Do the Dogs have to win for you to stay a fan?
Any time you start out 0-2 in conference play, you can expect unrest in the fan base.
Mark Richt seems to be looking the other way when it comes to Mike Bobo's handling of quarterback Aaron Murray. (Brand Sanderlin / AJC)
It’s been a rough couple of seasons in Athens, with a few highs and way too many lows. And the unhappiness with the mediocrity that the Dogs have exhibited of late has been exacerbated by the fact that Mark Richt had gotten off to such a great start in the first half of his tenure in Athens, with two SEC titles.
So it’s not surprising that most of the barking of late in the Bulldog Nation hasn’t been the kind the cheerleaders elicit.
But there are two sorts of college football fans: those who enjoy the ride on the bandwagon when everything’s going great, but are ready to jump off when it gets bumpy, and those die-hards who support their team even when they’re not happy with the way things are going.
A caller to Richt’s Monday night weekly radio show who apparently falls into the former category asked the coach to “sell” him on continuing to support Georgia’s football program.
Richt rightly demurred.
“The bottom line,” he told the caller, “is if you’re a true fan, in my opinion, you’re going to support your team no matter what. I don’t think you’re going to just love the boys when they win and hate on them when they lose, you know.”
I’m certainly not happy with the current state of the Georgia program. There’s lots of room for improvement.
But as a lifelong fan, whether it’s the mostly good times with Vince Dooley and Richt or the mostly painful times with Johnny Griffith, Ray Goff or Jim Donnan, I support the Dogs. I love it when they’re riding high, but I’m still invested in the program (literally, thanks to my season tickets) even when things aren’t going well.
I still think Richt is the right man to lead this program. Of course, that view might change at some point.
And as a fan I certainly reserve the right to criticize the problems I see, whether it’s the work of an assistant coach, players besmirching the university’s name with dumb decisions or the head coach who at times doesn’t seem to demand quite enough from his players or coaching staff.
But whether the Dogs are challenging the conference elite or struggling to keep from slipping into the perennial also-ran category, I’ll be there at Sanford Stadium, cheering them on and proudly wearing the red and black.
I grew up as a Dogs fan. I graduated from UGA.
They’re my team, no matter what. And nobody has to “sell” me on supporting them.
SPEAKING OF PROBLEMS …
I’m puzzled why Richt refuses to acknowledge (at least publicly) that Mike Bobo’s playcall on that third-and-4 sack Saturday was a bad one.
Talking about the play, Richt said, “I did watch the TV copy myself, and I know the commentators were saying … there was no outlet, there was no short route, that there ought to be. I don’t know what he saw, but there were actually two routes that were about a five- or six-yard depth and a couple of them that would be deeper routes.”
Maybe so, though you certainly can’t tell it from the replays. And obviously Aaron Murray didn’t see them, either.
As we’ve already discussed here, Bobo blamed Murray for holding on to the ball too long and blamed him for most of the six sacks the Razorbacks got. Richt did at least spread the blame around a bit more, saying, “It’s a combination of an offensive line issue, a running backs issue as pass protectors and quarterback issues. It was spread out across the board.”
He didn’t mention a “playcalling issue,” though. Whatever the problems with execution by the players, I’d feel a whole lot more encouraged about the direction of things if Richt was willing to concede that Bobo’s call in that situation at the very least did not maximize Murray’s chances of success.
Murray will learn and get better. But if his boss continues to give him a free ride, I’m not so sure about Bobo.
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404 comments Add your comment
Rick S
September 21st, 2010
1:29 pm
I am and will always be a loyal Georgia Bulldog fan but I am very disappointed that the Georgia Football Program has not been able to achieve the same level of success as Alabama, Florida, and LSU, especially with the great recruiting base there is in Georgia. Way too many 4 & 5 star recruits especially from Metro Atlanta are signing with other Universities and I realize Georgia cannot sign them all but why is Georgia so thin at Wide Receiver, Defensive Line, and Running Backs? I simply don’t get it but I believe it is a fair question that needs to be answered by the UGA Coaching Staff.
