Dream Team aside, here’s a big reason to pull for Mark Richt
Mark Richt knows there's more to coaching than just winning. (Associated Press)
I first heard the story of James Eunice last Sunday when a post from UGA superfan Mark Dunbar showed up in my Facebook news feed.
Here’s what Mark passed along:
James Eunice, 17, from Valdosta, fell from a boat three weeks ago and drowned while duck hunting. He was found this Monday and his funeral was yesterday. James had been accepted at UGA, and his intention was to try and walk-on the football team. During the busiest time of his year, Coach Mark Richt sent a letter stating James had made the team, and a UGA jersey with his name on the back, was presented to the family.
One word came to mind and I added it as a comment to Mark’s post: Classy.
The story of Eunice is filled out by reports in the Valdosta Daily Times and Thomasville Times-Enterprise. Eunice had played baseball and football at Valdosta High School and had been accepted to the University of Georgia. He had contacted Richt about walking on as a football Bulldog.
Then came the drowning in the hunting accident. During Eunice’s funeral, two of his Valdosta teammates who have signed to play for Richt, Jay Rome and Malcolm Mitchell, got up to speak. Rome read a letter to the Eunice family from Richt in which he talked about his hearbreak over the young man’s death. At the end of the letter the coach added, “Oh yeah, James made the team.”
John Eunice holds up a jersey that Georgia coach Mark Richt sent to his family in honor of his brother, James Eunice. (Eunice family photo / Valdosta Daily Times)
Then Rome and Mitchell unveiled an official UGA jersey with Eunice’s last name and the No. 23 he had worn at Valdosta. The tearful crowd at the funeral stood and applauded.
The letter and jersey were a simple gesture, but as Mark noted on Facebook, the timing made it all the more impressive, considering the strains of wrapping up easily the most important recruiting campaign in Richt’s coaching career with his job possibly on the line.
“I’m going to play for an incredible man,” Rome said.
Added Mitchell: “It made me proud to be a Bulldog.”
Sometimes, in the fervor over ranked recruiting classes and won-loss records that permeates big-time college football these days, fans can lose sight of some of the more important things.
I’ve heard some UGA fans who’ve lost faith in Richt actually fret that he’ll win just enough games this year to keep his job. Frustrated by the Dogs’ mediocre performances the past couple of years, they’d rather start over with a new coach than see this one get his program back on track.
I certainly don’t think Mark Richt is a perfect football coach and there are plenty of things about his program I’d like to see improved. But the James Eunice story is just one of the reasons I’m really pulling hard for Richt to get back on top.
Like I said on Facebook, he’s a classy guy. And that’s kind of rare in college coaching these days.
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— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
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312 comments Add your comment
Brucerugby79
February 12th, 2011
12:04 pm
Coach Richt makes me proud to be a Christian–oh yeah and a Bulldog–they real fans commented on this one
Former Georgian
February 12th, 2011
12:33 pm
This story explains why CMR had such a great recruiting class after such a dismal season. The recruits and their families know how much he cares about them.
Minnesota Dawg
February 12th, 2011
1:11 pm
I think it would be great if all the Bulldog fans go into this new season pulling and praying for Mark Richt. I sure hope this will be our year. I’m proud we have a coach who will not put up with undisciplined players and that character trumps any ability a person may have. In the long run those player will be grateful for this coach.
Dena Benton
February 12th, 2011
1:18 pm
My prayers go out to the Eunice family, I’m 51 and have two children and eight grandbabies, I can’t image what they are going through. It’s about time though that the DAWG fans see what kind of a person coach Richt is. I’ve been so made at our fans and have written to AJC, and been on CSS sportsnite. I love coach Richt as a coach and a person. We really have some fair weathered fans, who will jump off the boat when the times are down. This has really gotten to me, and I have read so many comments about our coach, downing him, he should be replaced, but I have always had faith in him as our coach and the person he is. Before signing day, I knew he was recuiting hard to keep our guys in state, and I prayed these young men would come play for coach Richt. They will learn alot from him not only as their coach but life experiances in general. He is a teacher and a coach and I’m so proud he is our coach. I’m so proud to be a DAWG fan,and have CMR as our coach. Nana Dena
crusher dawg
February 12th, 2011
3:07 pm
God Bless You Coach!!!!!!! Thanks for being a fine christian example.
