Why is it that Mark Richt doesn’t get more respect?
ESPN.com recently released the results of its latest SportsNation poll on the current state of SEC football, and one thing that caught my eye was the response to the question of who is the best coach in the conference. You’d expect Urban Meyer, coming off his second BCS national championship at Florida, to top that list and he did, taking 51 percent of the 17,655 votes.
But who was next? Alabama’s Nick Saban at 22 percent, followed by LSU’s Les Miles at 15 percent. Then came Richt and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier (whose best days are behind him), tied at 6 percent.
Looking just at the numbers, you’d think Richt might have done better. The guy has won two SEC championships in eight seasons at UGA, and with a won-loss record of 82-22, his winning percentage of .788 is fourth best in the country among active coaches. (Meyer’s overall winning percentage is .830.) Richt is one of only seven coaches in Division 1-A history to get 80 wins in his first eight seasons. He’s also the dean of SEC coaches in terms of longevity at his current school.
Saban has a winning percentage of .683, well behind Richt’s, and so far at Bama he has only an SEC West division title. At LSU, Saban won two SEC titles, matching Richt. But he also won a BCS national championship.
Miles, who was head coach at Oklahoma State before moving to LSU, also lags behind Richt with an overall winning percentage of .693. And he has only one SEC championship. But, again, he also has a BCS national championship.
And that, of course, is why Richt doesn’t get as much respect as you might expect from his won-loss record. He’s in a conference with coaches who have won three of the past six BCS titles, and he has none. It might not be fair, but until Richt brings one of those crystal footballs back to Athens, he’s always going to be considered not quite in the first rank of SEC coaches.
What do you think? Should winning a BCS title trump overall winning percentage? Are Saban and Miles really better coaches than Richt?
Elsewhere, it looks like the latest battleground for bragging rights among BCS schools is spring scrimmage attendance. Part of the Saban lore in Crimson Tide country has been the large crowds drawn to Alabama’s spring games since he landed in Tuscaloosa. Interestingly, though, Bama’s 84,050 for this year’s spring game was only good enough for second place behind Ohio State’s 95,722, an NCAA record according to SportsBusiness Daily. Third place went to Nebraska with 77,670, followed by Penn State (76,500), Florida (65,000), Tennessee (51,488), Michigan (50,000), Auburn (45,381), Texas (44,000) and UGA in 10th place with this year’s G-Day crowd of 42,458.
In UGA’s defense, it’s been noted that the Dogs have a tougher time than some schools in terms of spring attendance because of all the other sporting events going on in the state at the same time, what with pro sports and a little event called the Masters. But, really, does attendance at a spring game mean anything? (Folks on North Avenue, where their game only drew 8,500, probably would say no.) Is it indicative of the strength and fervor of a school’s fan base or just proof there’s not much going on in some areas?
Scheduling note: I’ll be gone on vacation for most of the next two weeks, but feel free to keep the discussion of all things Bulldog going in the comments.
Go Dogs!
205 comments Add your comment
dawg3fan4
May 19th, 2009
12:52 am
The only difference was that for Saban, Spurrier and Meyer a 1 loss season got them into the NCG so I don’t want to hear how they cashed in when Richt didn’t. Other than how other teams around the country did in the year that each of the coaches had a 1 loss season the coaches of the other teams did nothing more than Richt did in his second season to earn a trip to the NCG. As for Miles he had a 2 loss season to win it all, that is defiantly a matter of luck more than being better than Richt’s 13-1 season. So yes you can count the national titles but that is not the only measure of a coach. Tubbberville at AU is the only coach currently in the SEC who has had an undefeated season and did not slip up at all during a season. If the other coaches were so good why did they all lose one in the season they won it all. Give me a break. Thanks for coming out…
dawg3fan4
May 19th, 2009
12:56 am
Tide Rising- Before I posted I missed your post. Great thoughts. Others to include in that group are Tom Osborne until his last 4 years coaching was considered someone who couldn’t win the big one, then won 3 titles in 4 years. Bowden at FSU prior to 1993 was in that group. If Richt keeps putting together 10+ win seasons eventually he will have his break through then people will question if it was a fluke and can he do it again.
