Richt’s words, actions haven’t changed ugliness at Georgia
HOOVER, Ala. — Mark Richt says he has “really enjoyed this summer.”
Given that seven of his players have been arrested, three have been kicked out of the program, another transferred after being suspended for half the season, his boss was arrested for a DUI and ultimately was forced to resign and the NCAA just phoned to announce their impending arrival in Athens, we’re left to wonder: Just how low does Richt set the bar for his summers?
Mark Richt has had a tumultuous summer. (AP photo by Butch Dill)
Or has he just become used to this sort of thing?
“It’s like, you know [something is] gonna happen,” he said Thursday morning. “It’s just like a ballgame. You know there’s going to be a penalty or a turnover, even though you don’t want there to be. Now you have to decide: How are you going to react to that? You can lose your cool and start spouting things you wish you didn’t say. Or you can just take care of the issue and move forward. That’s what I try to do.”
Problem being: It’s not working.
We can go round and round about how players are individuals who make individual choices (sometimes dumb ones). We can talk about how a coach, who has given a thousand speeches and made a thousand threats, may be on a remote tropical island while his quarterback is drinking himself into oblivion and groping a woman in a small-town bar. But does it really matter?
Whether Richt is saying the right or wrong things, or recruiting the right or wrong players, or setting the right or wrong tone, this is his program. He knows that. Anything that happens, whether it’s a stirring win in Tuscaloosa or an ugly arrest in Remerton, reflects on him.
Right now, the ugliness reflects on Mark Richt.
When he met with a small group of media members Thursday, prior to his main news conference at SEC media days, Richt was typically calm and cordial, even as a storm swirled around the program. Some would say that’s one of his strengths, not seeming like he’s going to put his fist through a wall every time something goes wrong. The downside to that is it gives others the perception, whether accurate or not, that he’s either bringing in the wrong players or he’s not a strong enough disciplinarian when they get here.
Question: Do you get a sense that when Nick Saban walks into a locker room that every one of their players is just a little bit intimidated. If so, do you get that same sense with Richt?
“I’ve got a process of handling these situations and I think I do a good job of it,” Richt said, calmly.
He was asked if he has tightened restrictions on player, in light of the arrests this summer. He declined comment.
He was asked later about some media outlets having him on a “hot seat,” partly because of last season’s 4-4 conference record.
Insulted?
“Not really. I understand the business,” he said. “I don’t worry about it. My goal is to focus on the important things and the things I can control.”
Coaching at the same SEC school for 10 years will grow a man some thick skin.
“In the end, we’re still in process of educating young people: How to handle adversity and rebound from that,” Richt said. “[Former UGA linebacker] Dannell Ellerbe. He had an issue early in his career: a DUI and a car wreck. I said, ‘Look, what you did damaged your reputation and Georgia’s reputation. But it didn’t destroy it. It only destroys it if you let it destroy it. If you allow this to put you in the tank, then you’re probably not going to make it.’ He was on his last leg at Georgia. But he got his act together.”
He has had those success stories. But arrests and losses have a cumulative effect. To use Richt’s words, they can damage the reputation of a man and a school.
♦
Previous SEC/Georgia posts
♦ SEC media days: Waiting on Richt as NCAA hovers at Georgia
♦ NCAA inquiry is the last thing Georgia and Mark Richt need
♦ It’s no coincidence Saban suddenly is concerned about agents
♦ SEC media days: Hey, who let the BCS in here?
♦ We’re LIVE at SEC media days (with no shortage of storylines)
♦ NCAA reportedly investigating Florida (but temper excitement)
♦ Can Dogs end Alabama-Florida monopoly in SEC title game?
♦ Listen up, Ole Miss: I’ve got Colonel Reb’s replacement
♦
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713 comments Add your comment
Mikey in the SAV
July 22nd, 2010
1:43 pm
I will take Coach Richt 1,000,000 times over anyone else. He runs a clean program and he is a man of integrity and character. He is not responsible for the former AD’s indiscretions no more than he is responsible for what the players do OFF THE FIELD.
