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
♦
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC and Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
713 comments Add your comment
Aaron Murray 2010 stats
July 22nd, 2010
2:39 pm
11 INTs
5 TDs
450 pass yards
Benched after 5 games.
Barack Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:39 pm
Jose Cuervo – can I get a shot with a lime?
pi$$drinkingtechie
July 22nd, 2010
2:40 pm
Nah Florida just owns us atm. Just like we own Tech. Cycles come and cycles go but Urban and Tebow will always blow. (just kidding Tebows a good kid, Urban otoh….)
1980- so last century!
July 22nd, 2010
2:40 pm
30 years they talk trash to every rival. And still they have no accomplishments. The only rings on richts fingers that mean anything were achieved at FSU!!!
Montgomery Burns
July 22nd, 2010
2:41 pm
UGA is a soft team and has been ever since Van Gorder left.
hey 1980
July 22nd, 2010
2:41 pm
Yea Herschel, we all know you and your twin sister Dominiqua weren’t born yet.
Seth
July 22nd, 2010
2:41 pm
UF owns your mutts butts much more than you own GT.
I would hardly call a 15% winning equal to 30%
How2fish
July 22nd, 2010
2:42 pm
Pi$$onaDawg I clearly understand the difference and again your a fool and a racist. We clear?
1980?
July 22nd, 2010
2:42 pm
Other than our problems with Florida which no one can overlook I think CMR has held his own. So which team has your toady lips planted firmly on rosebud?
Delbert D.
July 22nd, 2010
2:42 pm
Meanwhile, Chan Gailey is in Buffalo when he should be tracking down the whereabouts of federal fugitive Reuben Houston. It happened on his watch, so he’s responsible. I haven’t heard if the U.S. Marshals Service have deputized him, though.
Sam
July 22nd, 2010
2:42 pm
Since Schultz doesn’t believe players have FREE WILL, I’ll exercise mine and stop reading his BLOG!!!
Oh NO
July 22nd, 2010
2:42 pm
Say it ain’t so TMZ. Was AJ really down there partying while saying he wasn’t? Man the lying culture in athens is atrocious. Now I know why they call it a cesspool. First the AD now the best player.
The Most Interesting Man Alive
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
UGA grads in Metro Atl=80000
Population=6000000
Reading humpers whining about Jeff for free=priceless!
Astro
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
Whose Aaron Murray? Is he one of the three sons? No, I think that was McMurray. Hmmmm…
RM in Athens
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
Rip Van Winkle
I’m 31 and could care less what happened in 1980. I care about who’s steering the ship moving forward. Richt’s has always been the right guy for UGA and will continue to be. You probably talk trash about Richt but give Bobby Petrino a free pass b/c he has Ryan Mallett. Think big picture people. He coached well enough for the Dawgs to beat LSU and Kentucky last year, but crap happens. Doesn’t mean we overreact as fans. Patience.
The Most Interesting Man Alive
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
1980? How many SEC teams have lost to Vandy and Ky at home? just askin.
Pi$$onaDawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:44 pm
why spell check it is a BLOG you got the meaning right? I see the same crap from Dawgs all the time. I mean if I spell check DAWG I find the correct spelling as DOG. HOW BOUT THEM DAWGS? 50% of your greatest slogan is spelled wrong. Get back to me when you get that changed, OK?
SethMeyerwannabe
July 22nd, 2010
2:44 pm
Hey where are you pulling those percentages from? Your azz? We actually lead the overall series with both of you losers (once again recent history not overlooked)
Squashabee
July 22nd, 2010
2:44 pm
Pi$$onaDawg – why would you piss on your mama. You know she is a dog.
JRW7
July 22nd, 2010
2:45 pm
Jeff, just shut up about UGA, Can’t you write something positive some times? GO DOGS!!!!!!
1980
July 22nd, 2010
2:45 pm
What a year! Empire strikes back is released. U2’s first album. Halloween 2 is released. And UGA last won a football nat champ. Sure has been a long time. Ol buck belue sure is old these days. Almost a grandpa.
pi$$drinkingtechie
July 22nd, 2010
2:45 pm
Oh dear I do believe I hit a nerve. So it’s ok to not be able to formulate a sentence or spell as long as you’re anon? Is that what you’re saying? It just makes you look stupid but that’s ok because you are.
Ron Zook
July 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
I don’t know what I miss more; the SEC or Jawja.
How2fish
July 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
Pi$$onaDawg of course you don’t see anything racist in your previous post??
“amy don’t get your red panties in a wad before you hand them to a big African UGA football player. Don’t worry GO sorry I mean Richt will forgive you.” By the way who is GO ??
Seth
July 22nd, 2010
2:46 pm
Talkin about since 1990 moron. You know the recent and important stuff. Not what happened when college football wasn’t relevant.
Danny Terrio
July 22nd, 2010
2:47 pm
ND leads the nation in arrests with UGA a close second, will it pay off once the season starts, magic ball says outlook good…
pi$$drinkingtechie
July 22nd, 2010
2:47 pm
Come on admit it, you never went past the 10th grade did you? It’s ok there’s always fast food careers.
falling and cant get up
July 22nd, 2010
2:47 pm
Pi$$, let me guess you went to gwinnet tech, but your just a huge ga tech fan
Billy
July 22nd, 2010
2:47 pm
Jeff-
Are we talking about the same Nick Saban? You do mean, the guy who coached at Miami, for like 10 minutes?
