What’s wrong with a little star treatment?
Mark Richt’s offseason mantra this year, that the star of the team is the team, has gotten a lot of discussion in recent months. We’ve heard how last year the Dogs bought into their preseason ranking too much and some players tended to expect stars Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno to pull off a miracle when things got tough.
To put that mind-set aside, Richt has stressed time and again that the 2009 team has no stars, despite the fact that it’s not true. A.J. Green is already a big-time star. Rennie Curran is the SEC’s best returning tackler. And some of the players returning from injuries, including Jeff Owens and Trinton Sturdivant, have star potential.
In any other season, the Athens Banner-Herald pointed out, some of these players’ faces would have adorned the UGA football media guide the same way other SEC schools promote their stars. Instead, Georgia went with mascot Uga VII and a mass of unidentified players on its media guide cover — the first time since 1992 that individual players haven’t been featured.
Perhaps as a result of this no-star approach, Green and Curran have been overshadowed by other schools’ players on some of the preseason All-SEC lists.
I understand what Richt is trying to accomplish with this no-star approach. But there’s something to be said, too, for striking a little fear in your opponents’ hearts. And letting some of your best players develop a bit of a swagger.
Plus, I’m not sure anyone, on the team or off, really believes all Dogs are created equal or that you can win in the SEC without stars.
Does this the-team-is-the-star business strike you as just a bit disingenuous? More spin than reality? A mind trick to distract the Dogs from the fact they’re missing the bulk of their scoring production from last season? A way to sidestep the blame for a poor job of preparing the team mentally last year?
Or is keeping the focus on the team as a whole how it should be in any season? Sort of a blue-collar, Junkyard Dogs mentality?
What do you think?
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79 comments Add your comment
jeffrey d
August 31st, 2009
12:21 pm
So by not putting AJ Green on the media guide, he won’t strike fear into opposing defenses? AJ Green is going to be so much worse because he doesn’t develop a “swagger” from being overhyped? Yeah okay.
jeffrey d
August 31st, 2009
12:24 pm
This is why I never post on this blog….it’s always “Georgia is the greatest team of all time and they have no faults” vs. “I hate Georgia because I went to another school.” Everyone argues the same points, nobody ever gets anywhere.
“We won 45-42.” “Oh yeah? Well we won 7 years in a row!”
“Dogs are overrated, as usual. WAR EAGLE!!!!” “What? Auburn sucks! We’re going to outscore opponents 587-3 this year!”
etc…
UnderDawgs
August 31st, 2009
12:34 pm
If uga was so good, they wouldn’t be a 6 point dawg to osu..a team they belittle.
even more surprising is the ok byu line. 22? they have byu ranked 20th and okla 3rd or 4th. so byu should be no where near 20th if they are 3+ td dawgs.
Stephen
August 31st, 2009
12:35 pm
Watching game film of Green and Curran should strike plenty of fear into opponents. Nobody needs to tell opposing teams that those two are stars. Personally, I love the new approach.
Hey M
August 31st, 2009
12:36 pm
What are your thoughts on this? LOL
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Altf0ExM0RCfnMIaa37ZgwQ5nYcB?slug=txchiefsgailey&prov=st&type=lgns
Sad Richards
August 31st, 2009
12:41 pm
I sure hope that the lousy “Finish the Drill” mantra is out the window. Its a a football game not a drill or practice.Whoever mentioned the stupid idea for clueless Willie to butt heads with the defensive players is an insult to Erk Russell and the the real junkyard defense of years past. This team has a lot to prove both offensively and defensively.I sure hope if this team can really prove something instead of the same ole song and dance routine.This team needs to be focused instead of players like Jeff Owens making silly Videos on players spitting watermelon seeds.Hope CMR has this team ready to play as soon as the game starts this weekend instead of getting behind early then finally waking up then coming up short. We shall see I guess.
