Don’t look for fake ‘outrage’ from Mark Richt
Why are some college sports observers so anxious for Mark Richt to fall? (Associated Press)
Anyone expecting the NCAA “inquiry” in Athens to prompt Mark Richt into jumping on the anti-agent “pimps” and “predators” bandwagon with Nick Saban and Urban Meyer doesn’t really know Richt.
Situational (and not very convincing) outrage trotted out for the TV cameras isn’t his style. (Does Saban think his own agent is a pimp? Just wondering.)
While Richt currently is limiting his comments regarding the NCAA to “we’ll see what they gather,” even after the investigation is concluded and he can talk, it would be a major surprise for him to come out pointing fingers and threatening to ban agents or NFL scouts — actions that are highly unlikely to really be taken by Saban and Meyer in any event. (What a recruiting tool that would be for major talent: Come to Alabama, where we can guarantee you won’t be seen at practice by pro scouts. Please.)
Yes, the current situation with agents trolling for future pro clients is getting untenable, but Saban’s approach isn’t going to solve it. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive probably comes closer with his idea that nationally the NCAA needs to rethink its limitations on contact players can have with agents.
No, colleges paying players isn’t likely to happen, and neither is the NCAA approving players taking money from agents. But bringing the agents into the tent in some officially sanctioned capacity might at least cut down on the attraction of peripheral enticements like the party in South Beach.
As for the specifics of the UGA inquiry, we don’t really know who they’re focusing on, despite the report from the celebrity gossip outfit TMZ that it’s A.J Green.
Green says he wasn’t at the party and there’s no reason not to believe him. It’s possible some other Bulldog was involved. Or the NCAA simply could be working its way through all the top NFL prospects to see what they say.
One thing I do know, though: It was kind of ridiculous the way some pundits were trying to dance on Richt’s grave practically within minutes of the announcement of the NCAA inquiry. One more reason he’s on the hot seat? What a crock.
It’s interesting just how anxious some folks are to see Richt fall, delighting in every obstacle thrown in his path, while the sports media in general genuflects in the direction of Saban and Meyer.
Maybe it’s the nice guy image. Or wearing his faith on his sleeve. Maybe they just can’t believe there’s not an inner jerk hiding beneath that calm exterior. Perhaps if he got openly angry more often and lashed out occasionally like Saban and Meyer the harpies of the sports media wouldn’t be so quick to relish in the prospect of tough times for Richt.
It won’t happen, though. Win or lose, Mark Richt is too much of a gentleman to play that game.
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161 comments Add your comment
mcdawghna
July 22nd, 2010
1:47 pm
MR Georgia football……..They have no track record……I do’nt think its worth the risk…….But if he were to be let go for some reason I’m sure they would be contacted…..but then we’re back to starting over again
1eyedJack
July 22nd, 2010
1:50 pm
Look who runs the media now-a-days….liberal nut jobs. The whole world is just a reality TV show and if something bad or exciting is not happening then, by God, they’ll make something up and try to pass it off as truth. No respect for anything or anybody. No sacred cows. And if you don’t agree with me then….YOU’RE A RACIST!!!
ceph
July 22nd, 2010
1:50 pm
SickandTired you are right on. I thought we hired a football coach not a preacher. Every time Richt is interviewed it invariably winds up with him preaching and talking about his relationship with God instead of the thing he should be talking about, UGA FOOTBALL!!!!!!!! When he was asked about a new athltetic director he said, I don’t worry about those things I just live to serve my lord and master. What a crock, I don’t care if he is a christrian or not those are things he should keep to himself and quit telling the rest of us all about it. Talk about it to your fellow parishoners in church. The last OC under Tuberville said it was very uncomfortable there because Tuberville was always talking about God, but at least Tuberville didn’t bring it up every time he was interviewed. Richt is way overboard with this christian thing, he needs to give it a rest!!!!!!
RAMBLE ON!!!
July 22nd, 2010
1:59 pm
mcdawghna, Paul Johnson. Fool.
Maybe that stupid ad from the idiot wannabe Governor Roy Barnes has a little truth to it when he says the rest of the country is laughing at Georgia, he just didn’t say…”The University of……..”.
RAMBLE ON!!!
July 22nd, 2010
2:00 pm
cheers, I’m out, Go Georgia Booze Dawgs!!!
1eyedJack
July 22nd, 2010
2:03 pm
ceph, I guess it’s safe to say you’re not a Christian, because that’s what Christians do. They are “fishers of men”….at every opportunity.
