Vince Dooley: Joy from Georgia’s rise, pain from son’s firing
Vince Dooley's joy for Georgia's resurgence took a hit with his son's firing. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
On Sunday, when everybody associated with Georgia football was still basking in the afterglow of the season’s 10th victory and the anticipation of a dramatic flip at the top in the BCS standings, the Dooleys of Athens received a phone call from their son, Derek.
“I knew it was going to happen,” Vince Dooley said. “I felt for sure it was going to happen. Then on Sunday when he contacted us and told us, it was difficult. You hurt for your family. You hurt for your son.”
Seldom do the extreme highs and lows of competitive athletics collide like this.
Dooley hired Mark Richt and watched him win two SEC championships in his first five seasons. He saw the program slip back for a couple of seasons and Richt try to navigate through “crises” while four other SEC schools won six national championships and so many called for the coach’s head. Now the Bulldogs are more than relevant again. A second consecutive SEC title game berth awaits, a No. 3 national ranking provides a tease for something even greater and Richt has been listed as a national coach-of-the-year candidate.
“Coaching has always been about surviving a series of crises,” Dooley said Tuesday. “In Mark’s case, he had a charmed life. He didn’t have a lot of criticism until a couple of years ago. So I’m very pleased to see how he’s responded to that. He needed to right the ship and get back to the high standards again, and he’s done that. That doesn’t mean he won’t have another series of crises to deal with again one day. He will. Because once you get up there, you’ll always have crises.”
Derek Dooley told Vince that coaching the final game would be a distraction for the team. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
Tennessee allowed Derek Dooley three years of crises, then they fired him. It didn’t matter that the program was in a crises when the younger Dooley was hired. Lane Kiffin had bolted, and the school pointed to a burning building and told Dooley, “Fix it. Fast.” That was too great a feat for any coach to accomplish, let alone one making the leap from Louisiana Tech to the SEC, his genes notwithstanding.
But Vince Dooley understands the reality of coaching today: A man doesn’t go 4-19 in the SEC at programs like Tennessee and survive.
“I knew the situation,” he said. “They came very close in some big ballgames that unfortunately they didn’t win. I know [Tennessee athletic director] Dave Hart personally. He anguished over this. But in light of the situation I understand the decision. Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech in his first six seasons had 24 wins and 40 losses. In his sixth year he won two games. But until this season he was one of the winningest coaches in football. Coaches don’t get that
kind of time any more.”
Dooley said he had only one question for his son: Why was he not going to coach Tennessee’s final game at Kentucky?
“Derek said he requested that because he felt he would be distraction,” Dooley said. “He said all of the speculation about his job was a distraction before the Vanderbilt game and he felt that hurt the team (a 41-18 loss), so he didn’t want that to happen again. Once he said that, I admired his decision. I felt it was important to get that out because it’s not like they didn’t want him around.”
Barbara Dooley has taken firing the hardest, Vince said. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
Anybody close to Georgia football knows how much Vince and Barbara wanted their son to succeed. Dad would catch Tennessee’s game on television in press boxes around the SEC while traveling with the Bulldogs. Mom attended games in Knoxville, dressed in orange. When the schools met, Barbara never was conflicted.
“That’s my baby, and I’m pulling for Tennessee. If the Georgia people don’t understand that, then I just don’t get it,” she once said.
Barbara politely declined to speak Tuesday.
“It’s been difficult, especially on my wife, who takes things harder than I do,” Vince said. “That’s her baby. I told her it will take a while for the pain to go away. She’s hurting more than [Derek]. He’s handling it better than she is.”
Three more victories would heal a lot of wounds. Georgia has three games left: It’s a local rival (Georgia Tech), the SEC championship (Alabama) and a bowl game (in the Utopian experience of two more wins, it’s the BCS Championship game in Miami).
Dooley has been down this road before. He knows Richt is concerned that players’ minds might be on matters not related to the Georgia Tech game. That’s a danger, regardless of what the fans, the alumni, the media and the oddsmakers say.