What UGAG is overlooking
August 31st, 2009
12:57 pm
OSU has brought in a damn good def coord. The defense will be much improved. He’s ranked as one of the best in the country. No surpise, Willie is no where to be found.
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=981887
CaliDogg
August 31st, 2009
12:58 pm
What does it take to start on a first class football team in the Southeastern Conference?
There are no hacks out there on that field.
Truth is, the over-used and abused term “stars” usually merely denotes what we also (inappropriately) term “skill position” players (as if all positions don’t take skill to play them). Who are the stars? The center who calls the line signals, the left guard and tackle who trap a monster nose guard and spring a running back for a 40 yard touchdown, or the running back doing a back-flip in the end zone after the play?
It’s a trick question. And a trap. For a team.
Richt doesn’t always get it right, but he’s got this right.
41 38 49 38 45
August 31st, 2009
1:02 pm
Willie is found in these numbers!
maddawg
August 31st, 2009
1:03 pm
this is not only a good idea for this year but every year. there is one team in the nfl with that philosophy year in and year out. the new englend patriots. they broke the tradition in that 1st superbowl when the rams introduced the “stars” and then the rest of the team. they came out as “the new england patriots”! last time i checked they are still one of the top programs in the league.
GREAT MOVE CMR AND GO DAWGS, SIC EM, WOOF WOOF!!!!!!!!!
Prediction
August 31st, 2009
1:30 pm
By 5 pm Saturday, there will be lots of profanity around N Ga and lots of drunk depressed rednecks.
Halftime
OSU 27
UGA 7
T boone will be smiling at his investment
Jeff
August 31st, 2009
1:30 pm
Hopefully the TEAM learned how to tackle. That’s the nuts and bolts of it all. Tackle and we stomp tech…..having a QB that wasnt trying to impress the NFL and we are in the game with UF…..
Prediction
August 31st, 2009
1:31 pm
Cox will have 2 INT’s in the first half and dawg nation will be calling for his ouster.
Gratefuldawghead
August 31st, 2009
1:40 pm
HUNKER DOWN DAWGS!
Fools Gold
August 31st, 2009
1:53 pm
All of these predictions Ha! Here is a fact , Willie is still a defensive coordinator .Don’t really care who is on the front of magazines or media guides at this point of the season . The scoreboard, stats and style points are so important these days to reach that level of respect that the dawgs long for so much. Beat the teams like the dawgs should, always play hard and the rest should fall into place. If not then it will be another year of FOOLS GOLD!
how2fish
August 31st, 2009
1:55 pm
m please tell me if you did win last year over the “stars” and somehow you win over the “no names”…WTF were you and the Bugs doing the other 7 out of 8 years…trying to channel Bobby Dodd??? …loser Hell is coming and he is wearing Red and Black…
What
August 31st, 2009
2:36 pm
All that matters is the score at the end of the game – a W is a W regardless of if you have stars or a team concept – the team concept is great and as already stated – all the preseason hype and All SEC players etc don’t mean sh – - if you cannot produce on the field – let them be judged at the end of the season and not the beginning. All we have now is speculation – all you people that speculate and talk about “last year” are a bunch of loosers – last year is over – this is a new year a new team and hopefully the TEAM can win in OK and move on from there – good Luck dawgs! Play like you can and you will have a great year!
p.s. You also cannot judge how good a year a team will have based on preseason scrimmage and practice – most people know that you do not go “balls to the wall” in practice and I am sure OK will be a great game and the team that comes prepared to win will win – end of story – some of you are ready to write the dawgs off and some of you are ready to give them a NC – so answer this – why even play the game?
takedowndawg
August 31st, 2009
3:01 pm
prediction(Tech fan in drag), Have you turned 19 yet with your coke bottom glasses and still stuck with pimples. You wish the score would humilate the DAWGS. ” An imagination is a terrible thing to waste”, and you obviously not wasted yours!” Go DAWGS!!!!!!!!
takedowndawg
August 31st, 2009
3:02 pm
Enter your comments here
Prediction
August 31st, 2009
3:05 pm
Hey look at me takedowndawg. I’m so retarded that I don’t even know how to submit a blog entry. I hit it twice and look what happens. Enjoy a looooong season loooooza!
