Time for the Dogs to put the ‘cancer’ talk behind them
Orson Charles has the right idea about how to approach this season. (The State)
A lot of what you hear from college football players in the offseason should be taken with a grain of salt.
It’s part of the team-building process to talk it up, so you get a lot of “we’re working harder than ever” chatter. We heard last year about how much harder the players were working and how much faster they were. Then came the 6-7 season and the conditioning coach and his supposedly infamous mat drills were out, and now we’re being told how much harder the players are working and how it’s paying off with them being much bigger and faster.
Whether that’s true or just more talk, we’ll see this fall.
Also, if the previous season wasn’t all it was expected to be, you tend to hear comments about how much better it is now in terms of leadership and attitude. The past couple of years we’ve heard a lot of that kind of talk from Georgia football players, and we’re hearing more of it this year. There wasn’t any leadership in the locker room. There was finger-pointing going on after losses.
The difference is, this time the picture they’re painting of the previous year’s attitude and morale problems is much more extreme than we’ve heard before, with several instances of players who are no longer on the team being referred to as “cancers” that had to be removed in order for the team to get healthy again.
Whether that’s a bit of scapegoating or the morale problems really were exacerbated last year by some dissenters, this seems to be more than just team-building among the current players. Christian Robinson has been outspoken about last year’s morale problems, as has Ben Jones. And Tavarres King told the Macon Telegraph there were “absolutely” more chemistry problems with last year’s team than than those of us outside the program knew about.
Looking back, that’s not surprising, especially considering the early-season losing streak. In the midst of that four-game skid, Mark Richt was asked about how his team was handling the adversity, and he said, “All I would say is everybody showed up to work and we worked. That’s all we can ask right now. We just have to keep grinding right now.”
As the season wore on, we got more comments from him about the players needing to show up for work like a man and do their job.
Kris Durham said before the Tennessee game that the team was “trying to stay positive, trying to have a positive mentality, and get back to having fun. It’s never fun when you lose.”
Now it appears the problems with that team were more severe than simply not “finishing the drill.” It wasn’t all attitude, of course. There definitely were talent problems at certain positions. But perhaps members of the team who were unhappy over a lack of playing time or the way they’d been treated by coaches dragged the team down even more.
And this year? Well, it’s all going to be different, isn’t it? At least that’s what we’re being told.
I’m not sure all this pointing of the finger at departed players is any more productive than the “griping and moaning,” as Richt calls it, that apparently went down last year.
I think maybe a better mind-set is how Orson Charles appears to be approaching the coming season. As he told Dawgs247, “We just need to go back to just having fun. When I was coming here, I was watching when they played Hawaii. All them boys were jumping up and down and having fun. I’m like, ‘Why can’t we have that now? Why can’t we do that now?’ There’s nothing stopping us. We’re stopping ourselves. So I think that’s the No. 1 thing that we need to go out there and remember. We’ve been playing this game for a long time, and growing up, we’ve been having fun. So let’s just have fun doing it now.”
It is a game, after all.
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187 comments Add your comment
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
1:22 pm
I think we can rule out somebody that wasn’t there.
Will
March 29th, 2011
1:22 pm
Been nice if Tavarres had worked on his game last year, to be better than Durham or AJ, so he could catch more than 2 passes a game and actually help the team win. Don’t remember any game winning td’s from Tavarres.
joey
March 29th, 2011
1:23 pm
Make this years defense watch all the 2002 games and see what chemistry looks like! I miss seeing a “dogpile” everywhere there is a player with a football
Ray Goof
March 29th, 2011
1:23 pm
Was Fran really too critical of a 6-7 team that lost 10-6 to UCF?
Will
March 29th, 2011
1:24 pm
Orson needs to figure out that the fun comes with winning. Start beating somebody besides Vanderbilt and there might be more fun next year.
Ray Goof
March 29th, 2011
1:26 pm
Dream team…
Ray Goof
March 29th, 2011
1:26 pm
Dream Team
frannie mae
March 29th, 2011
1:30 pm
Altamaha….. you brain is clouded sir which is understandable for kool aid drinking fans. Go back and listen to the interview once again. Fran mostly criticized ahem… dare we mention it, coach Richt. The 6 – 7 record speaks for itself and there was no need to complain. Fran was complaining mostly about the direction of the program and its leader.
