‘Be True to Your School’ cuts both ways with Dooley, Tarkenton
Is Vince Dooley a Dawg, a Tiger ... or both? (Associated Press)
I heard from a couple of fans who were bothered by the way Vince Dooley concluded a phone interview this week on Tim Brando’s nationally syndicated Sporting News Radio show. The former UGA head football coach and athletic director signed off with a low-key “War Eagle.”
On top of Dooley pulling for his son Derek when the Vols played the Dogs (albeit quietly at home, away from prying TV cameras), this latest departure from the true Red and Black path might seem like blasphemy to some. But I have no problem with Vince celebrating his alma mater’s first national championship since 1957 (back when he was on the Tigers’ coaching staff). Besides having coached there before coming to UGA, Dooley played football at Auburn and is a graduate of the former Alabama Polytechnic Institute.
OK, granted, Dooley spent more years as a Dawg than in orange and blue and it’s UGA that put up a statue of him.
But I’m more than willing to concede Dooley an occasional “War Eagle” because when it really mattered, in 1980 when Auburn tried to lure him back, he chose to remain at Georgia.
Woof!
Meanwhile, Dawgs 247 had an interesting report that current UGA athletic director Greg McGarity had reached out to former Bulldogs quarterback and NFL great Fran Tarkenton, who lambasted Mark Richt and the Georgia football program on Atlanta’s 680 The Fan.
Greg McGarity was diplomatic in responding to outspoken Fran Tarkenton (University of Georgia)
In addition to ripping the conditioning of Georgia’s players, Tarkenton seemed to be incensed by Richt’s recent comments about McGarity freeing him up from administrative duties so he could spend more time studying football. Said the legendary No. 10: “What has he been doing for nine years? I have never heard any college, high school, professional coach [ever say] that I was not able to spend enough time on football. I had other issues. … It sounds like ‘I am not taking responsibility.’”
Tarkenton added: “I think Greg McGarity has got to look at this awfully hard, I think the signs are that we have a program that is in big trouble.”
McGarity told 790 The Zone that he had a “nice conversation” with Tarkenton after he heard about the comments and seemed to be trying to gently bring the famed scrambler back into the fold.
Said McGarity: “I basically apologized to him for not reaching out earlier, which I probably should have done to a number of individuals but just did not do it. I think he got to know me a little bit better. I got to know him better, and I was able to talk to him.”
And what did the AD think of Tarkenton’s remarks? “Everybody is entitled to their own opinion,” McGarity said. “It’s disappointing that it would come from one of your own. And basically, that’s about all I care to say about that.”
Which is a heck of a lot more diplomatic way of responding to criticism from a former player than the way Urban Meyer handled it at McGarity’s former employer when critical comments from former QB Shane Matthews prompted him to issue his infamous statement: “I’m also going to talk about loyalty with our former athletes. Some are welcome, some aren’t. …We want former Gators to come back, but loyalty’s a two-way street. If you want to be critical of a player on our team or a coach on our team you can buy a ticket for seat 37F, you’re not welcome back in the football office.”
SPEAKING OF BUYING TICKETS …
Despite the declining fortunes of Richt’s Dogs on the field the past couple of seasons, UGA was one of only 18 FBS schools to sell out all their home football games this season. What do you think are the chances that string will continue in 2011 if Richt doesn’t turn it around quickly?
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355 comments Add your comment
Snoop Dawg The New Richard Head!
January 15th, 2011
3:22 pm
WIN WITH RICHT
Snoop Dawg does not have the brain capacity to think back 5 minutes ago let alone 20 years ago. So the answer would be no. CMR has put himself in a deep hole and nothing less than 10 wins and beating UF next year will get him the boot.
