Good coaching hire a vote of confidence in Richt?
Kirk Olivadotti apparently is casting his lot with Mark Richt. (Washington Redskins)
Assuming all goes as the Washington Post has reported, Georgia luring Washington Redskins assistant Kirk Olivadotti to Athens looks like a good hire.
It gives UGA another veteran coach with NFL ties and plenty of experience working with linebackers in the kind of defense Todd Grantham wants to run.
But to me the most interesting aspect of this impending move by Olivadotti is that he was the longest tenured member of the Redskins coaching staff, having worked under seven head coaches over the past 11 seasons (including Steve Spurrier), and yet he’s leaving to join a college coaching staff that might not still have jobs a year from now if things don’t improve quite a bit this season.
Talk about your leap of faith.
Either Grantham did a heckuva selling job on the turnaround under way with Mark Richt’s program or this guy really wanted out of D.C.
STINKING UP THE STEG
Wednesday night saw another epic collapse by Mark Fox’s basketball Bulldogs in the second half, this time against Vandy, with Georgia getting outshot and outrebounded down the stretch, scoring only three free throws in the final 9:47 while squandering a 13-point lead.
The Dogs’ fourth loss in the past six home games may not have eliminated them from NCAA bracket consideration, but their grasp on the bubble certainly is a lot more tenuous. It looks like UGA has to beat Tennessee or Florida on the road now or make quite a run in the SEC tournament to nail down a spot.
What’s wrong with the Dogs? Travis Leslie, one of Georgia’s two underperforming NBA-bound players, said he thought “we got a little complacent in the second half and let them back into it.”
A little complacent? I’d say “we couldn’t be bothered to play a full 40 minutes and just gave up” would come closer to it.
Coming into the season, everyone expected Leslie and Trey Thompkins to do big things in what’s expected to be their last season at Georgia. Time’s running out for them to live up to those expectations.
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170 comments Add your comment
DawginLex
February 18th, 2011
8:59 am
the haters ask what proof do we have that Richt will turn it around.
Let’s turn it the other way.
What proof do you have that he won’t.
You point to 6-7.
I point to 96 wins in 10 years and 2 SEC titles when we had not won one in 20 years.
You point to 6-7
I point to 13-1
11-3
10-2
10-3
Auburn Fan
February 18th, 2011
9:24 am
From now on, the Bama faithful will be known no more as the mullets, but as the UPDYKERS!
ROLL UPDYKERS ROLL!
Trey
February 18th, 2011
9:24 am
I find it fascinating that 7 out of the last 8 seasons, Richt’s team had less wins than the previous season.
Auburn Fan
February 18th, 2011
9:25 am
“Auburn Fan AU has been receiving a lot of sympathy from UGA fans for the poisoning of the trees in Auburn by a Alabama nut but your ravings make us think the plant killer would be put to better use on you.’
Oh, so now you’re advocating murder. Nice, inbred. Real nice. Come to think of it, the state of Louisiana leads the nation in brain cancer. I wonder why.
Auburn Fan
February 18th, 2011
9:26 am
DawginLex
You guys should have a great year. The SEC Least is down and Meyer is gone gone gone. USC East is overrated and will lose a few games. You guys have a nice schedule and one that is very favorable.
Good luck!
Lakedawg
February 18th, 2011
9:29 am
Snoop Dog—-Not sure you know how college coaches are paid. Coach Richt bilking the state of Georgia????? The State pays nothing, Football fans that contribute money and buy football tickets pay coaching salaries and all other expenses of athletic program. So try to write something you have some knowledge about next time, not some stupid comment like before. Or maybe there is very little that you have any knowledge of.
RabidDawgFan
February 18th, 2011
9:39 am
We’ll beat Boise, beat South Carolina, lose to Coastal Carolina, and lose to the rest of these teams accoriding to the Florida, Alabama, Auburn, and S. Carolina fans who are positive that they know everything. We’ll lose every game on our schedule. Bank on it. 0-12 for us this season.
RabidDawgFan
February 18th, 2011
9:40 am
Boise State is in for a rude awakening. And I mean RUUUUDEEEE
Auburn Fan
February 18th, 2011
9:41 am
“Boise State is in for a rude awakening.’