AltamahaDawg
August 31st, 2009
3:07 pm
Yea Murph, I watched those same games. That was hardly the point I was making.
Cedartown Bulldog
August 31st, 2009
3:26 pm
King, you use regativity in a stupid and meaningless way. Richt’s goal is to get the team to practice and focus better.He isn’t trying to start a commune,what a lame-assed take on things.
Willie Martinez..I hope this season works
August 31st, 2009
3:32 pm
This is the tale of the tape. No injuries this year.
For Willie to keep his job the following must happen:
If we don’t win at least 2 of these 4 games: Ok State, Florida, Georgia Tech or LSU
Or
We must have no more than 4 losses, by winning atleast 2 of the games above.
If we get any blowouts, where our offense is supporting the defense. Then the writing is on the wall.
Willie, I say it is a 2 bad seasons and done?
Please provide feedback.
Thanks
clickdawg44
August 31st, 2009
3:54 pm
t tech
takedowndawg
August 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
prediction, sorry about the double entry. Did not think that my blog transmitted. Seen others do the same thing regularly. I did notice that you did not DENY the under 19 , coke bottle glasses and pimples comment. I am sorry that I made these comments since you shared with us you birth condition. I do not like to insult those which are born disadvanged. By the way what was GT’s Forbes ranking this year? Or, do you not want to know. Let’s just say you didn’t fair very well. Check it out. Have a great year in the acc. We’ll be playing in the SEC!
Carl Spackler
August 31st, 2009
4:41 pm
Well you better hope that you have some stars, you better hope that you have some leaders, you better have people w/ attitude that they are the best, you better hope that you have some good ol’ boys willing to strap it on and bust heads for no notoriety other than the shear joy of getting down and dirty…any team should have, and need, any and all of these player types…It’s hard to believe that CMR played at the “U” in the early 80’s, sure wasn’t any stars on those teams…
“Mark Richt’s offseason mantra this year, that the star of the team is the team, has gotten a lot of discussion in recent months. We’ve heard how last year the Dogs bought into their preseason ranking too much and some players tended to expect stars Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno to pull off a miracle when things got tough.”
And how does something like this take place; well it’s called coaching…the best thing I can remember from CMR allow was the Fl game a few weeks back, black jersey’s, nasty attitude, and celebrating in the end zone (must have picked that up at the “U”…well this season, more than any other, you better have stars/leaders/special teamers/trench trolls/grunts that are willing to go out and punch them square in the mouth and set the tone for the rest of the season…
SagaciousSamDawg
August 31st, 2009
4:41 pm
It is far better to have a team that is considered to be great, than to be limited to having just a couple of players that are deemed great, especially considering the psychological effect. It is easy and quite understandable for superstars to become the least favorite players, especially when they aggrandize themselves in unseemly fashion. The best players that a coach could hope to have would be those who have lots of talent in addition to great leadership skills. From the limited media ink that has afforded me a meager opinion, it seems that Joe Cox, Clint Boiling, AJ Green, Rennie Curran, Jeff Owens, Gino Atkins and Prince Miller have set a very nice leadership tone for this team. And it appears to have many advantages over last year’s team leadership. It is far better to absain from conversation about superstars until the regular season and bowl games are over. Let the superstars be past players. The current roster should have no room for such monikers. I really like this idea that the star of the team is the team. It just seems to make the most sense and is most likely to produce winning results.
elephant slayer
August 31st, 2009
4:53 pm
Just play the game and see how the DAWGS shake out. IF the DAWGS take care of business as they should, plenty of recognition will be given by the media to the star players. If not, surely the coaches will suffer. It is a heck of a racket wouldn’t you say!
DamnGoodDawg
August 31st, 2009
8:19 pm
Produce. Then be a star.