Fire Mark Richt
February 12th, 2011
3:52 pm
We need to keep in mind that few if any of us on this site really know Mark Richt. It certainly appears that he’s a fine man, although one who couldn’t beat Florida if they suited up a high school team. But you can’t deny that discipline under his watch has slipped big time. A lot of it has to do with recruiting. I’ve suspected for a long time that Coach Richt has something in common with some of the “good girls” I went to high school with: they can’t resist the bad boys!
It’s nothing personal, I just don’t think Richt is the right man to lead Georgia in the future. He should have been fired after last season, but I’d be shocked if he’s still the coach 10 months from now.
buzzDawg
February 12th, 2011
4:25 pm
While I have never liked it when the Dawgs lose, I have never jumped on the fire Richt bandwagon. I have always thought and still feel that he is the right man for the Dawgs and will be for many, many years to come. This only serves to prove that fact.
Dawg Tired
February 12th, 2011
4:38 pm
There has never been any question about Coach Richt class as a human being. He is top notch. Unfortunately this character trait has become irrelevant in this win at all costs society we find ourselves living in. I have stated on these blogs dozens of times I would love for my sons to have been able to play for a man like Mark Richt. I have also said I would not have allowed them to play for some others who happen to have been very successful in the goal of winning football games. That said, it is just as clear that Coach Richt must turn around UGA football or else he will be gone. Is that a good thing? While I don’t think it is, I must confess to being caught up in this winning thing. I’m thinking that indicates I may have lost perspective of what is really important in life. For that I’m sorry.
Thanks Bill for writing this article. Hopefully I will see things in the right perspective in the future. The University of Georgia is indeed fortunate to have a man with such class and character as its head football coach. Unfortunately, many of us had lost sight of that.
7576DAWG
February 12th, 2011
5:14 pm
I hope that CMR elects to stay at UGA until he retires but even though he is a great person and has a great influence on young people McGarity was hired to make sure that football remains important at Georgia and as long as he can win 9 or 10 games or more most every year there want be any problem. But if UGA falls into the lower tier of the SEC and on a consistent basis can only win 5 to 7 times a year , the money that football brings into Georgia is so important in order to pay for the other 85% of our men and especially women teams that can’t make money , McGarity will not hesitate getting a new coach. So I think ,as an alumni I will let McGarity do his job with no help from me and support him either way.
Minnesota Dawg
February 12th, 2011
5:48 pm
I’d be willing to say that Saban and all the other coaches who have won recent National Championships will have at least two off seasons. Mark my words!
kgtech
February 12th, 2011
9:31 pm
Any human being with any kind of heart would of done the same thing. What makes MR
anymore special. Maybe this will help him keep his job.Is that your point?? If not what is??
athdog
February 12th, 2011
11:19 pm
Living in Athens, having friends who work in the athletic department, I can tell you the examples along these lines concerning Mark are legion, and almost never make the newspaper, and that is by design.
He is as selfless a man as you’d want to find, and he works in a business where self promotion is rampant. He walks the walk that he talks. We all hope that he turns the program around and continues to coach the Dawgs until he retires. Believe me, the program will be better off for it.
woebegong
February 13th, 2011
5:37 am
Kgtech,
You techies just wish you had half the coach that CMR is. You come onto a blog about another team, have nothing to say good, and then have to face the facts, that tech has neither the coach or the team to compare to most good teams and I suppose that makes you feel good, so you will continue. My guess is, you will just keep bragging about the great TECH. and try to find something to say, ignnorantly about UGA, it’s coach or players. Get a life.
Dawgster2
February 13th, 2011
9:50 am
This shows just what a great man Coach Richt is.
Baloney.
Joe
February 13th, 2011
9:51 am
James Eunice # 1 Dawg!