Ron Smith
March 29th, 2011
1:33 pm
Once again: TRY ANYTHING ELSE (Insanity is doing the same things that do not work and expecting different results) Try these: 1) Players must stay out of jail; 2) Conditioning, Conditioning, Conditioning, 3) Find a defense, any defense; 4)find a quarterback; 5) Bobo and Richt on the field; 6) Find some way to score touchdowns from inside the Red Zone; 6) Learn 2-minute drill; 7) Beat the teams they are supposed to baat – Vandy, Ole Miss, Costal Carolina;
Beat Florida, Auburn & Tennessee all in the same year; 9) Receivers will learn to catch the ball; 9) Tackle, Tackle, Tackle. If all these fail stop playing football. UGA football is teetering on the edge of becoming an SEC 3rd tier team
RW
March 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
Seems like Richt’s teams win less games each year.
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
I have no ill towards Fran. I actually have had some professional dealings with somebody very close to him. Seems like a pretty cool guy. I know he is a loyal Dawg fan. I know he wants what is best for UGA. But he has made a big point to not get involved, so this was for whatever purposes HE had, not just a candid look. Again I also find a few of his points to be just flat incorrect, and they came across as simply contrived for the benifit of that staged event.
SomewhereinGA
March 29th, 2011
1:39 pm
Logan Gray was considered a cancer by some players. I had a former player tell me that with his own mouth! He had poor attendance at “voluntary” workouts, etc…..
Players are not the only cancer either. We have a coach(still on the staff) that is described as “as big a racist as you will ever see” by this former player as well…can you guess who he might be talking about?
John Rocker is a "cancer" - Brian Jordan
March 29th, 2011
1:39 pm
Saint Richt needs to pray for the cancer to go away. and have another blackout game.
George O'Leary
March 29th, 2011
1:42 pm
Hahahahahaha UGA stinks
10 - 6 and no TD at SC
March 29th, 2011
1:46 pm
BOO BOO is the cancer!
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
1:46 pm
frannie, I don;t know what you actually think of college football is my friend, but it’s 99% kooaid. That’s the whole point of the exercise. Might be good if you can make a comment that doesn’t rely solely on worn out cliche’s too.
I know exactly what he said. Nothing I said about it does not apply to what he said, and your dispute of that failed. I’m not even sure that you even know what your point is.
Mobile Dawg
March 29th, 2011
1:47 pm
Dawgs need to have a prayer meeting, set some team goals, quit flapping their jowl’s, work hard, and win. If they don’t “coaches” need to go, plain and simple. There is no “acceptable” explanation for their performance the last “several” years. It’s obvious to anyone with “half a brain” what the problem has been. Does anyone see any real reason it should change. My opinion is this will be another “wasted year”. Sorry for the negativity folks but I’m just a realist.
Mobile Dawg
March 29th, 2011
1:57 pm
For anyone with less than half a brain the answer would be, “Lack of Leadership”.
Cuz
March 29th, 2011
1:59 pm
I think it is time to bring back the Mark Richt dance party.
Reginald
March 29th, 2011
2:02 pm
‘Somewhere in GA’. Could you be referring to a Coach Ball? I’ve heard a similar statement regarding him from multiple people.
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
2:02 pm
The direction of the program. Do you actually believe that his concern was not founded in the 6-7 record? Had they kicked a few more FG, do you really think he is going out to be critical of the “direction” had they won a few more games? Or that anyone would have even asked him about it? OBVIOUSLY he was complaining about 6-7.
But specifically he was saying “player from Georgia used to want to go to Georgia, and we just don’t get them any more”. Really? That’s the true concern about direction? First of all, wouldn’t it have been smart to actually check with what was going on relative to that claim. Especially if you are going to say that 2 weeks before signing day of the best group of Georgia players in years?? I would have thought that wise. Secondly do you recon he believes UGA to have 75 new scholarships to give every year? The year before was the only year that Richt had not signed a good group of Georgia players.