JTH
September 21st, 2010
1:31 pm
No Bill, I’ll never give up on the Dawgs. It’s just frustrating watching Richt letting the program fall as far as it has. CMR needs to improve or be shown the door.
jack bull
September 21st, 2010
1:32 pm
first off, Bill, i never heard Coach Bobo use the word ‘most’, when talking about Murray being held accountable for the sack. that’s a very poor choice of words. second, a good leader, make that a great leader, would never call out one of his assistants in public, no matter how bad ‘we’ want to hear it. and you should know that. and last, yes, always been a fan, now alum, and always will be, duh!! oh yeah, one more thing, that little clip you’ve got in the article only shows the back-field, not whats going on 5 or 6 yds downfield, so, another bad choice of ‘evidence’ on your part..besides, how many times have you yelled when someone runs a 3 yd route when they need 5 yds….
Syrupmaker03
September 21st, 2010
1:32 pm
I love the Dawgs, win or lose, but fans have to get based in reality. UGA has a redshirt freshman QB, are implementing an entirely new defensive scheme and just played and could have won against two Top 15 teams in the country. That’s really not that bad. Our “D” blew a couple of coverages last week and we lost. Yes, I think the playcalling can be more aggressive and I think the team needs some swagger and all, but I’m here to tell you, when Alabama came to town and beat us down on Blackout Night, UGA has not been the same since, and look at Alabama’s rise since then. All it takes is that one breakout game and the entire program can change. It will come for UGA in time. It won’t be this year and it may not be in the next 5 years, but this program has the support and the resources to put a team on the field season in and season out that can compete with anyone. There are a lot of very good football teams in college football and sometimes the cards don’t fall in your favor. We are a goal line fumble and a couple of blown coverages from talking about being a SEC and national title contender. Trust me, it’s not as bad as it may seem. GO DAWGS!
TD DAWGS
September 21st, 2010
1:33 pm
fire bobo the clown!
Pago Pago Dawg
September 21st, 2010
1:35 pm
Fire the “O” line coach. The great aj…..kick him off the team, he’s NOT a team guy.
allan in texas
September 21st, 2010
1:36 pm
Born in Georgia and now living in Austin Texas but Bulldog fan for life. Keep your head up Dawg fans!
Go Jackets
September 21st, 2010
1:36 pm
This may be the smartest thing Bill King has ever said. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment. I graduated from Georgia Tech and owe to it everything that I have. Whether we are 0-12 or 14-0, I will have on my gold and have my rear end in Bobby Dodd on Saturdays to support my school. As a fan, college sports about way more than wins and losses. College sports are about tradition, and having good times with old friends. You don’t have to win all the time to enjoy that.
S. Spurrier
September 21st, 2010
1:37 pm
On Georgia’s recruiting after a 45-13 win in 1991 over the Bulldogs: “Why is it that during recruiting season they sign all the great players, but when it comes time to play the game, we have all the great players? I don’t understand that. What happens to them?”
Pitbull
September 21st, 2010
1:38 pm
Here is my love letter to Jeff Shultz today. Take from it what you like:
I love the way the media now tries to create controversy and “stories” so that they can attract readers. Actually I hate it.
We lost a couple of games to 2 good SEC teams. We are not at the top of the heap. BFD.
In every game someone has to win and someone has to lose. Some teams just have better teams some years than others. That is reality.
I have a lot of confidence in CMR. He has won 90 games in 9 years and will probably win 100 games in 10 years. He runs a stable ship.
I hate the media for trying to hold a football coach responsible for their players’ mistakes off the field when the coach has had them for 2 or 3 years and their parents had them for 18 or 19 years.Hold the parents accountable or would that not be politically correct for you.
Its always the teacher or coach. It never is the kid or his parents. The crap gets old.