However, I do appreciate the job he has done for getting us in the SEC CG 3 times and taking 2 of them.
dawggone
January 15th, 2011
3:26 pm
All you recruits thinking about signing on the dotted line with uga please dont read this blog, Chris is scared if you do you might not sign with uga. And that might friends are just how so many stupid uga so called fans feel.Get a life you stupid muts.
hop
January 15th, 2011
3:27 pm
it is amazing how so many people seem to know so much concerning tarkenton and his involvement with the university and the program. it appears very little.
fran has spoke on a number of ocassions with the team both in spring practice and before a game. at one time when it was
allowed by the NCAA,he in fact helped with recruiting.
I think he is very frustrated with the awful results the past three years while uga has fallen behind many of it’s SEC brethren , as we see florida,alabama ,lsu and now auburn win national championships while uga falls further behind.
the loss to ucf was the crowning blow, as coach richt showed very little faith when uga march down to the on ucfto the 2.5 yard line and on 4 and 1 decided to kick a field goal instead of going for the touchdown.
many of his players were upset according to coach richt himself that our coach showed little faith in the team by making that questionable decision.
georgia should be playing for championships,but it appears that many of the fans are satisfied with mediocrity that we have seen with the program,while SEC wins five national championships and we cannot beat colorado,miss state ,south carolina,arkansas, and finally ucf.
i wonder if fans from other elite schools would continue to support a program such as ours who continue to make excuses and accept now a losing season.
one has to wonder!
Zuma Dawg
January 15th, 2011
3:30 pm
Any word on Houston??
1983 UGA Grad
January 15th, 2011
3:35 pm
The beginning of UGA’s downfall was at the time Mike Adams dumped on Dooley and was allowed to get away with it. I think Dooley is a lot more loyal to UGA than the normal person would be given the way Adams removed him. When Adams is gone, UGA’s fortunes on and off the football field will return. UGA should first and foremost be an institute of higher learning for the children of the taxpayers of the State of Georgia. It should not be a place for Michael Adams to build up his resume’..
mountainman
January 15th, 2011
3:37 pm
Fran Tarkenton was an All American QB at UGA, not a bench warmer like Richt. I’m sure Fran’s net worth exceeds that of Richt’s as UGA has been recklessly paying for incompentency. Because Fran is a thinker, a superior businessman and an entrepreneur who made his forture in the business world, not from UGA payroll. For these reasons and his concern over his alma mata’s football program of late, he is ringing the alarm because he has keen business acumen and football has gotten to be big business. He’s a winner, not a loser like Richt and he wants to see UGA excel – that was what his message was!!!
This isn't fantasy land...
January 15th, 2011
3:38 pm
of course Richt supporters and uga fans aren’t satisfied with how the last couple seasons have gone. That doesn’t mean you fire the man and make his entire staff and all their families unemployed. He has a track record of success.
i know all you experts that play fantasy football and whatnot think you just cut people and pick up someone better and thats how things get fixed.
So with that in mind, if you don’t win employee of the year for 2011 at whatever job you work at, you should probably be fired…
This isn't fantasy land...
January 15th, 2011
3:40 pm
PS- Richt has a bigger track record of success in football than Fran.
Even with the last two years, UGA is # 4
January 15th, 2011
3:40 pm
Even though UGA has suffered through the last two years, UGA is still # 4 all time in the number of bowl wins, according to ESPN. The operative word is b-o-w-l. A bowl game means an invitation to one. That usually is good news. Large or small ……..it is an invitation to play again on TV. It also means $$$. A bowl game is what all teams shoot for. A bowl is THE MARK of success.
Alabama is # 1 with 37 bowl wins
The REAL USC is # 2 with about 33
Penn State is # 3 with about 27 wins
UGA is # 4 with 26 wins.
Folks, all this noise about UGA being irrelevant is noise. Like the liberals screaming how Sarah Pallin needs to apologize for the Tuscon shootings or something. Dumb and for sure a straw man argument.
UGA’s long time bolw record also validates this word: P-R-O-G-R-A-M.
UGA is STILL one of the winningest football programs in the nation and whether it is with Richt in 2011 or beyond with a new regime …………………UGA will win games.
History is real and not just noise.
The UGA haters?? Kids. Most of them and irrelevant.
Go Dogs.