Damn Good Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:08 pm
I’m not going to be naive enough to say that I would never want CUM (that makes me laugh) or CNS be the head man at UGA, because lets face it, those guys are pretty good. BUT, I will say that I for one have the upmost respect for CMR, and have faith in him that he will bring us a championship very soon. Whats up with all the UGA fans hating all of the sudden after one bad season? What will you say if we win a MNC this year or even the next? Real fans dont give up when the going gets tough, thats what I call FAIRWHEATHER FANS, and for what its worth, I would rather you go be a fan of someone elses team. If you are interested in recent success I would suggest you become a gator or tide fan, they seem to be rolling right now. How long did it take Dooley to win his Natty? Just sayin. Whats up SSIgator, I see your still hating from my home town.. keeps the “rivalry” fresh i guess…
militarydawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:22 pm
Give me a break! Alabama and Floridia both have the same issue with the ncaa right now. Are you losers that scared of UGA that you have to make a big deal over this? I guess the world is gona end since UGA is getting invetigated. Looking forward to another beatdown of the bumble bees this year GO DAWGS.
Mark "Crimson Crier" Ingram
July 22nd, 2010
2:27 pm
Dawggirl kiss our Pelosi!
militarydawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:33 pm
write down all the dawg haters now cause com jan. when UGA is in the NC you will all be deep throaten UGAs NUT$ sayin you was a loyal fan all the way. I can see it now. Magicly UGA nation will probally double just like Bamas in 09
Damn Good Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
2:37 pm
Yeah, its amazing how many alabama license plates, stickers and shirts I’ve seen in the past year. Where did ya’ll come from?
SOGADOG
July 22nd, 2010
2:43 pm
Good one Mr. King. A great deal of the criticism of CMR stems from pure old fashioned jealousy and hate. The critics are jealous of his success as a coach, a family man and as a christian. Deep down, the critics are angry about their own short comings and personal failures so they lash out at successful folks such as CMR. The irony of it all is that christians like CMR acutally love and forgive those who criticize them.
Hunker Down
July 22nd, 2010
3:01 pm
CMR adds a High degree of stability at UGA. Saban and Meyer are unpredictable. Let someone offer CNS more money somewhere else and see. CUM, I am retiring, no, I changed my mind…who knows with him. Now I keep hearing CMR is on the hot seat? Wonder who is behind this one. Critics amass over an 8-5 season. Not UGA standards since richt has arrived but still a winning record and one who can boast of winning 90 games in first 9 seasons. Maybe critics should worry more over their team and not the Dawgs.
By Pundits
July 22nd, 2010
3:04 pm
do you mean Jeff Schultz and Mark Bradley?
Mr. Georgia Football Returns
July 22nd, 2010
3:05 pm
ceph
July 22nd, 2010
SickandTired
You both are right on! Richt sounds like he is telling the Dawg Nation “Talk to the Lord, the face don’t want to hear it!” That’s absurd! He’s not “in touch”.
Mr. Georgia Football Returns
July 22nd, 2010
3:08 pm
our President fired our last coach when it was apparent that our program had plateaued, we had lost to all of our biggest rivals, and the AD could not guarantee that the overall and record against are rivals would improve the next year.
Richt is just 9-7 to our four biggest annual rivals (UT, UF, AU, Ga Tech) over the last four years. Our overall record the last four years is strong but we certainly have had a share of frustration too.
While I have been on record that I do not think that Richt is on the hot seat, I also believe that given Adams proclivities for meddling in athletics that it is not beyond him to step in to make a change if he thinks CMR has peaked and we struggle against our traditional rivals. I think we UGA fans would be deluded to think that Adams believes that he is that powerful.
The problem, as I have stated before (here and other places) is not that we UGA fans believe it. The problem is that coverage and commentary are rapidly moving beyond “is he or is he not” to he is on the hot seat. It’s now a “fact” because so many people are writing about
JB
July 22nd, 2010
3:11 pm
The way college coach’s are graded in this country ( NC is the measuring stick) Richt to date would fall behind Saban and Meyer……But as far as men go, class, quality of a person, You can’t beat Mark……I’ll take him all day……and, he will get that title…… ( not that Saban and Meyer are good husbands and Fathers )
JB
July 22nd, 2010
3:12 pm
That’s AREN’T good husbands ans fathers
We need an EeRichtion!
July 22nd, 2010
3:14 pm
Hunker Down -
Mark Richt has been long on “Figurehead” and short of results. 10 win average seasons but no championships in the past four long years. His window for achieving the National Championship is the first ten years! I see success in Richt’s career but I also see a lot of failures. The Dawg Nation is uncertain going into the 5th straight year as to the direction of the team!
Muschamp and Smart could do no worse!