The of cource was the seemingless incoherant point that Richt was a man of religion. I guess because most men aren’t? Or football coaches can’t be? That’s not even making a poiint, much less a valid “direction” concern. “I know he like to go on Mission trips”? what! Foprgetting the Fact that he hadn’t been on one since the summer of 08′ (frankly I find it a bit more than conincidental that the record started going down when he GAVE UP going on those, but whatever), what on earth does that have anything to so with being a successful football coach anyway?
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
2:04 pm
You mean anyone with more than a half of brain. Less than half would include no brain. Not sure thats the control you group you want to be in.
frannie mae
March 29th, 2011
2:07 pm
altamaha and mamby pamby fans alike …..Fran was asked for an oppinon and he gave it without sugar coating it. He was brutally honest and of course he isnt gonna get involved just like any other fan wouldnt. Get over it .
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
2:08 pm
Yea, that’s what I figured.
timthebrave
March 29th, 2011
2:19 pm
Fran gave a controversial opinion because he had a new sports radio segment called frankly fran. It was more to create a buzz than anything else in my opinion and had everything to do with the wins and losses.
timthebrave
March 29th, 2011
2:20 pm
Haters, don’t worry we will let you back on the bandwagon when the dawgs have a great year…Us true fans will just smile and let you back on the bandwagon
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
2:28 pm
And they will be drinking that koolaid out of a fire hydrant.
Bubba J. Dawgman
March 29th, 2011
2:30 pm
timthebrave, You are correct sir. After this season when Richt turns it around, all these people bashing him and the team will say “I told you he’d turn it around.” Most sports fans in GA are the quickest to bash a team and give up on em when things aren’t going great and even quicker to jump on the bandwagon when things are good. We will definitely let em back on though. GOOOO DAWGS!
UGA Insider
March 29th, 2011
2:33 pm
Everyone should go to ESPN and read the article on ex Vol Eric Ainge. That is one shocking read!!!! One thing I was not shocked about was when he got arrested in Knoxville and the arresting cops were UT fans so they handcuffed him then took him to a friends house.
D
March 29th, 2011
2:34 pm
Altamaha @ 2:02, hit the nail on the head buddy.
bigguy
March 29th, 2011
2:35 pm
Wait til you see how this new running back acts when he gets racked at the line. Rewind to the Calhoun game if you need a refresher.
Buckshot
March 29th, 2011
2:45 pm
I think Fran has earned the right to say whatever he wants to about UGA football. Of course, I liked it when Donnan jumped on Loran on live radio for running his mouth too. Dawgs will be alright once the coaching staff gets going in one direction. They have seemed out of sorts the past couple of seasons. That is the HC’s responsibility.
UGA Insider
March 29th, 2011
2:46 pm
@ Jeff(12:15)
UGA is bigger and stronger in just 4 short months. Just wait until September. We will again look like an SEC contender again…I just hope we play like one.
When I see Jarvis Jones, Richard Samuels and Tree in street clothes they all look like NFL caliber LB’s. They are all 240-250. I can’t remember the last time I saw this much talent at one time. Probably when Boss Bailey was there. If we can shore up our safety position this defense can be special.
Dawg30080
March 29th, 2011
2:48 pm
all the talk about “cancer” needs to stop. i know a true dawg fan that is battling cancer right now. REAL life or death cancer, not people with bad attitudes or not in it for the team. its almost like a player referencing “going to war”. there are just some metaphors that don’t need to be used.
that being said, i wish richt would ban all players from interviews at least until after the first game. quit making excuses about the past and fix the future. control what you can control which is 2011 and beyond not 2010.
i’m in the camp of who anointed robinson as the leader of the defense…how about tyson, abry jones or boykin….people who’s play actually leads the team. robinson is not impressive on the field. i hope he does not turn into one of the players the coaches leave on the field and waste a more talented player behind them on the bench.
Bubba J. Dawgman
March 29th, 2011
2:52 pm
wow UGA insider, just read that story and didn’t know any of that about Ainge. Sounds like he’s getting his stuff together now though.
UGA Insider
March 29th, 2011
2:57 pm
Well said Dawg30080, my son had leukemia for 5 years and cancer is not a fun thing let me tell you. I hope CMR has a talk with these kids and let’s just play football. It’s really a simple thing to do.
JB
March 29th, 2011
3:19 pm
Sounds like Logan Gray and C. King. Logan transferred out. Let’s all look North and win a few this year.