GaDawg
February 13th, 2011
12:58 pm
It looks to me that things are getting shaken up at UGA. With Coach Richt, and AD McGarity taking the necessary steps to “change the culture” of the program. New leadership and accountability in the S / C program should help us find out which scholarship athletes are truly dedicated to their scholarship commitments.
The players who possess looser attitudes need to make personality adjustments or hit the door running! Players, at this level, do not run the program; the university and big money booster do. Arrogance, rebelliousness, lack of discipline, and demands for entitlement are not fruits of the spirit that contribute to a winning TEAM. Open competition with desire, dedication, determination, and positive attitudes do. My question to them is: Are you men enough to MAN UP to the challenge?
New coaching hires look promising; I just hope that they bring with them some tough love attitudes!
This recruiting class brings us reason for hope. These kids seem show some character and leadership abilities. Add to them a couple of more “Dream Team” classes in 2012, and 2013, and Head Coach Mark Richt will be at UGA for as long as he decides to stay. That is the scenario that I’m praying for, because you will not find a head coach anywhere with more class, and character Than Mark Richt! For a team with the proper attitude, the addition of James Eunice to the UGA football TEAM roster could be a dynamic rallying point!
gt4ever
February 13th, 2011
3:19 pm
Wow, He has always been a classy guy…. One of the BEST… He is a devout christian, no one can argue his faith….. He has ALWAYS recruited “dream” teams……. He just can’t translate all this into discipline, he has NONE on his team. He has little or NO respect from his players, otherwise they would act proper….. I would love him to be our OC, but as a Head coach he is lacking…..
Freehome Dawg
February 13th, 2011
3:55 pm
If I knew how to dance, I would ask Coach Richt to the prom and I’m a straight guy. Did I really say that?
shane#1
February 13th, 2011
4:50 pm
I haven’t commented on the AJC blogs in quite a while. I am not into the trash talk and hateful attitudes expressed by some that post here. CMR is a fine man and that is doubted by few fans of any team. However, he has gotten a bad rap for recruiting undisciplined “thugs”. FYI, UGA placed 25 football players on the SEC academic Honor Roll for last year and is second only to Vandy in APR. In public universitys UGA is ranked with Penn State in athletic academics. When CMR took over the program less than half the players were on schedule to graduate. Doesn’t sound like a bunch of thugs to me.
Josh
February 13th, 2011
5:13 pm
“I certainly don’t think Mark Richt is a perfect football coach and there are plenty of things about his program I’d like to see improved. But…” There you go again Bill. Just had to throw in that negative AGAIN! For crying out loud, where in the WORLD is there a perfect football coach? Where in the WORLD does a football team/program not need improvement? Last time I checked there were none. If there were there would be one winner all the time. COME ON BILL, LET’S START BEING MORE POSITIVE!!!!!
wreckmaniac
February 13th, 2011
7:27 pm
Now that recruitin’s done what do we do before the first game ? Get a job ? Contribute to society? Assist our fellow man ? Expand our interests ? Start a business ? Nah.
Zumadawg
February 13th, 2011
8:31 pm
Most of the people venting on this site who ” would like to see things done differently” haven’t got a clue as to what’s involved in assembling a team and coaching. The majority these experts have no affilation with UGA and couldn’t find Athens with an atlas and a magnifyiing glass. Their aim is to nip at Mark’s heels for an unusual bad year and ignore the good ones. He has done a great job (ask the insects) and is the epitome of class. A word that most of you are not familiar with.