Richt is right! In the G-Day game, Murray looked a lot like Joe Cox. The Dawg Nation is concerned about an offense that will go five series with no score like in the Texas A&M game.
The Dawg Nation is not looking for a “figurehead” like Paterno or Bowden. The Dawg Nation is looking for “Championships Plural”! The last 5 years have been a disappointment and a failure for the fans. If Richt were at Alabama, LSU or Florida, he would be gone! Why should the Dawg Nation expect less from a head coach paid $2.8 million plus endorsements. Could Kirby Smart or Will Muschamp do any worse?
bigdawg
July 22nd, 2010
3:16 pm
Great article BILL, Richt has brought class to the program, Dooley would have faced these issues in this day and time. I do not care what anyone says Richt is still a premier coach in thiscountry and maybe one of the best Georgia has ever had. Tell schultz to stick to Tech.
We need an EeRichtion!
July 22nd, 2010
3:16 pm
Dawg Nation join together and “EeRicht” Coach Mark Richt!
Damn Good Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
3:19 pm
I think it’s awesome for someone in such a high position to not be afraid of what he believes in. I think it is his faith that shapes the charater of these guys and helps them grow to be repectable men. (See David Greene, both Stinchcombs, Pollack, etc.) I know, I know, the off-feild problems this year have been more in the media this year, but its where those guys go from there and how they learn from their mistakes that is the true judge of character.
bigdawg
July 22nd, 2010
3:23 pm
Amen DGD finally a fan with some sense!
#1 BAMA FAN
July 22nd, 2010
3:24 pm
Bill King….what a stupid article. The dislike for agents from Saban is real and is shared by most all BAMA fans. His agent is not a “pimp” because he work for the Coach “above the board”. Your comment about top notch players coming to Tuscaloosa sounds like you drink during the day. Best of luck to the DAWGS and I hope no SEC teams get in trouble before the start of the season.RTR
Damn Good Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
3:25 pm
Erection, you are a fairweather fan and should go jump on the Bama band-wagon. Mark Richt stays, I heard it from TMZ last night.
We need an EeRichtion!
July 22nd, 2010
3:27 pm
bigdawg -
Sometimes Mark Richt’s “best” isn’t good enough!
bigdawg
July 22nd, 2010
3:40 pm
EeRiction, if the trends continue he will be the winningest coach in ga history, far surpassing Dooley. I for one do not want to return to the days of Goff and Donnan. Dooley was at Ga for 16 years before he got his national championship. Richt will get his, and soon.
1eyedJack
July 22nd, 2010
3:45 pm
EeRiction, Not good enough for who? You? Because you’re a spoiled brat? Or because you are entitled to a National Championship? College football has been played for over a hundred years and they haven’t given out near that many and there are more that a hundred teams out there who want one. So it may not be quite as easy as YOU seem to think my friend.
Patient Dog
July 22nd, 2010
3:45 pm
Where do all of these non dog opponent experts come from. I wounder who cares for these self appointed experts on their own blog. 0% of these self appointed experts are any where close to doing their own job descriptions as they blow off on the dog blog. Stay at home, you might find no one loves you there or thinks you are brilliant.
Christopher Hitchens
July 22nd, 2010
3:45 pm
Christians poison everything!
Mr. Georgia Football Returns
July 22nd, 2010
3:48 pm
Patient Dog -
SEC coaches rankings by SI mag
June 1st, 2010
4:25 pm
1-Nick Saban
2-Urban Meyer
3-Les Miles
4-Bobby Petrino
5-Derek Dooley
6-Steve Spurrier
7-Gene Chizik
8-Bobby Johnson
9-Miss State coach
10-Houston Nutt
11.Mark Richt
We need an EeRichtion!
July 22nd, 2010
3:51 pm
1eyedJack -
I say buy out the contract. He apparently has been “Emeritus”, retired but on staff for four years. Hire Muschamp or Smart. Bring someone new in that is not looking to retire and soaking up $2.8 million per year plus endorsements and bonuses while he waits!
Damn Good Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
3:55 pm
Mr. “georgia football”
Fabricated: unless by SI you mean Senseless Inbred mag. Did they really not know the name of the Mississippi State Head Caoch? Riiiiiiight…
link or it doesnt exist
Damn Good Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
3:58 pm
Erection, your use of exclamation for every sentence is maddening at best. Anyone that excited is either on cocaine, or ADD… no offense to the ADD people of the world.
We need an EeRichtion!
July 22nd, 2010
3:59 pm
I suggest performance “accountabiliy and metrics” for all coaches, including Mark Richt who is making $2.8 million plus bonuses and endorsements. A time line for “Championships Plural” should be part of Mark Richts performance metrics.