dawg fan that hates Kool-aid
May 19th, 2009
1:11 am
Saban,Meyer,& Spurrier( at least in the past ) are prepared to win the Big games. I think Richt struggles in this catagory.
dawg3fan4
May 19th, 2009
2:50 am
What big games have they won (other than the NCG which you can’t say how he will do because he hasn’t coached in one) that Richt hasn’t? 6-2 in bowl games, 2-1 in SEC championship games. Winning record against every team in SEC except UF. 7-1 against GA Tech. 30-4 on the road. What big games is he doing so terrible in?
Cuz
May 19th, 2009
7:18 am
I remember it like it was yesterday, was it yesterday? I went over to CMR’s after covering a practice. I told him I was thirsty and asked for water. He poured me som kool-aid. I said I wanted water. He told me to drink. Not wanting to raise a stink, I had already done that in his downstairs bathroom, I drank the kool-aid. Funny flavor, cross between almonds anc bovine fecal matter. He then told me crystal footballs break, ask Orson Charles. He spoke and I went into a dream,
AHHHHH. AHHH,AHHHH,AHHHH,AHHHHH.AHHHHHH
I read the news today oh boy. The 80 Dawgs had just won the war. A crowd of people turned away. But I just had to look, Dooley signed my book. I need to turn—the—-light—-on…….
And that is all I remember. But I have a strange craving to go to Britain and ride a double decker bus. And walk barefoot across Abbey Road. Gotta go, Bill Shatner is on the phone about my air-fare.
AltamahaDawg
May 19th, 2009
7:32 am
prepared to win the Big game…….could you say anything more made up and pointless? What the heck does that even mean?
I could say that any loss during the midseason that kept those guy from being in the MNC game on any particular year was the Big game, and they blew it, just totally unprepared I guess. That includes losses that SHOULD have kept them out of the NC picture until some other team’s loss, coached by an equally unprepared coach, cleared the way.
If you are talking about the actual NC game, I’m not sure how you judge Richt’s struggle in that. If you mean the Big game that gets you in, he has won the SECCG a couple of time, which is exactly what the other guy needed to do to get in. What Big games are you talking about?
BTW, what decisions necessary to reach a NC did VanGorder realize that he didnt have the Steel for in his one year as a HC of D1AA school? That’s some damn acidic decisions there, I got to tell you.
GaDawg
May 19th, 2009
7:34 am
It’s a fact. Dooley was a big Lombardi fan so so he incorpratd the “G” logo for his Dawgs, but he tweeked it to the Oval “G” that we still use today. Greenbay liked the new “G” logo and decided to copy it.Check it out on the official University of Georgia Website. Now shut up! oh yea and HA!
Saint Simons
May 19th, 2009
7:39 am
i see UGA bought them another win, playing louisiana-lafyette!
AltamahaDawg
May 19th, 2009
7:48 am
Jacksonville State was busy.
MyBigOldHairyButt
May 19th, 2009
7:55 am
The toothless dog fans whistling when they speak do not seem to realize you are not jack. Richt winning 10 but not the SEC nor BCS, will cost him his job. You have the talent but lack the heart and substance to win the big prize. Kiss it!!
YoMama
May 19th, 2009
7:58 am
No one can deny that Mark Richt is a fine coach. And, what he has done to improve the UGA football team and the fan base after the dissapointing years of Goff and Donnan is undeniable. Until Georgia is able to consistently beat Florida, win more SEC crowns, and win a National Championship will Mark Richt move into the “great” or “best” profile. Nevertheless, at least as I am concerned, what he has done for Georgia, should be appreciated by every Georgia fan. If Goff or Donnan were still in charge we would be wondering if we would ever make it to an SEC Championship Game. Thanks to Richt we are a competitive program and even with an embarrasing loss to, for example, Alabama, we have beaten the Crimson Tide in the prior three games, and twice in Tuscaloosa; something no other Georgia coach has ever done. And even in the loss this year, the team never quit and at least made an effort to come back. Most teams would have given up after the way Alabama took control of that game. We may not have a “great” coach, but we sure do have a far superior coach then what we have had to endure since Coach Dooley retired.
dawgstephen
May 19th, 2009
8:25 am
Pete Carroll has 7 straight 11 win seasons But only 1 NC.