Dooley, who hired Richt, happy that the coach has "righted the ship" at Georgia. (Joey Ivansco/AJC)
“Back in 1980 when we were undefeated before the Georgia Tech game, I had a player from the 1927 team talk to the players how they were in the same situation and ended up losing to Georgia Tech in the final game,” Dooley said. “It can happen — it has happened. You have people see that Tech maybe doesn’t have the direction Georgia does and you find yourself looking beyond this week, and that rubs off on players. As a coach, that worries you.”
With Vince Dooley, you always get a story. If it’s not about the Georgia team that went 9-0 in 1927 before losing to Tech 12-0, it’s about Charley Trippi coming back from World War II in 1945. Trippi was invoked when Dooley was asked about the Dogs’ early-season struggles with injuries and suspensions, even after four players returned.
“When Charley Trippi came out of the military, all the players expected he was going to be some Superman, and when he came back the rest of the team just sort of watched him,” he said. “They played LSU, and they just annihilated Trippi. It took a while for that team to respond to crisis. But they eventually did, and so did this team. I know it was devastating playing South Carolina and laying an egg there, and then playing poorly at Kentucky, although I did that plenty of times. But going down and beating Florida was big, and now here they are. I’m really pleased for the whole program and particularly for Mark, since [hiring him] was one of my last decisions.”
He’ll try to focus on that and let time heal everything else.
By Jeff Schultz
Kick bit and pull up a blog . . .
• Wonder why SEC is on top? Look at other conference finals
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• Short takes: Ryan awful, defense great, win important
• Georgia’s new reality: From on the brink to BCS title possibility
• Upsets launch Georgia into BCS title picture (updated game column)
• Short takes: Murray wakes up the offense
• Weekend Predictions: Dogs, Jackets, Falcons and the lust triangles
• Falcons’ flaws aren’t worse than any other NFL team
• College hoop kings provide rare thrills for Atlanta
• Falcons’ startling admission: Ray Edwards was a blunder
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467 comments Add your comment
Hairy Dawg
November 20th, 2012
9:14 pm
Vince knows the score. They had “Dump Dooley” bumper stickers in this state eons ago.
And I don’t care what Ben Stein thinks about anything.
Discount DoubleDawg
November 20th, 2012
9:22 pm
yep, the 8:33 post is right on target. Great post… right on target.
Go Dawgs!
3Dogs
November 20th, 2012
9:28 pm
derek got paid millions for doing nothing except losing—-they could have paid someone a lot less to do that
James
November 20th, 2012
9:32 pm
Derek Dooley is not a nice man despite having wonderful parents. The people in Knoxville were glad to see this spoiled, arrogant, lying, foul mouthed man leave town and not just because he’s a lousy football coach. He talks a great press conference but the show ends when he takes off the microphone.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 20th, 2012
9:38 pm
Thanks GUYS…..We maybe on the other-side of the line of scrimmage/stadium on Saturdays but we would all jump out of that plane or jump in that trench to defend each others right to cheer for the OTHER Football team.
Discount DoubleDawg
November 20th, 2012
9:48 pm
Put in Timeout- so true…
There are things far more important than football and I know we are on a football blog but you are correct sir. I have disagreed with some things you have said in the past, but not on this topic. Thanks for contributing….
DawgNole
November 20th, 2012
10:16 pm
GTBob
November 20th, 2012
1:41 pm
Ill tell you what Steve. If UGA somehow pulls the miracle upset and beats UGA then I will come on here and give UGA their due. Until then I am going to assume you are overrated until you prove otherwise.
__________________
Now that will be a miracle indeed. Please let us know when that UGA vs UGA matchup is scheduled so we can watch another Dawgs’ victory.
Thomas Brown
November 20th, 2012
10:21 pm
Stinger2 November 20th, 2012 2:26 pm
“Why do you UGA fans respond to anything GT Bob posts? If he annoys you why not
ignore him?”
____________________________________
Because, like you, it is so easy to retort – you and he thinking you are so smart – and saying both of you such utterly stupid standpoints you both hold.