Mobile Dawg
March 29th, 2011
3:56 pm
Alt, what @ 2:04? Half a brain or better could figure it out. Bubba, I’ve never been a Richt Fan, I don’t like his offensive philosophy, finesse. It doesn’t win in the SEC, without a physical game you just don’t last four quarters against good physical teams. If Richt wins, I still won’t be fan of the style game he plays. I guess I just can’t be pleased huh? And he just doesn’t seem to “learn” or “grow” from his experience….
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
4:12 pm
“For anyone with less than half a brain the answer would be, “Lack of Leadership”.”
I was just correcting you. MORE than half, at least a half, is what you meant. You contradicted your point by saying less than.
joe
March 29th, 2011
4:18 pm
Frannie Mae- Tarkington is a moron….anyone that would come out like he did is as classless as Fairley at Auburn. I would rate him right along side of him. It’s fine to have an opinion- but the way he did it was spineless at best. This from someone that has chosen not to be involved with UGA. Hopefully he will crawl back under his rock and shut up
Einsteindawg
March 29th, 2011
4:27 pm
When you pour tons of resources into one department and it still underachieves, you’ve got the wrong manager. I don’t care what he’s done previously, just the recent three years…past time to fire Richt. He was once an above-average coach, but let money destroy his passion. With our 2011 schedule, anything less than 10 wins and an SEC East championship is grounds for dismissal. Just the opinion of a UGA grad and 42 year season ticket holder.
AltamahaDawg
March 29th, 2011
4:29 pm
Absolutely Fran has the right to say whatever. I assume you are assighning him a higher degree of “right” because he was a former star player? If that is true I also think he would have a greater responsibility along with that, to be insightful or helpful, and aware of such thing as context and timing. Or facts. I didn’t find him to be any of that. So yes, his right to be right to be reactionary is exactly the same as the next guy on the street.
RabidDawgFan
March 29th, 2011
4:49 pm
The bottom line is we get whipped up front on both sides of the ball last season. We can’t let that happen this season. Hopefully our new O-line coach can show these boys the right way to do things and motivate them to block and hit everything in another color. Whether we like it or not, and no matter how pretty or “diva” these skill players look prancing down the sidelines for a touchdown, games are won and lost in the trenches.
Mike
March 29th, 2011
5:32 pm
It starts with discipline at the top and Georgia has not had it the past couple of years with the loose and disorganized off seasons. I read where Duron Carter former 5 star recruit who originally signed with Ohio State and left due to acadmics attended JUCO and is now visiting Alabama with father former NFL receiver Chris Carter. Chris said they were looking for 365 days of structure, discipline and teaching and that is what you get with Nick Saban and his staff. Inside sources have the 6′5 205 lb receiver signing with Alabama.
Richt needs to put a muzzle on any player speaking to the media and get these type of comments which fuel more question squashed.
Crunch
March 29th, 2011
5:32 pm
If the Dawgs can’t do anything this year or next, (as in at least a conference championship, if not NC), then they never will under the current Coaching Staff!
frannie mae
March 29th, 2011
5:56 pm
joeblow…. please…. at least get his name correct. Its Tarkenton. You big oaf!
ugab
March 29th, 2011
5:57 pm
The AD had alot to do with bringing the football team down also.
frannie mae
March 29th, 2011
6:03 pm
So we supposedly sign the best class in years that will cure all wounds…. Yeah right. Like Fran said UGA is in trouble particularly if the powers that be think this Dream team is gonna make UGA have a complete turnaround immediately. Pass the Kool aid and more cliche’s please!
big o
March 29th, 2011
6:05 pm
Where I come from if you gonna talk about it then be about it and name names or shut up. Other than Lane were their any players of note who transfered out. If not that means Seniors and AJ green so since CR had all the talk I’m thinking he was talking about Dent since they were in the same group. That being said as an Alum of Douglass High School where Dent attended as well as Battle and James Davis from Clemson I take offense name names or shut the $#**&^ up. GO DAWGS !!!!!!
Gravy Train
March 29th, 2011
6:08 pm
Bill, it all depends on whether folks like yourself are willing to put an end to cancerous statements. Maybe this season you can put behind yourself the vendettas with college age kids and attacks on our coaching staff. Every season is a chance for the team to start something great.