Is he a failure too??
NC’s are not the measure of a big time coach.
With luck just like LSU and FLA have had in 02, 05, 07, then we have played for 3 NC’s and probably won 1 0r 2.
Well well said FROgator.
richtfan
May 19th, 2009
8:31 am
Mark Richt has not won the mnc yet, but he has produced sustained excellence as shown by his overall record. ESPN is a me-generation type of medium, and it’s all about what you’ve done for me lately or who can be put on the screen or in a soundbyte that can make them some ratings quickly. That’s all they care about. They know that Saban and Meyer will say anything to hype their team or to use their excessive arrogance and braggadoccio to quip about their team or another one. They are both the modern day Spurrier. Mark Richt is a background, reserved, blue collar type coach not seeking the media spotlight. that’s why he doesn’t get the respect he’s rightfully earned.
Vero Beach Gator
May 19th, 2009
9:24 am
Mark Richt is a good coach, probably #3 or #4 in the SEC. But, with all the talent that Meyer has at UF and with his coaching staff, Richt will not beat UF while Meyer is there–not enough talent, plus Richt tightens up in that game, and UgA never seems to play up to their level of talent. The only year that Richt beat Meyer, Tebow was hurt and was ineffective and Florida’s defense was terrible due to Zook’s recruiting.
FalconUGAFan
May 19th, 2009
9:41 am
CMR is a tremendous coach and I hope he stays at UGA as long as he wants and we continue being successful. There is a vast difference between Richt and the other coaches mentioned. His mentality seems to be serve His God, raise his players into men and have fun winning games. His opposition (Meyer, Saban, not sure about Miles) seem to be win the games, win the NC. He will never get the media and national respect that the other coaches get. And frankly I don’t think he cares as long as the things I mentioned occur. He just isn’t a bottom line guy like the others, IMHO. He will always keep the DAWGs competitive and Lord willing, give us a NC someday. Go Dawgs!
MyBigOldHairyButt
May 19th, 2009
10:00 am
The oval G on my hat stands for Go Kiss MyBigOldHairyButt.
Jake
May 19th, 2009
10:20 am
UGA plays in the same conference as those other great coaches. Yes Richt hasn’t won a championship, but with that arguement why does Tressel get all the hype he does? Do you think Pete Carroll, Mack Brown, Bob Stoops, or Tressel would be as good as they are if they played in the SEC? I personally don’t think so. I believe you would still be seeing the same leaderboard. I’ll keep our winning coach!!
GaDawg
May 19th, 2009
10:21 am
The Georgia “G” Helmet
In 1963 after becoming the Bulldogs’ Head Football Coach, Vince Dooley redesigned the football uniform choosing a red helmet with a black “G” on a white background as the dominant feature of the new uniform for the 1964 season.
He discussed with his staff that a forward-looking “G” would be an appropriate emblem for the helmet of the Georgia team. Dooley had just hired John Donaldson, former Georgia player from 1945 to 1948, as backfield coach. John was keen on the idea of a new image and volunteered his wife, Anne, who had a BFA in commercial art from UGA to design a logo for the new Georgia helmet with the general specifications Dooley had outlined. Dooley accepted Anne’s original “G” which fit his vision for a forward look to Georgia’s new emblem.
Since the Georgia “G”- though different in design and color- was similar to Green Bay’s “G”, Coach Dooley thought it best to clear the use of Georgia’s new emblem with the NFL team. Athletic Director Joel Eaves called for permission which was granted. However, since its inception in 1961, the Green Bay “G” has been redesigned several times and now looks like Georgia’s original 1964 “G.” Georgia is proud that the Packers apparently liked the special nuances of the Bulldogs’ forward-looking “G.”