Vince Dooley won 201 games in 25 years and for you non math majors that averages out to approx 8 wins a year – and colleges started playing 11 games during the regular season and a bowl game in 1971 which was 8 years into Coach Dooley’s 25 year career. Based on that, he would be run out of town by today’s unreasonable media jerks and jerks that call themselves fans.
Real fans stick by their team and a good coach through thick and thin. But today’s media writers and younger fans do not have the class of those 25 years ago. I mean lets face it Jeff, you are no Jesse Outlar.
So Jeff, quit pandering to the negative. There are plenty of wonderful things to write about the Bulldogs including graduation rate compared to the rest of BCS schools, GPA’s, the success that former players find as a result of their experience at UGA and oh yeah the 90 victories the football team has over the past 9 years which puts them towards the top of the list as one of the most successful BCS programs in the country.
And Jeff -by the way – go soak your head and shut your trap while you are doing it.
brokebackvol
September 21st, 2010
1:41 pm
Eh, we got them in VOLNation too – useless white trash. The REAL fans will still be woofin’ in the stands even in the bad times. They were loud up until the end vs Arky.
But methinks ya better ditch ole “boo-boo” or it won’t get better. Fulmer made that mistake by not ditching Clawson, and it cost him his job. Not saying Richt is in immediate danger, but the loyalty some coaches show to their assistants is at their own job peril.
GO VOLS!
KoolAidDrinker
September 21st, 2010
1:42 pm
It’s never too early to panic.
girldawg
September 21st, 2010
1:43 pm
First of all true words Murphy espeicially for CMR. With that said I will always be a fan of the dawgs no matter what now I might not be a fan of the coaching and play calls at times. Right now I am not a fan of mediocre coaching. We have a bunch of talented kids other than AJ Green but you would not know it seems like CMR is waiting for his return. So what is a game or two until he returns why not use the entire team since it is a team sport.
PT
September 21st, 2010
1:44 pm
UGA does not seem to have direction in what they want to achieve. They recruit a pro style QB in Mettenberger and a dual threat QB in Murray. Now they seem to want to change Murray into a pro style QB which is not his strenght. You can make this same argument at running back, defensive end or nose tackle, you name it. You build a team based on your needs with respect to talent, size, speed and purpose. It appears that Georgia recruits good players but with no intent on strategy
Ol Balls Coach
September 21st, 2010
1:44 pm
What a stupid, shortsighted, misguided column today. Bill misses the point like a running back trying to pass block.
ANOTHER 7-5 AND YOUR A GOODBYE
September 21st, 2010
1:50 pm
Richt is a good head coach–I think he has just lost a little of his own personal talents. Not everyone is going to the promised land anyway and in Athens you can always say we made a lot of money, got close, and had fun and a few of our players got arrested
UGA Bandwagon
September 21st, 2010
1:52 pm
Plenty of good seats available….no waiting in line.
dgog
September 21st, 2010
1:53 pm
Bill, good article. I am a true red and black bleeding bulldog fan. Always have been, always will be. I will not jump ship no matter what. I,like you mentioned, retain the right to criticize when I see something I think is wrong. I continue to stand by and behind Mark Richt. I may not agree with everything he does or who he has for coaches, but I do believe he will right the ship. The article is a good one. After reading some of the responses to your article, I feel as though I am not alone.
There are still a lot of people who are going “overboard” with their criticism. Please, at least try to tone it down a little. If they are that unhappy with the dawgs find another team to whine about. Go over to the yellow jackets. They could use your type of support.
Dr M
September 21st, 2010
1:54 pm
If you answer “Yes” to this, you were never a Dawg in the first place.
Buck-I
September 21st, 2010
1:57 pm
Honestly….about 9 more losses would be great for me.
doggie
September 21st, 2010
1:57 pm
0-3, book it.