Thomas Brown
November 20th, 2012
11:45 pm
____________
Chris Spielman
____________
1988 graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in recreation education. Drafted 29th in 2nd Round of the 1988 NFL Draft, by the Detroit Lions, he never won the Super Bowl, and he never in played in one Super Bowl. He played for the Buffalo Bills in 1996 and 1997. At 5’ 11” and 247 lbs., he returned to the NFL in the 1999 season, with the Cleveland Browns. He retired before the regular season began. This is the end of his undistinguished NFL career. In 1995, he had joined Lawrence Taylor’s all pro team at WrestleMania XI and had a feud with Tatanka.
His NFL career from 1988 to 1995 with the Detroit Lions turns up this : The Detroit Lions have not won the NFL Championship even since 1957, giving the club the second-longest NFL championship drought. He certainly did not help them, either, now did he ? This is the best you can come up with Ohio State has NEVER HAD football player who EVER DID ANYTHING ?
Seriously, son, this is the best you can come up with buckeye ?
In 1991, his Detroit team he was supposed to be so great on, lost to Washington Redskins. In 1995, they lost in the Wild Card game. I mean wow guy. You really picked a winner there, Georgia having 5 NFL Championship Game MVP. And, Chris Spielman is your answer to : There has NEVER been an Ohio State football player ever in history who has EVER done anything.
_____________
Pitiful buckeye.
_____________
1988 Detroit Lions historically inept 4-12 failed to make the play-offs.
1989 Detroit Lions 7-9 failed to make the play-offs.
1990 Detroit Lions 6-10 failed to make the play-offs.
1991 The Lions were one of the most inconsistent teams of the year. Detroit Lions lost to the Washington Redskins in the play-offs.
1992 season the Detroit Lions were dead last worst team in the NFL.
1993 season the Detroit Lions could not even win a single play-off game.
1994 season was the 2nd in a row where Detroit Lions could not even win a single play-off game.
1995 season was the 3rd in a row where Detroit Lions could not even win a single play-off game.
1996 the Buffalo Bills’ team he was on lost in the Wild Card game to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. Jim Kelly retired after the wild card game loss.
1997 was even worse for the Buffalo Bills. Really great.
Chris Spielman is a contributor to the Columbus, Ohio based FM radio station 97.1 The Fan; 97.1 is an ESPN Radio affiliate. In various shows of Spielman on Sports, Spielman has announced his admiration for the bull Bodacious. You’ve got to be kidding me ? His hero is some bull ? He’s been on ESPN too long; it’s rubbing off on him. His admiration for the deceased rodeo bull inspired Eddie George’s Grille 27 to name a drink after it, naming it Spielman’s Bodacious Bull. Its contents are bloody mary mix, tabasco sauce, and steak sauce.
Chris Spielman was the coach of the Columbus Destroyers, an Arena Football League team, in 2005. He coached one season, compiling a 2-15 record. After the 2000 season, Spielman interviewed for the vacant head coaching position at Ohio State previously held by John Cooper. However, the job eventually went to Jim Tressel.
Chris Spielman’s elder brother is the current Minnesota Vikings’ general manager, Rick Spielman.
I am sorry, but if this is the best you can come up with while UGA has 5 NFL Championship Game MVP, I rest my case son.
There has NEVER been an Ohio State University football player who has EVER done ANYTHING.
ESPN has been nothing but criticized for their biased color commentating, building up certain teams and running others down. On October 24, 2009, Bob Griese provided color commentary for the University of Minnesota at Ohio State University football game. During the broadcast, a list of the top five drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series were displayed on the screen. Broadcaster Chris Spielman asked where Colombian NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya was on the list. Griese responded, “He’s out having a taco.”
Anything to discredit one player or team compared to another, NOT sports broadcasting. It IS what ESPN is, and you have the unmitigated gall to run in here and hold up ESPN broadcaster to me as your best football player at Ohio State University ever, for having accomplished anything ever ?
Again, get a life, if Chris Spielman is the best you can come up with for Ohio State University.