Georgia’s oval “G”, eventually replacing Georgia’s old block “G” as the official UGA symbol, has stood the test of time. It made its first appearance in the opening game in 1964 and was an immediate hit with the Georgia fans, especially after Dooley’s first three teams were so successful–highlighted by the 1966 SEC Championship
tom
May 19th, 2009
10:40 am
I’ve been saying this for a couple years now. Mark Richt just doesn’t have the same mentality as Saban or Spurrier. Nick Saban has a killer instinct. I watched Bama beat down on us like it was an unmatched street fight. Spurrier just doesn’t have the talent. I guess all those years of running up the score at Florida comes back to haunt you. I regret to agree, but until Coach Richt wins the crystal football, he’ll always be that good ole christian coach. But hey, Bowden did it. Why can’t Mark?
uuugh.
May 19th, 2009
11:09 am
If we can all agree that an early loss is not as hurtful as a late loss in respect to playing for the MNC…why don’t we move the UGA UF game to the first game of the season. It is the game UGA is most likely to lose every year…and should be UF’s biggest test every year too. Both teams have a bunch of off-weeks before hand…and the jean short crew should love the idea of starting the season with the superbowl a-la the Daytona 500. This would help both teams chances of reaching a BCS game regardless of who wins.
dawgrific
May 19th, 2009
11:13 am
Coach Richt is a GREAT person, and a GREAT fottball coach, and UGA will get their crystal piece soon enough. I totallt agree with the sentiment that he is the knid of guy that you , or any decent parent, would want to send their kid to play for for 4-5 years. I can’t say that about many of the supposed superior coaches that rank above him. the arrogant Meyer has NO class (see 3 timeouts last year) and NO integrity (see him cussing out his punter on field on national tv), and rules his program like a grumpy king, and God help you if you criticize him for ANYTHING (ask Shane Matthews). Florida fans would , or at least should, admit that he is a great football coach, but an a-hole who is obviously allowed to be one because he wins. He makes the old Steve Spurrier seem laid back and humble, which I believe says it all. Miles is a clown, and that will become more and more obvious as time goes by, and Saban wears himself and everyone else around him out in a 3-4 year span. Anyways, I certainly want a NC badly, and I do believe that CMR’s loyalty may hurt him, as evidenced with the Willie Martinez situation, but I wouldn’t trade him and all of the correct things he stands for for any other coach in America. He loves our school, and he loves his job, and he loves his community, but most of all he loves his players (surrogate children) and that leads to stability and long-term success. GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kendawg
May 19th, 2009
11:38 am
Considering what happened to Tuberville and Fulmer, Coach Richt has done an amazing job of consistently winning. Personally, I wouldn’t trade him for any other coach in football, college or pro. The key must be recruiting, as well as coaching, for he gets very good talent every year. I can’t wait until Marlon Brown, Orson Charles, and Aaron Murray have matured and are contributing to the program. It may be this fall. Regardless of polls, we are lucky to have CMR at UGA.
FalconUGAFan
May 19th, 2009
11:46 am
dawgrific, Very well said. That is what I tried to say, but you stated it very well. Go Dawgs!!!
rabiddawg
May 19th, 2009
12:47 pm
dawgrific is 100% correct in his post. Coach Richt will have a crystal football eventually. Heck if either Fred Gibson OR Damien Gary play in the 2002 GA FLA game or if Edwards doesn’t drop that pass than UGA would have been undefeated. Instead we lose 20 – 13 to FLA and settle for FSU in the Sugar Bowl. In 2005, if JD Stokely (just kidding) would have played, we would have beaten FLA and maybe not lost to Auburn with him coming off an injury and definetely not lost to WVU. Instead we lose 14 -10 to FLA, and 31 to 30 to Aubie. We have the best and classiest coach in the sec BY FAR. When other schools are after assistant coaches and they stay at UGA for Richt and less money, that says it all. In a long round about way, I’m saying that we will win a Championship under Richt. There is no doubt in my mind. When that finally happens, and Urban Meyer has jumped to Notre Dame to inflate his ego further, and Saban has left Bama for another job, and Miles is still clowning around, and Spurrier has retired (finally), and Tenn is about on their third coach after the disater that will be Kiffin, we UGA fans will still have a top tier program, with a top tier coach, a coach who loves Athens and our program.