wreckmaniac
February 13th, 2011
9:02 pm
Zumadawg: Athens, surburb of Colbert, couldn’t be found with a GPS
Columbus
February 13th, 2011
9:45 pm
We need more articles like this by Bradley and Schultz on AJC! Where was all this blog support in the last 6 months? I personally have and will support Mark Richt through the good, bad and tough times. If fired by UGA, my support will follow him to his next job. Tough times will always pass and there have NOT been many under Richt I will add! Many MORE GOOD than bad….There are many more things than ONLY wins and losses only and ALL coaches WILL have losing seasons and under-achieving TEAMS. ALL….Mark Richt makes me VERY PROUD to be a SUPPORTER and fan of UGA football. The WHOLE man must be looked at along with his WHOLE coaching record and as a being a YOUNG head coach, he has done very well and BETTER than MOST! It is only going to get better and the worst thing UGA could ever do is listen to the pressure of KNUCKLEHEADS who ONLY see wins and losses and they do not care about the circumstances. If UGA fires Richt even if UGA lost EVERY game this year, it would be a HUGE mistake because the year after he might win the SEC. He may VERY WELL win the east in 2011 and ignorants want him fired because of 2010. 2009 was going to be down and EVERYONE knew it before the season started. So 1 below expectations year and fire him? Damn I hope you are never my boss! We need more articles like this by Bradley and Schultz!
GaDawg
February 14th, 2011
5:53 am
@gt4ever-
He is not so lacking that he has not been able to whip your asses fairly consistently! Go back to the bug-blog and bad mouth your own coach, Paul Johnson!
GaDawg
February 14th, 2011
6:01 am
@shane#1
Good to see you back; and glad to see your glass is half- full !!!
PT
February 14th, 2011
8:30 am
Richt has a way of putting you in your place, oh so gently.
chris
February 14th, 2011
8:37 am
What good comes from gaining the intire world if you lose your soul in the progress. Call him a bible totter, call him a man of GOD, some even call him a misionary. How many NCAA infractions, how many scholarships lost during Mark Richt’s time at UGA? How many top ten rankings and how many bowl games during his time? Have you ever heard of Job? maybe Mark Richt is receiving one of God’s learning lessions but he has’nt lost his soul. And by the way, I and alot of other UGA FANS call him our COACH.
chris
February 14th, 2011
8:45 am
James Eunice number 23 in your program. Welcome aboard son glad to have you as a Bulldog.
Old Dawg
February 14th, 2011
9:15 am
This is a great story. During my son’s struggle with leukemia we had all sorts of folks provide help, assistance and kinds words. 11 1/2 years after his passing, the kindness never stops.
All it takes is a few minutes, but the impact is forever. Thanks for reminding us of that Bill, and coach Richt.
ugab
February 14th, 2011
9:19 am
Fans want to win. MR is a winner on and off the field. It has been a rough couple of years for Uga football. I hope MR and his staff gets these players on the right track this season. Just play football.
Blackberry Cobbler
February 14th, 2011
9:25 am
I’ve been as anti-CMR as anybody the past couple of years……………
but I’ll never say another bad word about the man. Regardless of how you feel about the coaching and direction of the program, there’s more to life than football and CMR is a classy guy. UGA is lucky to have such a man leading our young men. He sets a good example on and off the field.
BILLY JACK
February 14th, 2011
9:58 am
If you have a son and would not want him to play for Coach Richt-you should probably re-evaluate your life and parenting skills.
Mark Richt is a great man. After returning from Iraq I meet him for first time in Greenesboro Ga at a Grocery store. I told him who I was and he spent about 20 minutes making me feel like he known me forever. The same day he was returning from SEC Media d
February 14th, 2011
10:00 am
Mark Richt is a great man. After returning from Iraq I meet him for first time in Greenesboro Ga at a Grocery store near my mom house. I told him who I was and he spent about 20 minutes making me feel like he known me forever. He was returning from SEC Media day but still took time. I truly feel he will get it turned around and lead us back to SEC Title game. Classy guy. We should feel lucky
MB
February 14th, 2011
10:06 am
There are more important things in life that touchdowns, Thanks CMR for setting an example for all of us.
AltamahaDawg
February 14th, 2011
10:11 am
“bad words” are not the issue. His team have not played well at times lately. Bad words about failures on the field are warranted. This is the man’s job.
Not sure why this particular story would have served as such a wake up call to so many (several have posted remorse) that the results of the game(s) should have never been an excuse to take potshot and personal attacks at the man’s character in the first place. We have always known he was such a man as this. This is not news.
Had the bad words been honestly confined to what was fair and honest in the first place, would never be any need to declare a moratorium on them.