This isn't fantasy land...
January 15th, 2011
3:42 pm
Mountain man-
So now richt’s a loser? haha. enjoy the mountains, don’t come down from there, the real world isn’t a place for you my friend.
Chronos
January 15th, 2011
3:43 pm
Uhhh, fantasy land, what Football Hall of Fame is Richt in?
DIT
January 15th, 2011
3:46 pm
I agree with what Fran had to say about the UGA program, or lack thereof. I just think the way he went about it and the timing was not the best. For what he said. I agree 100%!
However, for those that want to call CMR a loser……. really? He might not be the coach he was a few years ago and yes, stunk it up as the HC this year, but that does not make him a loser. Bad HC, yes, loser no! Despite of his failures this year as a HC, he is a good man off the field and has high moral despite of what most think.
Have to beat UF, Boise St. SC and get to the SEC CG this coming year or he should get the axe. Personally, I would like to see him do it. I hate what coaching changes can do to a program. And let’s be honest, right now, who would come to UGA and take over?
I’m not just a fan, I’m also an Alumnus and equally frustrated with this past year. I just don’t know who would accept this position who is an experienced seasoned HC.
Hard to call CMR a loser. I still have nightmare’s of the Goff & Donnan era!
This isn't fantasy land...
January 15th, 2011
3:49 pm
Uh Chronos, how many titles has Fran won as a coordinator or coach?
Being a hall of fame player doesn’t mean you know how to run a major football program. See mike singletary for example.
Chronos
January 15th, 2011
3:50 pm
Unless its the Boca Raton High Fall of Fame I’m not aware of one. Fran, on the other hand, is in both the College and NFL Halls of Fame. A such, I think Fran has a “Better” (not bigger) track record in football.
Chronos
January 15th, 2011
3:52 pm
And clearly Richt’s ability to run a program is in doubt based on his track record over the last couple of years.
1eyedJack
January 15th, 2011
4:05 pm
Fran needs a good stiff-arm. He’s having Deacon Jones flashbacks.
Barf
January 15th, 2011
4:07 pm
Hmmmmm, let us see Auburn just lost the Scammer and “dirt Nick the Dick” without those two Autistic Auburn would have been, o what, maybe at best 5-7
Is Popa “the fig” Newton still going to be his agent as he goes for real pro? I mean those NFL types want photo I.D.’s and signatures and everything. Not anything like the way Auburn does it.
Pope UGA XXIII
January 15th, 2011
4:11 pm
I bought a copy of “Between the Hedges” when it was first
published, and quite honestly, don’t blame Vince ONE DAMN BIT
for some of his feelings. I would be hard pressed not to pull for
my youngster if he was a college coach, rival or not, and what on
earth is wrong with pulling for your alma mater in the championship
game of the BCS, particularly when the SEC is involved ???
After the smoke cleared, the SEC did quite well, notwithstanding
three teams from the eastern division who underachieved and lost.
In our case, we couldn’t even beat a second tier D-1 team. If I were
you, I would spend less time criticizing these 2 icons of football at
UGA and worry about what the powers that be put together for a
team in 2011. We can be an embarassing 0 – 2 very quickly if the
returning players and coaches don’t get their head out of a certain
bodily orifice during the spring & summer.
Dirty Dawg
January 15th, 2011
4:15 pm
Richt should be gone already! Enough is enough! I guess we have to go through another 6-7 season.
icedawg
January 15th, 2011
4:19 pm
Good on Dooley! Hey, Auburn is his alma mater. It would be strange to hear him “dis” them. The Dawg “faithful” need to lighten up. This is sport, sport, sport. It is entertainment, from game to game, season to season. It goes round and round. Find something else more substantial upon which to orient your life.
Will
January 15th, 2011
4:19 pm
Sell outs at UGA are already problematic and will almost surely end when the AD’s plan to play non-competitive nonconfernce home games. These “Idaho State” type games will result in a large number of extra tickets being available as these schools will only sell hundreds of tickets to their own fans, hence the extra tickets to be sold in Athens.