What, did you poison their potatoes?
oakwood dawg
February 18th, 2011
10:10 am
If CMR can’t cut the mustard this year, then I am all for a new HC. Kirby Smart or even Derek Dooley(he is turning UT around and like Vince will be a great coach) would be imo a great coach for us. But hey, lets give CMR a chance to turn things around this year. Lets get behind him and the dawgs. We may be pleasantly surprised.
Mtn Dawg
February 18th, 2011
10:13 am
@Trey:
Try another Blog. Your rantings are getting old, and your perspective is flawed.
ATLSN
February 18th, 2011
10:29 am
If you’re an Atlanta/Georgia Sports fan and want to talk with other fans, check out our NEW message board.
http://www.atlsportsnation.com/forum
We have team forums for the Falcons, Bulldogs, Hawks, Braves, Yellow Jackets, Thrashers, etc. Please register and post! Be apart of a huge site in the early days of existence. See ya there! We’re looking for posters, moderators, bloggers/writers. Join up if interested.
ugaclassof2004
February 18th, 2011
10:29 am
I’m going to see Coach Richt today in Blairsville. Looking forward to it.
As for the team this year, I want to see them play with passion and confidence. Those were two things that were lacking BIG TIME last year. If this team played with 1/3 of the passion that the exhibited in the Florida win in 2007, NO WAY would they have finished 6-7. But these kids have to realize that victories just aren’t going to be handed to them, they have to put in the WORK! Its time for the team to get that swagger back and play like their hair is on fire. I miss the days where we used to beat top 10/top 20 teams at home. These kids now think their hot stuff but trust me, nothing makes you more of a rock star on Saturday night than beating a top ranked SEC team in Athens! That is a memory that will live with you always! Talent is important but the attitude is paramount! Lets turn things around THIS year Dawgs or things WILL get turned around next year!
WIN WITH RICHT
February 18th, 2011
10:44 am
Trey
You keep posting the same thing over and over and over. Its like being stuck in an elevator for 10 hours listening to Muskrat Love. Move on to something else.
RabidDawgFan
February 18th, 2011
11:33 am
Auburn Man, are you proud of all the sanctions that Auburn is going through with the NCAA and cheating their way to getting recruits and winning titles? Funny, I didn’t see you over on the article about how Auburn is going through another sanction (NOT having to do with Newton).
AltamahaDawg
February 18th, 2011
11:35 am
2004, maybe you can directly tell him what you say about him in here all the time. Great opportunity to contrast your ultra high standard of excellence, face to face.
While you are at it, why not tell him….(because you seem to avoid answering in here)
1. Which 6 games you predicted he will lose this 2011 season and why.
2. By what standard you say he runs a 8-4 program “at best”, and back that up with some actual facts from history, or future I suppose.
Good luck, I’m sure you’ll let him have it.
ugaclassof2004
February 18th, 2011
2:55 pm
Altamaha Dawg
When you say ultra high standards, do you mean having a winning season? If so, then yes I have ultra high standards.
I did get to meet Coach Richt today. Did I lamblast him for last season? No because it would have been inappropriate in front of hundreds of people. If that makes me a coward in your eyes then so be it.
On a personal level I like Coach Richt. I think he’s a good man who has represented our university well. I don’t particularly agree with some of his religious views, but that’s OK. I have been very critical of Coach Richt on here and not without warrant. If afforded the luxury of having a private audience with him, I would say to him that you can still hold true to your religious convictions and without having to compromise being successful. And that is my biggest critique of Coach Richt: I feel he shy’s away from wanting to be successful because he feels that it would compromise some of his ULTRA HIGH beliefs. That just doesn’t have to be the case. Tim Tebow is a good example of someone who believes in heaven yet is willing to take his own destiny into his hands. THAT is what I want to see from Coach Richt: take control of your destiny and be the best you can be. And I’m sorry but that just hasn’t been the case with UGA the last few years.
AltamahaDawg
February 18th, 2011
5:21 pm
NO, being polite to Richt in public is the appropriate behavior.
The cowardice part is what you say in here about him, then refuse to back it up when questioned directly about it. I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about in the religious convictions holding him back category, nor do you.
AltamahaDawg
February 18th, 2011
5:36 pm
Although in all fairness I should ask:
1. Specifically which of his “religious views” do you disagree with and why? I assume these are view that you equate to him from some information or knowledge, and not just pure specualtion.
2. What evidence do you have that the struggles of the football team have anything whatsover to do with his religious views?
AltamahaDawg
February 18th, 2011
7:35 pm
???