Thomas Brown
November 20th, 2012
11:48 pm
Chris Spielman also won 0 national championships at Ohio State University, something we’re trying to do this year. Ohio State University certainly is NOT.
Thomas Brown
November 20th, 2012
11:54 pm
How many Bowl Games did Chris Spielman win with Ohio State with your 19-24 Bowl Record, including 11 Bowl Games against The SEC, of which Ohio State has won 0 ?
Thomas Brown
November 20th, 2012
11:55 pm
1 ?
Thomas Brown
November 21st, 2012
12:00 am
AND YOU SEND ME TO THIS URL LINK ?
Is this one too going to be like your URL Link you gave me that Georgia was not even discussed as a possibility even for NC 2012 ? Yes.
“I think a lot of his outbursts were calculated. He knew exactly what he was doing. I think it was during summer camp before my sophomore or junior year, some writer from Sports Illustrated or someplace talked Woody into letting him do a story about the program. And he didn’t like to talk to the press; he didn’t even want us talking to the press. He didn’t trust them, but this guy convinced Woody that the story was going to be all positive, just positive things about the program. Woody agreed, but when the article came out, it was completely negative. The guy hadn’t done his homework. He hadn’t checked all of his sources. He didn’t look beneath the surface. He just went with all the sensational stuff he had heard.
“Woody was just devastated by that. It broke his heart.
The day the article came out, we were in the dining hall, on the bottom floor. Woody called a meeting for the dining hall on the top floor, and he was getting everything set up there. He was up by the podium, and he was getting managers to bring him one of those trays of glasses. He said it very calmly, very matter-of-factly, ‘Oh, and bring one of those trays of glasses over here and put it on the table. Yeah, that’s it, one of those trays full of glasses. Just bring it over here and put it down.’
“He started the meeting, and he read from this article to us, and he came to some part he didn’t like. He reached over, grabbed one of those glasses, and smashed it against the wall. He went through the whole article like that. Every time he came to something that made him mad, he threw another glass against the wall. The whole article, and it was long. Eighteen glasses later, he was finished.
“It was all calculated to get to us, just like cutting the strings on his hat or cutting the seams on his shirt. He’d get mad and grab his hat and tear it to pieces, and we’d wonder how this old guy could be so strong.
Well, he took a razor blade and cut the seams first so he could rip it apart. Or he’d take an old pair of glasses or an old watch and throw it down and stomp on it. He was a master at that kind of thing. He knew just what he was doing.”
____________________
You think this is GOOD ?
____________________
Your idea of a hero and my idea of a hero, are completely different
_________
BUCKEYE
_________
Seriously.
Thomas Brown
November 21st, 2012
12:12 am
DawgNole
November 20th, 2012
4:21 pm
Put in Timeout . . .
November 20th, 2012
9:47 am
Chip Towers
November 20th, 2012
9:35 am
Thomas Brown has been blacklisted for posting under multiple names and posting false and inflammatory comments. He was also posting as “Voice of Reason” and several other handles.
================================
Thomas Brown……just use the 1 name per Blog. Don’t use 3 names on the same blog it is that easy.
___________________
You changed what Towers actually posted–from “Tomas Broun” to “Thomas Brown.” Frankly, that should be a bannable offense. You’re fortunate that Schultz is fairly liberal with his blog policies.
_______________________________________________________
NONE OF THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH ME WHATSOEVER
_______________________________________________________
Columbus
November 21st, 2012
3:37 am
Hey Haters……
Vince Dooley won 11 games 3 times in 25 years…..
Richt won 11 games in a season 3 times in 11 years……
and is about to do it for a 4th time in 12 years….
Took Dooley 17 years and a Herschel to win a NC. I’d say Richt is ahead of the Dooley path.
I’d say Richt is a better coach.
I KNOW he is a better coach than ANY in the history of UGA
Thomas Brown
November 21st, 2012
5:13 am
Those were 12-game seasons.
These are 14-game seasons.