Bill Hedge
September 21st, 2010
1:59 pm
an interesting piece I ran across over on Chuck Oliver’s Website regarding Richt’s situation right now
http://chuckoliver.net/?p=6595
for the life of me, I do not see why Richt will admit Bobo is unfit to call plays
Pitbull
September 21st, 2010
2:03 pm
On another subject: I hate the Tech posers that come on UGA blogs.
I hope McGarrity drops Tech from the schedule like second period french. We could pick up Clemson or Notre Dame or FSU every year earlier in the schedule.
We might not win as many against them as we win against Tech, but those schools’ people have a lot more class than the Tech haters that come on our blogs, you know – the Wanna Bees.
And it would cut into Tech AA revenue so deeply that the GTAA would probably start running financial deficits (again).
So what do you think? Would any of you other real Dawg fans out there like to dropkick Tech off the schedule and be done with their smart mouth arses?
Algonquin j. Calhoun
September 21st, 2010
2:04 pm
Are people concerned that the rate of graduation has gone down among Ga. football players? No. We don’t know whether it’s gone up or down and we don’t give a damn. This is pro football where everybody gets paid big bucks except the morons playing the games. This will be Richt’s final season at Ga. This team is awful and all we care about is winning. We need to hire some new players and get a real pro coach in here!
Big Dawg
September 21st, 2010
2:05 pm
To all of the fans who say 4 and 5-star recruits don’t matter–check out who has been winning NCs and where those teams are sitting in terms of recruiting classes.
USC, Texas, FLA, ALA, LSU–all win NCs with CONSISTENT TOP 5 recruiting classes.
I don’t see UGA in that league. But I’d like to!!!
pdawg
September 21st, 2010
2:07 pm
Bill, why has one person not said anything about running back rolling at the ends feet on 3 and 4 play. This is same crap as tackling by diving at people. How about basic chest to chest block and Murray has another 7 seconds to throw. The whole game could have been saved by 1 fundamental block. Would any coach teach an 7 year old to roll on ground to block? I can not believe this has not been mentioned one time.
Blackberry Cobbler
September 21st, 2010
2:07 pm
I’m a UGA alum and a big fan. I do not like the direction the football program is going. Look at the stats, if you don’t see it, you’re blind. There is no arguing the fact that UGA has now become an average-mediocre SEC program under CMR. All CMR offers is excuses, no soultions. As an alum and fan, I don’t like the trend and have every right to express my displeasure. The combination of off-field problems and poor on-field performance has become just too much to bear for most fans. CMR is a fine person and I respect that but it now could not be more obvious that he lacks the ability to lead and motivate his players and is at best an average coach. It’s time for a change and it could not come soon enough.
David
September 21st, 2010
2:08 pm
CMR’s good times at Georgia are becoming a distant memory. How can Nick Saban take over a program 3 years ago and turn it from a has been into a national champion and we flounder around in disarray. Let’s all look at our options and maybe we spend the money and bring in a proven winner. Jon Grunden is the answer and we all know it!!
Mr. Dawg
September 21st, 2010
2:09 pm
Being critical of a team’s performance isn’t abandoing the team any more than “booing” a lackluster effort when you’re at the game means you don’t care. I’m in Richt’s corner all the way and believe the so called hot seat talk is nonsense. But based on this year’s start after last year’s let down it’s hard to maintain a high level of confidence. Let’s a get a win this week Dogs!
SCJack
September 21st, 2010
2:09 pm
Definition of a ‘TRUE FAN’: My (ex) father-in-law loved the Atlanta Falcons (from their inception until his untimely death) and watched every Sunday, religiously, (no pun intended) win, lose or draw. The majority of the Falcon’s early years meant only one thing, lose after lose. This man would watch the game with an enthusiasm that rivaled the Falcon’s owner and after each successive lose would merely go into his back yard, gather his collection of knives and spend an hour or so (alone) throwing them into his target. Afterwards he’d put away his knives, totally change his demeanor and later at dinner would extol the virtues of the Falcons (or his perceived glimmers of hope for them) and begin getting himself and us excited about the next game. Story’s moral: (1) a fan is a fan no matter the team’s successes or failures (or organizational affiliations for that matter), (2) find a personal, quite, legal but effective method for dumping your frustrations and (3) ultimately get yourself emotionally ready for the next game. GO DAWGS; with you to the end, wherever that might lead!
