn’t call Akron, Ohio exactly maling your mark in the WORLD.
“We are with the team in spirit and support them, we do not need to sell out the stadium to prove that we love our White and Gold”
It’s not that “you don’t need to” it’s that GT is still irrelevant in the WORLD of college football.
hey ......empty seats
October 16th, 2009
3:07 pm
good answer Lets..Get ..real ..already… the real reason nerdo..is the bugs are gonna get SQUASHED.. and you faithful Trainbuilders don’t want to be there to see it!!!! crawl back under your educated rock too
Hillbilly Deluxe
October 16th, 2009
3:07 pm
Since I don’t get any of the money, it doesn’t matter to me how many tickets a team does or doesn’t sell.
djawjuh
October 16th, 2009
3:08 pm
I know a group of steadfast, rock solid people who are in Mark Richt’s corner come hell or high water. Yep, I do. They’re the coaches of the teams we play!
I’m tired of all the crap about Mark Richt the “good man.” He’d be a great Dean of Men. But a great football coach? He’s not. He’s out after next year as that too will be a rebuilding year. If it were my decision, he’d be out Nov. 29th, the day after the Tech game.
Look what we’re doing folks: we’re not preparing QBs for next season, again, when a valiant Joe Cox will not be around. It’ll either be Gray or Murray. Here we are headed into game 7 tomorrow and Gray has taken maybe a dozen snaps? Murray? None due in part to an injury.
We think so highly of Gray that he’s on the punt return team! Imagine. The second string QB on the punt return team? Now that is a show of no confidence in the extreme. Yet despite that, we don’t try to get Gray into games except for that Wildcat crap. What happens if Cox goes down? Are we ready with a capable backup? No! Great coaches don’t let this happen.
Well, to be honest, we haven’t had a game in hand this season that would allow that in view of the fact that nobody thinks the QB subs are worth a damn right now. They don’t know the playbook says Bobo. Simplify it and get them some experience.
Typical of Mark Richt teams, we can’t put the little guys down by the third quarter and therefore can’t get the skill player subs or others into the game. Cox played in 15 games in his three years prior to this one. Fifteen of thirty-nine.
Arizona State, one of the little boys, comes to mind. We beat them as time expires. What? A mid-level or lower team from the PAC 10 and we have to go down to the wire at home? If ever a game exposed Mark Richt that was it, not the Tennessee game. We were already exposed by the time we got to Knoxville. Delusional folks just didn’t see it.
Us falling to LSU was sort of a last gasp. This team is whipped; what little fire has turned to ashes. I don’t think that a win in Nashville will do much to raise spirits either as we expect to beat Vandy. Oh, it’s better than losing, but who do we beat in beating the ‘Dores? They lost to Army. So while a win is a win, such a win is a win by half.
The ugly reptiles await us fifteen days hence. Urban doesn’t like St. Mark after being shown up by St. Mark in 2007. Last year’s romp is proof of that. And this year there will be more of the same.
We are broke folks, and that can’t be fixed right now. And for sure it can’t be fixed by our coaching staff headed by the Dean of Men, the head of the gang who can’t shoot straight!
This is a team totally in total disarray what with the flacid leadership of one Mark Richt. FLACID! Terrible offense, terrible defense. Terrible special teams. TERRIBLE. TERRIBLE. TERRIBLE.
That victory dance behind the bench during the ASU game when we were still behind is a metaphor. Mark didn’t seem bothered by it at all. Nobody, including him, is in focus. It bespeaks of the lack of exercise of authority and leadership. That “act” should in no way have been countenanced by Richt. Yet he saw nothing wrong with it!
Richt’s way behind the times and even though on paper the schedule looks easier next year, expect the same results. We don’t have enough seasoned skill position talent to turn things around. That’s a fact.
If Joe Cox continues to be the starter and takes the lion share of the snaps, then we can’t expect any difference come next season from whoever emerges as the starting QB. Can we?
And, who among you thinks that Bobo has the skills to teach Gray or Murray how to play SEC QB big time? So expect more of the same next year as this year.
What will be turned around is Mark Richt as he goes into his office to clean out his desk and then heads for the street bereft of his title and team. He hasn’t the sense, it appears to me, to listen to anybody but himself and psychophants, the most dangerous creatures known to man.
He’s Dooley in a nice guy’s clothing. After Herschel, Dooley continued to take victory laps putting decidedly inferior teams on display-week after-week, year-after-year. Erk went to Georgia Southern.
Mark Richt has done the same. After his first four years, the decline started glacially slow but it has gained tremendous momemtum to date with Florida, Auburn and Tech yet to come.
Van Gorder’s absence coincides with the decline of Richt’s teams beginning in 2005 as did Erk Russell’s absence from Dooley’s staff begin the DAWGS decline in the eighties.
Dooley couldn’t handle Erk. Dooley’s ego was too fragile to do so. I suspect Mark Richt is the same guy as presented by his staff with such winners as WM, JF, MB, Garner, Janeck and others who can be cowtowed by Richt or who like Garner, threatens to leave every season even though he produces mediocre results as a coach. No NFL DL players drafted first or second round lately. So why do you think our defense is bad?
In Dooley’s case, he’s so in love with himself that he thought he scored all those touchdowns that Herschel scored. He had the beginnings of a dynasty in Athens but didn’t get off his arse to insure that it came to be.
And in Dooley’s case, he insured his legacy by bringing Ray Goff as Head Coach. Dooley knew too well that Goff was surely the loser when compared with himself, the coach of the golden age of Georgia football.
If our goal has been mediocrity, we’ve succeeded beyond our wildest dreams!
In closing, I see some posters that say Mark Richt is a GREAT COACH. These people are totally delusional, poor souls, and need to see a doctor in the emergency room right away. Don’t delay. Your families need you. Proceed with haste. You are in dire need of medical help.
Proud Nerd
October 16th, 2009
3:09 pm
hey…JB
Before that GT won 4 out of 5.