Aren’t they ?
legionaire
November 21st, 2012
6:23 am
DD knew the deck was stacked when he went to the UT cesspool. He also knew it would be a resume enhancement and that he would be able to lick his wounds with a big payoff. No croc tears here. Barbara could have had the class of Vince and just kept her mouth shut and not wear Orange in the UGA paid for box. UT is a graveyard of decent good men Battle, Fulmer, and Majors. It is a shame they have evidently squandered it all.
Buckeye
November 21st, 2012
6:31 am
morning dogs
Buckeye
November 21st, 2012
6:32 am
morning “Turkey” tom brown,
Where you at?
Buckeye
November 21st, 2012
6:33 am
“Turkey” tom brown,
You missed the entire point. Fool.
Goggle Stephanie Spielman and breast cancer.
Buckeye
November 21st, 2012
6:33 am
“Turkey” tom brown,
Jump
Buckeye
November 21st, 2012
6:34 am
“Turkey” tom brown,
I hope you are not alone tomorrow.
Buckeye
November 21st, 2012
6:35 am
“Turkey” tom brown
Peace Out, fool.
Buckeye
November 21st, 2012
6:57 am
Stepping aside from the frivolity and stupidity (at times) for a moment, I’d like to wish all dogs and jackets a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Good luck to both teams come Saturday. I hope the game is well-played, free of serious injury and reminds us of the things we love about the game of college football together – no matter the colors on the helmets.
Buckeye
Big Dog 89
November 21st, 2012
7:12 am
Take away the Herschel years and Dooley was merely an average coach.
201-77-10 with Herschel Walker
168-74-10 without Herschel Walker
Mark Richt is 116-39
I’m glad we have Richt.
FB Wonk
November 21st, 2012
7:14 am
Who will “right the ship” in Knoxville? Before firing any head coach, an AD better have an idea of who might do a better job than the coach getting the boot. Three years is woefully inadequate, given the yearly and total scholarship limits. I have great admiration and respect for Vince Dooley and for every coach’s spouse. The spouses do as much heavy lifting as the coaches.
UT Man 88
November 21st, 2012
7:24 am
Bobby Petrino would be an idea fit for UT.
If we don’t grab him up…Auburn will.
Joe
November 21st, 2012
7:24 am
Tennessee should have gave him a little more time.
War Eagle
November 21st, 2012
7:28 am
We would be honored to have Bobby Petrino.
Anything to beat Bama.
War Eagle
November 21st, 2012
7:30 am
By the way, Dooley should have never been hired. He was unqualified for the job. With a different last name, he would be spreading pine straw or cooking the fries.
Beast from the East
November 21st, 2012
7:33 am
Big Dog 89
November 21st, 2012
7:12 am
Take away the Herschel years and Dooley was merely an average coach.
201-77-10 with Herschel Walker
168-74-10 without Herschel Walker
Mark Richt is 116-39
I’m glad we have Richt.
——————————–
UGA played 288 games in Hershel’s 3 years there? Where the heck was I at?
brokebackvol
November 21st, 2012
8:32 am
Despite all the nasty comments towards UT for firing Dooley, please keep something in mind:
The classy Tennessee fans WANTED Dooley to succeed at UT, but it just didn’t happen. He’s good AD material, but not such a great field coach. He’s a VERY classy guy (like his dad) and we all know he did his best to ‘right the ship’ at UT. We had a BAD AD in Mike Hamilton ( a nice guy but an awful AD) who shouldn’t have fired Fulmer in the first place. Worse, should NEVER EVER have hired “Lame Kitten” which only made things worse when he bolted for USCwest.
Just like UGA, VolNation has a storied, proud tradition of winning, so it’s been a very hard period of time, and we were hoping for the best, but it didn’t work out. So Dave Hart had no choice but to start the process over again, and hope the next hire can build on Derek’s work and get the VOLS back in contention.
So pay no attention to the ugly ’sidewalk’ fans who never attended a day of college at UT and have no class – those of us who are true to our school appreciate Derek’s efforts, and wish him and his family nothing but the best.
Happy Thanksgiving Y’all and BEAT BAMA!!