They have their own brains, albiet that is debatable in light of the decisions they make.
Yan
July 22nd, 2010
1:43 pm
CMR should be ashamed he’s recruiting such bad kids.
Yes, that’s the point, isn’t it? No other school in the United States has even a small fraction of the arrests that UGA has.
It’s the coach… Duh!
Soulja Boy
July 22nd, 2010
1:44 pm
Richt is the guy who said his team just ran on the field and began to dance against UF a few years ago. So, either Richt ordered the team on the field, and lied about it, or he has no control whatsoever over his plug uglies. He certainly has a double standard in terms of discipline. He quietly pulls the scholarships of less talented players while suspending his starters from the LA Monroe game with a wink.
Who cares
July 22nd, 2010
1:44 pm
You are just like a radio sports talking head, trying to get a rise out of everything.
Trey
July 22nd, 2010
1:44 pm
J dub
Um, groping a girl while sh*tfaced. DUI and hit and run and several other charges. Felony assault last year. And of course Evans. While Evans decision isn’t richt’s fault, it just shows how uga’s program is in such a disarray. Uga and UT really need a cleansing.
loves Georgia
July 22nd, 2010
1:44 pm
You are so full of S**T. Our coach is a great man. Kids get in to trouble every now and then. The problems are small compared to Alabama athletes selling books back to other students , at Florida the majority of football players test positive for drug use at compine. Notre Dame had 11 athletes arrested last week. Every school has it’s issues period. Houston at GT sells drugs. Georgia has won 90 games in 10 years. How may schools can top that? NOT MANY. Plus, we have a honorable man leading us. I will be happy to live the rest of my life in the same situation.
Griffin
July 22nd, 2010
1:44 pm
What a boring and reaching article.
gumpdawg
July 22nd, 2010
1:44 pm
also, Jeff, do some research and come up with opinions that make sense. Richt does not need to go anywhere. He has just hired an (almost) entirely new defensive staff. All of you who expect Richt to be fired before his contract runs up are sorely mistaken.
bob
July 22nd, 2010
1:45 pm
This week shows how power hungry and petty the NCAA really is? It is the week of the SEC meetings, and the NCAA announce these inquiries almost in order of each institutions coaches. Alabama guy at party on the night before Saban’s day, and A J Green’s possible party visit on the night before Richt is to speak. The timing is just too obvious.
Olson
July 22nd, 2010
1:45 pm
So, let me get this straight, the whole entire Georgia athletic department, who evaluates Mark Richt, all are conspiring to hide his inability to control his players, or they’re all incompetant for letting Richt continue to coach? Conspiracy or incompetent? Really?
Scott
July 22nd, 2010
1:45 pm
This is what happens when you dumb down your college and let trash in.
Jimmy Johns
July 22nd, 2010
1:46 pm
Jeff-
Nick Saban was my head coach.
Care to re-write this column, or perhaps can it?
Clay
July 22nd, 2010
1:47 pm
Yeah, Coach Richt, you know better than to let you boss drive drunk. Shame, shame, shame. Nice, Jeff.
You act as if UGA has turned into Oklahoma of the ’80s – rapes in dorms, firearms, drugs, etc. 95% of UGA’s arrests are underage drinking. UNDERAGE DRINKING.
I would say that local police departments are out of control with profiling of athletes than the football team.
Any violation worse than that and he kicks players out.
Poodle Head
July 22nd, 2010
1:47 pm
I take it Jeff is not a believer in free will?
Blackberry Cobbler
July 22nd, 2010
1:48 pm
Win 10 ball games and all this other crap doesn’t matter.
Go 4-4 in the SEC again, and CMR and Watergirl will be looking at Athens in the rearview miiror.
It’s just that plain and simple folks. It ain’t complicated.
UGA has become a mediocre commodity in the SEC. Either get back on the winning track or get the hell out.
LizDawg
July 22nd, 2010
1:48 pm
Terrible attempt at journalism – all you want is to drive people to your blog.