Dawg 39
September 21st, 2010
2:10 pm
Buck Belue has had 3 blogs this week. I have agreed completely with all 3. I believe in & am secure in my knowledge of football & think most of what I see in the comments is completely wrong. Keep it up & it will effect the team & the recruiting class this year. Another 20 year SEC Title drought will be the result of your wishes. Once was enough for me.
catlady
September 21st, 2010
2:11 pm
Perhaps what this team and coaches need is to walk in to a silent stadium. Right now there doesn’t seem to be a lot of motivation in the team. One thing fans do is to motivate their team. And one way to motivate is to show how unmotivated the fans are. Next home game, when the team comes on, maybe they should be met with SILENCE. Let their accomplishments be met with cheers.
MO DAWG
September 21st, 2010
2:15 pm
Dawg fan forever, but it comes a time when change has to come. CMR is a good coach, but some of the supporting cast needs to go. I LOVE THE BULLDAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
202dawg
September 21st, 2010
2:15 pm
Sam: You really don’t want to question the love of Georgia with regards to whether people actually went to school there, do you? Because I can GUARANTEE, while I was in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iraq I was cheering as loud as ANYONE. I left the Athens area when I was 18 so this isn’t an ALUMNI ONLY issue. Also, you really want to be taken seriously when you say The only thing that would stop me is if the football program sinks to the lows of the Harrick football program. If Adams fired Richt and brought in someone of the Kiffin/Nutt ilk then I might turn off”? Give me a damn break…
JELLO JOCKITCH
September 21st, 2010
2:15 pm
BOBO HAS TO GO. BOBO HAS TO GO. BOBO HAS TO GO. BOBO HAS TO GO.
how2fish
September 21st, 2010
2:17 pm
I suffered thru the 20 years between SEC titles this is a mere bump in the road. We have had chances to win both games so far…people can point/blame/snivel all they want but as of yet we haven’t given up or gotten into a we have a half to play and no way to win scenario. As long as the players keep trying to get better every week I’ll keep barking…at least we didn’t lose to the Jay Hawks. And yes we have been punched in the mouth..now its time to counter punch!
JELLO JOCKITCH
September 21st, 2010
2:17 pm
VOTE NESBITT FOR HEISMAN. VOTE GT FOR BCSNC.
DICK
September 21st, 2010
2:19 pm
I HAVE SAID BEFOE AND WILL SAY AGAIN, MARK REITCH REFUSING TO ADDRESS PROBLEM WITH MIKE BOBO WILL COST MARK HIS JOB. BOBO NEEDS TO GO-GO. SEC FOOTBALL IS ABOVE MIKE’S COACHING ABILITY.
What the Huck.
September 21st, 2010
2:19 pm
Happy Birthday….I am like Grizzard and Herschel Scott….Bulldog born and Bulldog bred and when i die I’ll be Bulldog dead….and I am a great admirer and supporter of Coach Richt…but none of the above makes me blind to the fact that there are serious problems in the program and the highly touted recruits we are bringing in are not being developed…..the offensice line is sub-standard…and the team seems to lack purpose and unity at times….and the selfish off-field behavior of players like Ealey and Green are costing the entire team….the responsibility is ultimately Richt’s. Ray Goff never blamed a player for his shortcomings. Jim Donnan never accepted responsibilty for any mistake–very Paul Johnson-like, there. I was very disappointed that Coach Bobo and Coach Grantham seemed to react more like Donnan that Coach Goff this week…….but I am willing to wait a few weeks to pass judgement on this group…..but if we lose in Starkville Saturday, heaven help us!