Call It Like It Is
November 21st, 2012
8:51 am
Derek a great coach? No not so much. A good man,yes, but not a good coach. The man was over his head from day one. His record was pitiful at Louisiana Tech and worse at Tennessee. He came in and filled a void that was needed and has been paid handsomely for his efforts. UT just got blindsided by Lame Kitten, running out like a thief in the night leaving behind NCAA sanctions as a going away present. We needed an honest man filled with integrity and Dooley fit the bill. Unfortunately this honest man is not a good coach. Everybody says he should have been given one more year, why? Exactly what would he have done next year that wasn’t accomplish this year? Sorry when you get beat like a drum by Vanderbelt, change is going to happen.
ARdawg
November 21st, 2012
9:04 am
brokebackvol
I still think had he not donned those hideous orange pants he might’a made it one more year
Old Dawg
November 21st, 2012
9:10 am
Good article Jeff. Have to feel for DD, what a train wreck in Knoxville. The new Vol HC needs to clean house, and should start by getting rid of Tyler Bray. Saying he is a bad apple would be the understatement of the year.
Go Dawgs! Squash the Bugs!
ARdawg
November 21st, 2012
9:22 am
I disagree, Baby Dooley is a good coach and did a good job at LA Tech. The win/loss record wasn’t at all reflective of his job. They schedule 4-5 BCS schools most every year. IIRC, he won the Sunbelt Con Championship at least once
Dereck Dooley
November 21st, 2012
9:31 am
You have the right to remain silent. Please use it.
herschel uga pollack
November 21st, 2012
9:38 am
I understand and admire Barbara for supporting her son, but she shoudn’t have constantly bought it up every year. UT didn’t pay her bills for the past 40 years, which helped raise her entire family, UGA did that. As far as Derek being a great coach, the numbers speak for themselves. UT currently has better talent than Vanderbilt top to bottom, yet they got blown out. He is a great person, just not a great coach. UT is getting exactly what they deserved after the way they shafted Phil Fulmer. Like him or not, he was the best coach that they have had since Neyland. Won – lost record, championships, championship appearances, and bowl games are the proof.
uh...no sympathy here
November 21st, 2012
9:39 am
Yeah, I feel really sorry for Derek. He only gets a $5 million buyout. Such problems!
Barbara Dooley
November 21st, 2012
9:40 am
Vince, honey, I’m going over to Herschel’s place so he can “console” me. Don’t wait up.
big surprise
November 21st, 2012
9:47 am
Three years later and I’m still waiting to hear a logical explanation as to why he should have been hired after only 3 years of head coaching experience at Louisiana Tech where he went 17-20, including going 4-8 in his 3rd and final season.
That was a HORRIBLE hire from day 1 and everyone knows it.
big surprise
November 21st, 2012
9:58 am
For those of you who think his bad record at Louisiana Tech was a result of playing a lot of BCS conference teams, they played 3 of those in his first year, 2 in his second, and 2 in his third. Take those out and his record goes from 17-20 to 16-14. Their record in the WAC was 12-12. Wow! A .500 coach in the WAC. Impressive!
Oh, and 4 of those 7 BCS-level games were Ole Miss, Cal, Kansas, and Mississippi St. Not exactly world beaters.
just sayin
November 21st, 2012
10:14 am
I bet Barbara throws that ugly orange away now! Vol fans are the most obnoxious fans in the country and hate it that DD had to endure those knuckle dragging fans in Tennessee. If Gruden or any other coach wanting to get into the SEC were smart they would stay far away from that team and fan base. Kiffin was smart for bolting fast!
oh the humanity!
November 21st, 2012
10:24 am
I’m sure a lot of people can identify with a woman whose husband made millions and whose son is getting paid millions to not work. Must be just sheer agony.
mavs
November 21st, 2012
10:26 am
please no more coverage of that megla-maniac vince dooley.