Richt will make all things right!
Trey's boy
July 22nd, 2010
1:48 pm
Trey’s got a purty mouth on him. . .
Ed
July 22nd, 2010
1:48 pm
loves ga
houston WAS NOT at GT when he was arrested for selling drugs. It was also marijuana. Something I guarantee you 95% of your football team smokes and half have sold. SO STFU moron. You have 20 arrests to every 1 at GT. Your AD gets arrested for DUI, lying and cheating on his wife. Yeah you have room to talk loser.
J dubb
July 22nd, 2010
1:49 pm
Trey,
He got rid of them pretty quickly right? What else can you do? I am sure these ‘high school stars’ didnt mention to the UGA staff that they were gonna blossom into dirtbags after they got their scholarship.
I Told You So.......
July 22nd, 2010
1:50 pm
How about this solution……………..Make it a federal offense, and I bet that would cut alot of this agent BS out
Ric Flair
July 22nd, 2010
1:50 pm
Nothing that some black uniforms and dancing in the end zone won’t cure.
Greensboro, GA
July 22nd, 2010
1:50 pm
.
Nesbitt for Heisman
————————–
Vixzilla
July 22nd, 2010
1:51 pm
Jeff – I am a fan and a follower of your work. I don’t always like what you have to say but always respect your opinion. If I may give mine sir, this article is a turd buffed to a high polish at best.
Richt has made changes. I see him being firm. He has been a man of action. Let’s see what happens this season before we judge any program on arrests of a few rowdy boys having a beer. As far as the NCAA investigation goes, right now that is all it is. Don’t imply that where theres smoke theres fire. Let’s wait for the facts here first.
Add it up
July 22nd, 2010
1:51 pm
AJ is so busted.
http://www.tmz.com/2010/07/21/university-of-georgia-bulldogs-football-aj-green-investigation-south-beach-party/
B. Scott
July 22nd, 2010
1:51 pm
Hmmm, let’s see, we have a coach with class and dignity and 2 SEC Championship rings? Yeah, that’s a bad thing.
Mike Oxbig
July 22nd, 2010
1:52 pm
Shultz- are you getting paid to write thus crap? The ajc is hemmoraging subscribers and yet they are paying for useless dribble like thus from you. Hope you have the decency to pay them back for your hotel bill for obviously wasting your time in Hoover. Richt must have hurt your feelings by not calling on you first or something? There is not one shred of actual journalistic effort in this article, instead just Tech-ish dribble.
GT BABY
July 22nd, 2010
1:52 pm
THWG!
Tweets that mention Richt's words, actions haven't changed ugliness at Georgia | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
July 22nd, 2010
1:52 pm
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Golly G
July 22nd, 2010
1:52 pm
In light of the tenn players beating a man unconscious, I don’t see where Mark Richt’s program is “ugly”. In fact, compared to these guys, it’s ‘gorgeous’.
Pat
July 22nd, 2010
1:52 pm
MEH
jimmymack
July 22nd, 2010
1:53 pm
bring back bisher and hudspeth get some class jeff
gg
July 22nd, 2010
1:53 pm
Hey Jeff…If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately you’d know how lowly regarded your profession is, and sometimes,like today, you prove the point! Mark Richt understands things about life and how to live it that most journalists have no clue. That’s why he’s a leader and you guys are misleaders.
Add it up
July 22nd, 2010
1:53 pm
I apparently don’t realize that AJ Green was in South Carolina at the time. I’m not that smert.
cantondawg
July 22nd, 2010
1:54 pm
RJ,
I have to agree with you..this article sucks. I guess CMR is to blame for Damon Evans behavior too.
Ryder
July 22nd, 2010
1:54 pm
This will mean nothing if they decide to stop playing an offensive set from the 80’s and start playing more aggressive. CMR is supposed to be an offensive mastermind yet we rarely see it on the field. I wish someone would ask him when is he going to stop playing it safe and take advantage of the sick talent he has on offense.