Huh?
September 21st, 2010
2:20 pm
Oh no!!! UGA lost 2 games in a row!! Wait a second, let me look outside. Yep. The sun is still shining, the earth is still rotating and revolving. Looks like life goes on after all.
No More Dawgtards
September 21st, 2010
2:20 pm
I a UGA grad and a Fan. I always will be a suppotive fan. I just hate to see a downward turn.
Since you write at a third-grade level, it’s pretty obvious that you’re a UGA graduate.
Fred
September 21st, 2010
2:21 pm
Kind of a stupid comment that caller made. As Richt (and you Mr. King) put it, either you are a fan or you aren’t. I am.
Certainly it’s painful to watch 2 losses in a row, but it happens. On one hand, we talk about how tough the SEC is from top to bottom and then whine when we lose a close game or two in that same tough conference. It happens.
i for one, while sad about the losses, am still reassured by how good this new young QB looks. I see good things coming. We could easily go the rest of the season and not lose another game. 10-2 that would be sweet. Or how about Going 10-2 and S.Carolina stubbing their toe and we go to the SEC Championship game? It could happen…………. might not be LIKELY lol but it could happen. I will still be watching every game and rooting for the Dawgs, win or lose.
Dawg Tired
September 21st, 2010
2:22 pm
Bill – My answer to your question is: “Of course not!!!” If I was that stupid, I would not have had season tickets in 1980. The 1979 season was a disaster. I still attended every game and pulled hard for the Dawgs. Always have, always will. Anything else reveals volumes about a person character.
oakisland
September 21st, 2010
2:22 pm
We are asked to support our beloved dawgs and be loyal thru thick and thin. If Bobo would love UGA as much as all of us, he would resign for the good of the the team and not have to be fired. Please put us out of our misery and do something for your team and school Bobo and resign.
Huh?
September 21st, 2010
2:22 pm
Meanwhile, on the “Important news of the day” list. 9 Americans lost their lives in Afghanistan in a helicopter crash. Kinda puts things in perspective, doesn’t it, whiners?
Skitty Fritty
September 21st, 2010
2:23 pm
College football is the best game in town especially when you are tied to a team through everything. I graduated from UGA and have been a fan since I was a youngster so I can’t change my colors even if I wanted to so Go Dogs!
Also, for all you Tech fans on the blog, I am at the highest tax bracket so a UGA education means other people call me Boss.
Dawg_Mike
September 21st, 2010
2:24 pm
I will be a fan regardless. That’s why I am so passionate about seeing the product on the field demonstrate good sound funamentals.
How do you spell that?
September 21st, 2010
2:27 pm
And you wonder why colleges cheat? Listen to everybody on here. A couple of losses and everybody complains. You are the ones putting pressure on coaches and athletic departments. You people won’t be happy unless you win every game 49-0.
mdawg
September 21st, 2010
2:28 pm
Richt was brought in to get UGA on the level with the heavy hitters in the SEC. This has not happened. We are still inferior to Fla., & Ala. And it seems like we’re inferior to AU and LSU more often than not. What’s even more discouraging is that Ala. has had the equivalent of the death penalty in the SEC and numerous coaching changes, yet they still surpass UGA by leaps and bounds. Maybe it’s time that we go through nine coaches in order to find the one that can lead us to greatness. Maybe then we’ll return to national relevance by the time I’m in my 60’s. 1980 is a distant memory. Sure Richt won us a couple of SEC championships, but those were a long time ago. We had the best team since 1980 when we had Moreno and Stafford and all Richt was able to do was beat Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. Sorry, but that’s failure. Bring on Jon Gruden!
P.S.
If you disagree now, just wait until this time next week when we’re 0-3 in the SEC. I love the Dawgs, but I’m beyond tired of the mediocrity.
Wooderson
September 21st, 2010
2:29 pm
No, but it sure would be cool if they did.