I’m not sure I’d be mentioned Nick Saban as the exemplar of excellent image making, since he was voted as the #9 most disliked guy in all of sports by no less than Forbes magazine.
Here’s the Forbes article for your poster child for “likability”, Nick Saban.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/28/the-most-disliked-people-in-sports-business-sports-disliked_slide_10.html
SethMeyerwannabe
July 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
AH so as long as you can’t remember it didn’t happen. Gotcha. Hey you and Pi$$ would make great butt buds.
Squashabee
July 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
The Most Interesting Man Alive – how many times has Tech lost in Boise Idaho in their bowl game? How many times have they lost in the BCS bowl game (yes game not games)? How many times have you won the ACC Championship? How many times has Mark Fox beat GT in basketball? What size is your bra?
400 pound Walmart shopper with overalls
July 22nd, 2010
2:48 pm
GO DAWGS!!!!!!
Herschel Talker
July 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
Schultzie:
Excellent read. I, for one, am sick of this crap. I am tired of Richt following his mentor’s track record by preaching his religion while letting the inmates run the asylum. The program is a disgrace. It’s great that he hired Grantham to bring some discipline on the field and hopefully off it, but so far, the song and dance haven’t changed.
HT
SethMeyerwannabe
July 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
What kind of name is Seth? Hmm I guess it doesn’t matter since it has been around before 1990. Selective memory is fun!
Tao
July 22nd, 2010
2:49 pm
I INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM WITH A VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: FISH FRY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hershels 7th Personality
July 22nd, 2010
2:50 pm
I love Mr. Trump.
Herschel Talker
July 22nd, 2010
2:50 pm
Schultzie:
Excellent read. I, for one, am sick of this garbage. I am tired of Richt following his mentor’s track record by preaching his religion while letting the inmates run the asylum. The program is a disgrace. It’s great that he hired Grantham to bring some discipline on the field and hopefully off it, but so far, the song and dance haven’t changed.
HT
Kerryb
July 22nd, 2010
2:50 pm
What I have become use to is Jeff Schultz writing negative columns about UGA. Jeff, I would like you to post at least 5 good columns you have ever written about UGA. I bet you can’t find five. The only ones I see is you asking if Mark Richt is on the hot seat, or does Mark Richt have control of his program, or is Mark Richt too nice he needs to be more like Saban. Makes me wonder what Mark Richt did to you to make you so negative about UGA.
bob
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
One thing everyone overlooks, is that UGA schedule avoids any western powers. UF plays LSU and at Alabama. An UGA victory in Jax[big if] could put them in Atlanta even with 2 conference losses.
robodawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
Lay off. Richt’s character reputation is hardly tarnished. A coach’s or school’s reputation is tarnished when they turn a blind eye to their player’s misbehavior. (Miami or Oklahoma in the 80’s are prime examples.) When a coach or school expresses their disapproval and enforces a reasonable consequence, their reputation is fine.
But more than that: as far as Richt is concerned, I bet a success story like Ellerbe makes it all worthwhile. Richt’s approach is to build character, to give players enough space that they can mess up, but to help them along in such a way that they will grow up on their own, become adults. He has players that struggle but that he’s truly proud of by the time they move on. And you know what, I’m proud to have a coach like that.
George Jetson
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
Astro – get back you in your @$%@#$ % cage. You won’t have a problem remembering who Aaron Murray is at the end of the season. I bet you know who Ealey and King are though? They would be the guys who ran down your throat last year.
TX DAWG
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
I don’t think I have seen an article written in the past few years that is so out of touch with reality. 1- Mark Richt cannot control what his AD does. 2 – College kids are going to get into trouble. Look at every campus in the country for the past 100 years. College kids drink beer and do things they shouldn’t.
Richt can’t impose his iron will over free people. That is not how the world works. Also, him getting upset about it won’t help either. Only journalists that don’t live in the real world write stories about people being able to control things they have little to no control over.
DawginLex
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
apparently AJ has pictures on his facebook page of his weekend at home when he was supposed to be a S Beach.
pi$$drinkingtechie
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
Fish fry? I’m in!
Urban Meyer
July 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
I sure love playing those bulldogs. They are an easy bunch to dominate.
Albert
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
bob, they play LSU every year and almost always the winner in Jax wins the east.
Pi$$onaDawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
how2fish so former Sec. of State c. Rice and Bill Cosby are RACIT to then. They call out many blacks for not living up to great standards and for RICH black for not building a better community. I am sure my adopted sisters and one of my best friends would love to talk to you and have you prove I am a Racist against Blacks. AHHAHAH I call out UGA all the time for not having more black students than the 2675 of 26K students enrolled in 2009. Flagship Institute for benge drinking white frat boys and fake blonde suburban white chicks.
Tao
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
COME ON NERDS: IT’S JUST A GAME, DAWG.
Millard Filmore
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
Jeez, can we just kick the damn ball off and start the season so you guys can write about sports? I can get this stuff in the National Enquirer.
Sean P
July 22nd, 2010
2:52 pm
dawg in lex
riiight. and i have photos of a ufo. only a gullible dawg fan would believe that.