Georgia News - 5/19/09 | MrSEC.com
May 19th, 2009
12:49 pm
[...] games in a season. UGA wants to do it every year.This AJC blogger wants to know why Mark Richt doesn’t get more national respect.Finally, Herschel Walker has been named to Parade Magazine’s list of their all-time 50 best [...]
59bulldawg
May 19th, 2009
1:28 pm
I’ll take Mark Richt over any coach out there today. He’s bought into what we love so much about our Dawgs, made them better over a longer period of time than any coach since Vince, and has adopted Athens and the University of Georgia as his own. He’s not looking for a job every off season or pretending to in order to leverage his position and increase his salary. He’s happy here! He provides the right example for our young men and tries to instill a sense of moral direction and responsibility in their lives. I know some will respond with ignorance and hate by pointing out athlete arrests but in the end each of us are responsible for ourselves. Richt can only lead. But it’s up to the player to follow. And most of them do. I have no problem with him taking a chance on a deserving athlete who’s a marginal but well-behaved student. A kid like that who’s trying hard and successfully earns his degree can have a heck of an impact in this world . . . and I’m not talking about just in sports. Richt understands the possibilities of positively affecting the lives of others through his position as Head Football Coach of the University of Georgia better than anyone who has ever held that position. He doesn’t just talk the talk . . . he also walks the walk. He’s active in his faith. He’s honest and he personally cares about each of his players. He wins and I’m convinced that he will win a national championship at Georgia before he’s through. And I hope he has a Paterno-like career at Georgia in terms of longevity and overall success. What else could we ever ask for in a coach? The only time I ever get a little upset with CMR is when I think he might be better served by being more demanding and a little less loyal to assistant coaches who don’t consistently bring out the best in their charges. And only then it’s because I know such efforts can bring unexpected losses and eventually cause some, even though Richt’s proven himself time and time again, to lose confidence in his abilities. Make no doubt about it I want to win another NC so bad I can’t stand it. But I want to win it with Mark Richt at the helm and don’t give a rat’s hiney what ESPN or anyone else says about him. The University of Georgia has prospered under CMR but the best is yet to come.
AWJ (UGA Alumni)
May 19th, 2009
1:38 pm
I would rather wait for the DAWGS to win a MNC the right way, than to win it the wrong way sooner. If you don’t understand what I mean by that, don’t bother asking because you would not understand anyway.
Go DAWGS and CMR!!!!!
Saint Simons
May 19th, 2009
2:24 pm
Roddy Jones just scored again!!!!!!!!! hahahhahahahahaahaahaha
richtfan
May 19th, 2009
3:28 pm
HEY dAVE IN tAMPA
do you think Tom Osborne was a “loser” all those years that he wasn’t winning national titles? And then finally, suddenly, overnight he was a “winner” the day after he won his first title?
shards1967
May 19th, 2009
3:32 pm
Winning and losing is what it is all about. A national title is KEY to high ratings for any coach. Frankly, Vince Dooley was so over rated in his time. I was a student at UGA in late 60s, early 70s and Dooley was not considered great, at that time. By then, he had won at least two or three SEC titles. Auburn and Oklahoma and maybe one other school tried to lure Vince away and most of us then, hoped that he would leave. In 1980 and 81,82,83 he had great teams with one TITLE. Today, he is by all standards of evaluating coaches, very highly respected.
With Richt, one national TITLE and then, another great year before or after THE TITLE year, he too will be a lock on being considred great, all things considered. The TITLE is what is holding him back.
TS
May 19th, 2009
3:36 pm
CMR’s farts smell like a Tahitian breeze and he poops gold dubloons.
UGA ALWAYS CHOKE
May 19th, 2009
5:59 pm
CHOKE!!! THE OFFICAL DRINK OF THE GEORGIA BULLDAWGS !
beanuga
May 19th, 2009
7:12 pm
Saban came into Alabama with a huge talent on both sides of the ball. Meyer also stepped into a gold mine. MR will win a NC. MR is a outstanding coach. Go Dawgs!