Masked
November 21st, 2012
10:28 am
Jeff, I enjoy your humorous articles because you can get a fair amount of your facts wrong and it really doesn’t matter, but if you are writing a serious piece, try to get some facts right. The idea that Dooley hired Richt is laughable, Dooley worked tirelessly to keep Jim Donnan hired until Mike Adams fired them both and brought in Richt. Derek Dooley didn’t inherit a mess, he inherited a team with two NFL wide receivers and one NFL quarterback and couldn’t do anything with them.
Next time try not to let the Dooley fellatio get in the way of the facts.
Thomas Brown
November 21st, 2012
10:38 am
What I said buckeye, was that there is not 1 single solitary Ohio State University football player who has ever done anything, while The Georgia Bulldogs have 5 players who have Won The NFL Championship Game Most Valuable Player Award. Your answer was Chris Spielman, an ESPN broadcaster – when all ESPN is known for is purposely building up 1 player Tim Tebow for example, or 1 team, Southern California for example at the expense of other players and other teams. They want to not report the sports’ news. ESPN Chris Spielman especially, wants to create the news, bend the news, shape the opinions of the sports’ world. ESPN wants to dominate the news. As a player, Chris Spielman what ? Won 1 bowl game ? He certainly did not bring any national championship to Ohio State. In fact, his years were the lean years. His NFL career, also brought his teams NOTHING. Every year but 1 his NFL teams never won a play-off game. No, Chris Spielman has done NOTHING, after being drafted in the 2nd round of the NFL draft and nothing at Ohio State Unversity either. Nor at ESPN. This is your best example. Charley Trippi, by himself, runs rings around anyone on Ohio State University football teams or what they did after they left Ohio State University, and he is but 1 of many key Georgia Bulldogs through the years who have actually DONE SOMETHING. Ohio State University ? Never. Not 1 player at Ohio State University has EVER DONE anything.
I'm a Georgia fan. It's a license to be stupid.
November 21st, 2012
10:44 am
For the love of all things sacred, please ban Thomas Brown.
Festus
November 21st, 2012
10:44 am
Derek Dooley wouldn’t have been fired if Tennessee was making steady progress. Instead, the bottom fell out this year and UT replaced Vandy as the doormat and laughingstock of the SEC. UT has a long tradition of treating coaches rotten. Bill Battle, Johnny Majors, Phil Fulmer, and now DD have been canned because they are being paid millions of bucks per year to do one thing: win. Yes Vince Dooley hired Mark Richt but he also hired Ray Golf. Everyone in the UGA family loved Ray but he could do everything but game time coaching. So he was gone. There is a reasonably good chance USC will fire Lane Kippin so he could be the next Tenn coach.
Thomas Brown
November 21st, 2012
10:55 am
________________________________________________________________________
“VolNation has a storied, proud tradition of winning, so it’s been a very hard period of time”
________________________________________________________________________
Yes, but it’s not Derek Dooley’s doings – not 1 iota.
40 years of vols’ football takes us back to 1973
314-151-10, I am sorry but that is not a proud tradition these 40 years.
You average 4-Losses a year for 40-years.
Georgie tek was good at football 55 years’ ago. What does that matter today ?
Look, you hired Derek Dooley, and asked him to clean it up. As every other vols’ fan has already reported on this very blog before your post, Derek Dooley did that.
Your football program is in shambles.
You are not competitive. Phfat Fil. Please. That jerk ran your football program into the ground from the day he did-in Johnny Majors.
The naked truth about vols’ football is that you ran up your won/lost record playing nothing but cupcakes and refusing to play the top teams. Once you had to actually play top teams, you are left with a silly-looking uniform and colors in a stadium which is hugely quiet. There is a look of all your faces that you know what is coming every game.
Just like Georgie tek.
I am all for an honest discussion here; but Derek Dooley is not your problem. And, your problems are not Derek Dooley. Nor was the answer Phfat Fil.
Only there are still you old guys who remember when the vols were a team who did have good won/lost records. But, I don’t think you would come in here and reply to me or us that you really think 40 years’ worth of 4-Loss teams for the vols’ is a proud tradition, now would you ?
brokebackvol