Incidently, there were 921 unsold tickets for the Idaho State game this year and more than 300 tickets unsold for the home opener. UGA counted these tickets as sold in order to keep the “sell out” streak alive.
Will Is Right
January 15th, 2011
4:26 pm
Sell Outs in Athens have always been counted with “fuzzy” math. And you folks that think Uga is a national program are bigger rednecks than we all think.
Dawg Tired
January 15th, 2011
4:38 pm
Key point: Fran is absolutely correct. Ot is literally mineboggeling to think that a head football coach at a major FBS program in the most elite conference would admit to not being up to speed on the game he is paid nearly $3,000,000 a year to coach. It is also totally indefensible and inexcusable.
This isn't fantasy land...
January 15th, 2011
4:38 pm
Haha fine. Be enamored by someone’s playing career.
I propose we throw all resumes out the window and find a coach based on a poll of hall of fame players who are 2000 miles from athens.
Fran was a great player but he’s acting like an a$$. He should voice his concerns in another fashion. But then, he wouldn’t be getting as much attention…
Dawg Tired
January 15th, 2011
4:41 pm
Understanding what a national program actually is has nothing to do with being or not being a redneck. Being unable to recognize a national program is simply a matter of intelligence.
Colleges are businesses
January 15th, 2011
4:41 pm
People who are blindly loyal to a school are sheep.
Dawg Tired
January 15th, 2011
4:43 pm
We are all sheep in one way or another. That includes you.
Dawg Tired
January 15th, 2011
4:43 pm
and me.
JAKE
January 15th, 2011
4:47 pm
i want to win damm it ….. we are not winning ….. as a uga alum it has been miserable these past seasons . there shouldnt be any excuses . the five productive states for recruiting div.1 highschool players (blue chips and academic qualifers )
1.florida
2. texas
3. georgia
4. california
5.alabama
FIRE MIKE BOBO!!!!!!
January 15th, 2011
4:55 pm
Man up Mcgarity and Fire someone. At least Fire Bobo, Richt has earned another year(maybe), but everything has declined since Bobo has been calling the plays.
1962 Dawg
January 15th, 2011
4:59 pm
Dooley’s a Dawg for life. Wasn’t for Adams he would still be involved in some way at UGA.
Can’t blame him for rooting his son Derek. What father wouldn’t??
Coach Dooley played and coached at Auburn so ofcourse he still has a small amount of Tiger in him.
All you people bashing Dooley are a lost cause.
As for “Fran The Man” he’s got a right to his opinions just like you and I do Bill. Whether we agree or disagree with him, he made some good points on 680, but anybody who thinks CMR is not trying or has forgotten how to coach are dead wrong.
Every program suffers through tough times, tough times never last, tough people do, and CMR will be fine.
The only thing I regret for our fans and myself Bill is, Boise St. came into Athens ranked a few years ago and at halftime we had already beaten them badly. Our student section started that OVERRATED chant when the Boise St. players went into the dressing room at halftime.
I hope we don’t have to wear that shoe at the Dome in 2011 to open the season. Boise St is a good program Bill.
On another note glad to see Thomas Brown back at UGA, sorry the NFL didn’t work out for him but, he still owns the record in the weight room at UGA. And his addition to our new strength program will be a huge plus. Alos joining him are Tony Gilbert, and Kendrell Bell.
Maybe next season we’ll have a much stronger team in the 2nd half. That was our downfall this season. And the past few. Matt Drills are over with!!! Back to the weight room!!!
Still no word on Houston???
ADL
January 15th, 2011
5:15 pm
I am surprised by how many fans believe that loving UGA means never criticizing anyone associated with UGA does or says. Fran has earned the right to speak his mind about any and all things UGA, more so than any of you who have never even attend one class there. You may not like what he says, but sometimes the truth hurts.
1962 Dawg
January 15th, 2011
5:18 pm
Will @ 4:19
These tickets are bought by donors and given to all different type of organizations.