We need an EeRichtion!
July 22nd, 2010
4:06 pm
Come on guys! Keep up! or your going to spoil the Kool-Aid party.
TMZ Reporter
July 22nd, 2010
4:12 pm
Just in;
SSIgator seen chasing RAMBLE ON! across the parking lot at Turner field. SSI quoted as saying”come on big boy, I can treat you better than that blow up doll you have in the front seat!”
Film at 11.
Damn Good Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
4:17 pm
By the way, that head Coach at Mississippi State’s name is Dan Mullen. Any real Georgia fan whould know that because he is also the former OC at Florida, you know, the team who has had our number for 20 years…
I call fake…
Old Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
4:57 pm
Mr. Georgia Football Returns: If you can’t provide a link to your claim, it’s hollow. Hell, CMR has more bowl wins, 7, in 9 years than South Carolina does from it’s entire history (4-11), so it’s obvious he’s doing a better job than Darth Visor. Petrino has a losing record his first two years at Arkansas, Chizik is new to the conference but had a losing record in the past, Bobby Johnson is out of the game, Houston Nutt’s record is so-so and Dan Mullen is in his second year at MSU.
Go smoke crack and make up stories somewhere else.
wpww dawg
July 22nd, 2010
5:18 pm
call the NERD HERD hotline 478-228-0677
Paul Has A Small Johnson
July 22nd, 2010
5:22 pm
Bill Thats what You people of the media are in this country
Anyone one with any morals like Richt you people want to trash kick and spit on and glamorize the loud mouth trash of our society like the T.O’s, Paris Hiltons, and Vince Youngs
My only problem with Richt is not beating FL like he should with the talent we have and for allowing the 4 yr debacle of Willie Martinez to continue
Beast from the East
July 22nd, 2010
5:23 pm
Bill,
Just because Richt is calm 24/7 doesn’t mean that Saban’s ire is “fake” does it? Does it also mean that Meyer’s demeanor is “fake”? You don’t have to try and tear more successful coaches down to try and build yours up. He can either stand on his own accomplishments or he can’t. What next, you want to try and diminish Coach K’s passion as being “fake” so you can build up Coach Fox?
It’s people like you that keep this “hot seat” talk going by being nothing more than a Richt apologist. Let the man stand on his own two feet……or not.
Mel Gibson is the man
July 22nd, 2010
5:54 pm
Hey Bill King
Last time UGA won a national championship YOU had hair!
Go ahead & ban my I.P. address, your not MAN ENOUGH to take any criticism.
South Ga Dawg
July 22nd, 2010
5:56 pm
Glad to have Richt as our coach. End of story!!!!!!
Dawg Days
July 22nd, 2010
6:02 pm
Great Article Bill, and the biggest pundit of the day is Jeffey poo, as in Shiltz, who has his face in his a$$ based on the blogger comments earlier today blasting him…
Richt is a class act, and for some reason, people mistake his strong moral character as weak, which is the exact opposite of the truth. So often in life, it is easier to blow up and react, like a Saban or Meyer, rather than to weigh the facts and deal with the situation. Also, as much as I hate to admit, people of less faith are often threatened by believers, and their defense mechanism is to belittle those strong in faith. I pity those folks…
1eyedJack
July 22nd, 2010
6:05 pm
Every bossman does not have to be an ahole to get respect. That’s what you hire aholes to do for you. It’s called delegation.
Grantham, I think, will light a fire in the players, and can fill the role of enforcer. We got rid of three wimp coaches and replaced them with some intensity.
We need an EeRichtion!
July 22nd, 2010
6:20 pm
Remember what Mark Bradley said about Richt: “But his is a business predicated on results, not good will.”
Randy
July 22nd, 2010
6:36 pm
He may not be perfect; but at least with Mark Richt you get the real deal. Unlike other coaches, he does not have to jump up behind a podium and beat his chest like a bantam rooster.
Class Act
July 22nd, 2010
6:37 pm
@ SSIgator…….Dude get some help. You are suffering from PENIS ENVY SON….We (UGA)still own the overall. We don’t win games like the utterly criminal and pathetic Arkansas game that was handed to you clowns. Boy I’d like to poke you in the eye…so fasten your chinstrap CHUMP ! ! !
1eyedJack
July 22nd, 2010
6:45 pm
ATTENTION ALL TECHIES!!!
We’re like…number 3 in apparel sales. Somebody likes us.
Last time I saw GT apparel in a store it had dried snot and a big booger on it.
We were ranked 16 preseason in 1980…thirty years later, I like our chances. Let’s see…..22 – 16 = 6. I’d take that at the end of the year as long as we win the last game on the regular schedule.