Richt = Richard Simmons
May 19th, 2009
9:04 pm
That is why Richt gets zero respect. He is a darn cheer leader.
BobDog
May 19th, 2009
10:13 pm
Give me a break. Richt is a great coach. I wouldn’t swap him for any of the other three ahead of him. Just another lackluster ten-win year.
The spring game doesn’t tell you a thing about the team. I watched the spring game on TV. Glad I recorded it because I fell asleep two nights trying to get through it before I could finish it the third night. I am glad I didn’t waste my time going. Plus, it was Masters weekend.
wreckmaniac
May 19th, 2009
10:36 pm
Winning the nat champ may mean something for some UGA fans but Richt realizes that he can stay in Athens forever as long as he has a top 10 recruting class and beats Tech most of the time. That is all that is required. Why make life harder than it has to be ?
dawg fan that hates Kool-aid
May 20th, 2009
1:48 am
Alt-dawg,
The big games I am refering to include the regular season UF & UT games.If we can’t win both of these games in the same year we can,t win the sec east, if we can’t win the sec east we can’t win the sec.If we can’t win the sec we can’t win a MNC.I do not expect to win these games every year,but his percentages in these two games are not so good.
That said,I think CMR is the best coach UGA has had in recent history.
As for VanGorder,I never said he was a MNC contender,I said he realized he was not a head coach after his experiences at GA. Southern.
dawg fan that hates Kool-aid
May 20th, 2009
3:14 am
Dawg3fan4
Thanks for your civility,disagreement is what a blog is all about.Some children think personal attacks are necessary when they have opposing opinions.
Richt has a very good road record,and a very good bowl record.However,his record at Sanford (SEC games)& his record in JAX are not so good.
jerry
May 20th, 2009
7:39 am
What Dawg fans want is another 1980 powerhouse-you know the one that recovered their own kickoff on the ND two yard line,(which put a big dent in the “luck of the Irish myth”). The powerhouse that was out gained almost 2-1, punted more times than they had 1st downs, and whose QB was 1-12 for 7 yards . That is the powerhouse that they long for. A real f–king juggernaught. At least Richt can recruit a decent QB.
Preston
May 20th, 2009
8:50 am
As far as I’m concerned, UGA has won 2 MNC’s in the Richt era. The SEC champ is the best team in the country hands down. They just don’t always get to play for the crystal. When they do…they win! USC, Ohio State, and Oklahoma are overrated every freakin year and they get exposed in bowl season. SEC Champ=National Champ.
KB
May 20th, 2009
10:01 am
When you play weak non conference teams do you want respect?
KB
May 20th, 2009
10:02 am
win a national championship and stop dreaming about the days of Doley
Mobile Dawg
May 20th, 2009
10:30 am
What’s the definition of insanity? Most of the bloggers who come on here, sometimes I don’t even know why I continue to read some of this nonsense.
Mark Richt is a class guy who for some reason hasn’t had all the breaks yet. Hopefully that will come. What’s the alternative, fire him? Who are you going to get? I don’t agree with a lot of the decisions or what I see on the field at times, but sour grapes get me nowhere except down. The day I let the results of a football game cloud my perspective on what’s truly important in life will be the day I run down and see the shrink for some mind altering meds.
Until then I will continue to support my Dawgs through thick and thin and enjoy Autumn weekends for what they are, glorious. A new year brings us eternal hope. Good luck Dawgs.
Cuz, I read your 0718 post and you must have been deep in the solvent last night brother.
K
May 20th, 2009
11:04 am
Coach Richt is a great guy. We all know that. We know he has integrity and is a wonderful family man. But, Richt lacks killer instinct. And that will continue to plague Georgia as long as here is here. We play down to the level of our competition, so when it’s time to get up for big games we don’t even show up! That is sad for a school with as much talent as Georgia.