AltamahaDawg
February 14th, 2011
10:21 am
….meant to conclude that….. that righting that wrong was a very stand up thing to do.
Ugaclassof2004
February 14th, 2011
10:48 am
“This thing is in the ditch”
Fran Tarkenton is absolutely right. UGA is at BEST an 8-5 program. Turnout the lights, the party’s over Coach Richt!
DawginLex
February 14th, 2011
10:49 am
Coach Richt does things the right way.
I’m glad he is our coach.
Francis Tarkenton
February 14th, 2011
10:52 am
I am a clueless washed up loser who takes pot shots at my alma mater.
I only did it to improve the sales of my miracle grow hair gel/tonic/fabric softener/insect killer/fertilizer.
I will now slink back into nothingness.
I don’t have the guts to talk face to face with Coach Richt.
I’m just a walking drive by shooting who has no guts.
Where did I put my teeth??????????????
shankit
February 14th, 2011
11:09 am
Now you all know why Rome, Mitchell, Drew, etc. came to Georgia.
And, mothers will continue to read between the lines of certain recruiting
habits of other teams and not want their kids associated.
Georgia is on the rise under Richt, and in a
couple of years I think all you naysayers will have your NC.
AltamahaDawg
February 14th, 2011
11:42 am
Why do you conclude that 8-5 is the BEST uga can ever do with Richt?
george
February 14th, 2011
11:58 am
no doubt mark richt is a classy guy, but with that being said he is about the only classy thing having to do with the entire UGA program from top to bottom. From the ad, to the coaches, players, and most of all fans UGA continues to prove itself as the least classy program in the country.
Big L
February 14th, 2011
12:25 pm
I long for the day that Coach Richt raises that Crystal Football. It will happen and he will take no satisfaction in proving everyone wrong. He is our coach.
Charles Salter
February 14th, 2011
1:17 pm
Bill, I enjoyed your fine column about Coach Mark Richt’s display of great class in his tribute to the young Valdosta athlete who drowned while hunting. I respect Richt very much and feel he’ll lead the Bulldogs back to the SEC championship game.
Best wishes from a former AJC colleague,
—Charles Salter
Retired fishing editor and Georgia Rambler columnist
DawginLex
February 14th, 2011
1:29 pm
Uh George,
We fired that AD this past summer. Need to keep up son.
Paddy
February 14th, 2011
2:02 pm
I said during the last week of the season I was now going to sit on the sidelines and watch what CMR did and then evaluate for myself. Well, after reading this story I am no longer on the sideline with our coach. I came to the realization that a Dawg program is not always measured by wins and defeats. Thick or thin I am back on the bandwagon. And shame on me for ever getting off.
WIN WITH RICHT
February 14th, 2011
2:41 pm
FIRE MARK RICHT
I liked Coach Dooley and thought he did a good job, But he was no Bear Bryant, Tom Osborne, or Bobby Bowden. He kept UGA in the top half of the SEC and every 3 to 4 years the DAWGs would challenge for a good bowl game. But UGA was no national power under Dooley. Dooley got lucky in 1980 and signed Herschel Walker. That led to the best 3 year run in UGA history. If you take away the Walker years (1980-1982), Dooley’s record is not so great. From 1970 to 2000, Uga won only 1 SEC title without Herschel and only finished in the top 5 once. Besides, Dooley coached against UF when they had coaches like Pell or Dickey. Richt is a great coach in the toughest conference in the country.
Georgia | MrSEC.com
February 14th, 2011
2:55 pm
[...] King of The AJC’s “Junkyard Blawg” for bringing the original story to light. You can read his take and link to earlier versions here.As for our feelings here at MrSEC.com… if there’s a better man heading up an SEC program [...]
AceDawg
February 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
I think you are framing this right – Richt is the kind of guy you WANT to see succeed. I do not feel sorry to see a millionaire like him lose his job, which I honestly have been in favor of, but I also would also cheer him on enthusiastically if he lost his job and made an appearance in Bulldog nation. Now that he is around for another go round, I’m all in and ready to wish him success.