Went to every game this season and they were all full at one point or another.
Except the Tennessee game, 3rd quarter the northside upperdeck looked like a cremecicle melting with all the volenteer fans heading for the exits.
Will is Right
While you’re counting.
If you want to look at the National scene.
UGA is the Oldest University in the United States.
We also have the number 1 recognized Mascot Nationally.
Nothing FUZZY about it. Facts!!!
Dawgs Run This State!
January 15th, 2011
5:19 pm
ADL,
Criticizing is fine, but publicly saying what Fran said only hurts the program. If Richt doesn’t turn things around this year he will be fired… No matter what Fran thinks.
Bill King
January 15th, 2011
5:26 pm
Yeah, sorry. I “Zoned” out. It was 680 The Fan that had Tarkenton on.
1eyedJack
January 15th, 2011
5:27 pm
1962 Dawg, Houston to announce his intention to remain at UGA during half time of the Falcons game.
Va'jayjay Jackson
January 15th, 2011
5:27 pm
This is a non-story and a non-issue. Dooley is free to do and say as he pleases.
Bernie Matt
January 15th, 2011
5:30 pm
It amazes me how football novices get mad at people who actually know football, when they speak the truth. One guy actually wrote he doesn’t “care who Fran used to be”. The irony is, the guy posting probably never used to be anybody and still isn’t anybody (forgive the grammatical error). Otherwise he would probably come out and tell us which year he was an All-American and what years he played in the league. KEEP SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER FRAN! In the end, it’s for the good of the program, no matter how hard of a pill it is for some to swallow.
ADL
January 15th, 2011
5:33 pm
@Dawgs run this state?
Has anything Fran said hurt the program more than Richt’s admission that he wasn’t paying as much attention to football as he should have?
1eyedJack
January 15th, 2011
5:38 pm
Guess I was wrong on that Justin Houston thing. That’s a strange feeling.
roughrider
January 15th, 2011
5:38 pm
Many of us UGA alums were hoping Dooley would go to auburn in 1980 so we could get Pat Dye.
1962 Dawg
January 15th, 2011
5:50 pm
Will Is Right
I’m just an old man so i can give you all this Nationally recognized material you want.
UGA is also the only school who has produced 3 Super Bowl MVP’s.
Jake Scottt, Terell Davis, and Hines Ward!
Dawg Tired
January 15th, 2011
5:50 pm
Rough Rider – My law partner was on the athletic board when Dooley went over to “talk” with Auburn back in December 1980. My last words as he left to attend the hastily called meeting were, “Make Erk the head coach officially.” The athletic board met and agreed to make Erk the coach if Dooley went to Auburn. Many were hoping Dooley would go so Erk could get the job. Dooley stayed and Erk soon went to Georgia Southern and became a legend in Statesboro. Oh, what might have been!
1962 Dawg
January 15th, 2011
5:51 pm
Thanks 1eyedjack
1962 Dawg
January 15th, 2011
5:56 pm
Was hoping Houston would stay, his position is the most important position of that 3-4 D.
Somebody will step up just as Houston did.
Cornelius Washington bulks up a little he could be the man!
marinedawg
January 15th, 2011
5:56 pm
Franny has always had an ego problem starting in high school.In business he has been a scam artist of great note
Michael
January 15th, 2011
6:03 pm
I have 2 degrees from UGA but am devoted to my hometown Maryland Terrapins. FEAR THE TURTLE!
Red
January 15th, 2011
6:33 pm
Sir Francis is a lot like our ex president Carter he just needs a little attention every once in awhile. The problem with the UGA fan base is they need so much attention and it causes problems with recruiting with all the crying out there. We need a fan base that act like adults.
chazzo
January 15th, 2011
6:48 pm
I don’t care for Urban Meyer, but he’s right. Richt needs to strap ‘em on and tell fans and alum alike to get with the program or get off the bus.
chazzo
January 15th, 2011
6:49 pm
PS who cares if Vince pulled for UT or Auburn? This is not news.