Wes Stansbury
May 20th, 2009
2:00 pm
Mark is just the best. He wins,but not at any cost. He could have made 22 excuses last year, but he didn’t. These dawgs (09) are going to bite.
59bulldawg
May 20th, 2009
2:04 pm
I hear you K about the killer instinct. I’d love to see us go full-bore for 4 quarters and not let up until the final whistle. But most teams, even great ones sometimes have these problems. Do you remember back in 1976 when we turned one of Bear’s Bama teams every which way but loose and beat them 21-0 in Athens? Yes I know it wasn’t one of the Tide’s best but it was very decent 9-3 team. And then the next week we traveled to Ole Miss and lost 21-17. Dooley’s teams also had occasional problems staying motivated and playing down to the competition. 48-10 smackdowns like the Hawaii game are rare and even then Hawaii should have never been in the Sugar Bowl to begin with because they were tremendously overmatched. I realize that for the last several years we seem to have played down to the competition in a lot of games. But also consider that we have had a number of key injuries and suspensions as well. We’ve also had to move a lot of other players around into other positions. That’s certainly enough reason for players to play tentatively but throw that in with a couple of assistant coaches whose problems are well documented on this blog and I think it goes a long way towards explaining the absence of a consistently high level of play. Assistant coaches are just like players in that you must have the right people in key places to have a chance to be good. In short Willie’s got to get it done this season. And one final thing we should remember is that it always take a certain amount of luck no matter how good you are. Just ask the 2008 Texas team. Heck just think back to the breaks LSU had in winning the NC a few years back. So far in Richt’s tenure, Lady Luck has not often been on our side. Hopefully that will change and I am optimistic. But hey I’m like most Georgia fans in that inconsistency or lack of killer instinct or whatever you want to call it drives me absolutely bonkers.
PHIL
May 21st, 2009
4:39 pm
Mickey Mouse could coach winners at Florida. If Spurrier weer still there, he’d have won those championships. Cryer did do well at Utah, but he wins at UF because he has the players, period. Our defensive players were OVER RATED last year as far as talent, not to mention the injuries. Offense put up record numbers so I can’t say they under achieved, other than Staffords blunders.
I wouldn’t have that weasel Saban represent my school if he won 50 in a row. If he’s so smart, why didn’t he do better in the pro’s? Houston Nutt is the most underrated coach in the SEC. He does more with less than anyone. Why AR would let him go for the loser they have is beyond reasoning. People who judge a D1 college coach by his MNC only, wins only for that matter, are idiots.
Jim
May 22nd, 2009
10:34 pm
While I bleed Red and Black of the Bulldogs the fact remains that respect is earned. It’s hard to get that respect when Florida, Alabama, and Georgia Tech whipped us as they did last year.
pit bull
May 22nd, 2009
11:22 pm
Mark Richt used to coach hard. He doesn’t anymore. I think he will in the future. But he did take it easy last year for sure. He gave the offense to Bobo, the defense away, and he just relaxed. The results were to be expected!
Mike Bobo 17 INT
May 23rd, 2009
10:01 am
The media confirms what I have been saying all along, CMR does not have the respect of the media because he cannot win the big ones. UGA will always be viewed as an overrated program, and winning 2 SEC titles does not bring much respect to CMR; however, winning a national title (See UF, USC and Texas) brings much more respect to a coach.
I cannot figure out why the UGA fan base has no clue about CMR. FSU let him go for a reason, he does not have what it takes to get you a title. He does not have the intensity, discpiline, drive and coaches to create a championship program at UGAY.
Like I said, CMR will be gone in 5 years or less from today, and it could be 3, unless you learn how to beat UF. GT is not a great program, but P Johnson is a superior coach. Example: he took the leftovers from Gailey and throttled a preseason #1 pick on their home turf. This is the biggest reason CMR gets no respect, nor does the UGAY program.
All the yelling, and blogging in the world cannot remove the fact that UGAY has only won 1 absolute national title in 116 years, which is a piss poor winning percentage. But please, keep paying those booster fees and buying those tickets, which is the reason UGAY can just keep doing what they are doing…