Gen3Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
1:54 pm
Journalism died about 2008. With irresponsible articles like this, you’re simply exhuming journalism from its grave, beating the crap out of the rotting corpse with the shovel, then re-burying it. If William Randolph Hurst, the king of yellow journalism, was still here, even he would be shaking his head in disgust.
ryan
July 22nd, 2010
1:54 pm
If CMR does loose his job it could be a blessing because UGA will get a big name coach the name Bob Stoops and Kirby Smart will come up.
Delbert D.
July 22nd, 2010
1:55 pm
It occurs to me that Coach Richt in print “sounds” somewhat like Chipper Jones. “It’s like, you know, [things] are gonna happen.” I don’t think that Chipper’s “Uh, you know..uh, mumble, mumble, you know…” makes it into print. Jeff, you should quote Chipper verbatim if you’re going to quote Coach Richt verbatim.
Paddy
July 22nd, 2010
1:55 pm
I believe in Richt to do the right things to help his team and the U. I also believe AJ when he says he has never been to Miami and did not take gifts from agents or their associates. Jeff, don’t think most folks agree with you on this topic!
Topp Dogg
July 22nd, 2010
1:56 pm
Like Meyers approach is working his players are in line, and Kelley has those Irish trembling in fear get real haters or get gone.
Pi$$onaDawg
July 22nd, 2010
1:57 pm
Golly G nobody said UT was better than UGA. This is just a Georgia article. Dooley will speak at the Media days tomarrow. I know JS will write adout UT and Dooley tomarrow unless a dawg gets arrested tonight.
observor
July 22nd, 2010
1:57 pm
It’s laughable when Gator fans are pointing fingers at any other program for a lack of discipline. Talk about the epitome of hypocritical. This is the same program that had an NCAA record for arrests in a single year with 12 in 2007, and as of last year, the huge story was how out of control the UF program is with all the arrests, many of which were serious felony offenses (burglary, assault, robbery, felony drug possession, firing AK-47’s, credit card fraud, etc, etc.) as opposed to underage drinking or the occasional DUI. Gators should get their own inmates in order before they concern themselves with other schools.
JacksonvilleDawg
July 22nd, 2010
1:58 pm
You, Journalists in general, tend to exaggerate the matters to make up stories, so what our AD resigned or few back ups got arrested, I really dont give a damn, it doesn’t matter what so ever and should not affect one tiny bit on our team performance. I care about our QB pinkie more than the UGA president with all his staff, so if you have anything to say about our 1st team players and coaches we are all ears other than that enough said lets play ball. Go Dawgs
Oscar Meyer Weiner
July 22nd, 2010
1:59 pm
Who cares, players are going to do what they want to. He’s not their dad.
This is stupid
July 22nd, 2010
2:00 pm
Jeff, you are a moron. Ready to go like your friend Terrance? Pure crap.
Phillip Fulmer
July 22nd, 2010
2:00 pm
Hold in there, Richt. Stay the course.
cantondawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:01 pm
I’ve already said this before but here it goes again….
COLD BEER + HOT WOMAN = TROUBLE
Unless CMR can remove all the hot women from UGA or make Clarke County a dry county there’s alway going to be some problems. These young men are typical. They work hard and football and want to play hard and hook up with women. I played football at GSU under Coach Russell and i can tell you that there were alot of Dui’s and alcohol related arrests. The biggest difference was the media scrutiny wasn’t near as much as it is now. I guarantee you there were just as many or more 20 years ago than today but you just didn’t hear about it.
Pi$$onaDawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
Oscar M COX: RICHT is their DADDY. That is what he sells when he sits in the parents living room trying to get a kid to come to his school.
The Difference
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
It’s all about respect….none of the UGA players respect their coach. To them, he is an equal, a friend. As CPJ just recently said, “I don’t care if they like me. I don’t care if they hate me. They are going to respect me.”
cantondawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:02 pm
1 eyedJack,
I think you should shoot the cat regardless of whether the dog wets the carpet or not.