How long before the new Bronze Age gets going at UGA?
Even Nick Saban doesn't look too sure about his creepy-looking bronze self. (Associated Press)
It used to be that getting your own statue was almost as difficult as having your face on a U.S. postage stamp.
You might not have had to be dead 10 years like with the stamps, but unless you were a dictator putting up your own monuments, the idea generally was that some time for historic appreciation had to elapse between whatever it was you did that was noteworthy and having your visage erected in bronze.
That was pretty much the case even in the sports world, where the words “all-time” and “greatest” get thrown around with abandon. Bobby Bowden had been head coach at Florida State for 28 years before the school erected a statue of him, and Joe Paterno didn’t become a target for pigeons at Penn State until 19 years after winning his first national championship.
In this Twitterized age of instant gratification, however, the bar for bronze immortality has been lowered considerably.
The University of Florida didn't wait long to honor Tim Tebow with a statue. (Associated Press)
Consider Auburn University, which recently announced that in addition to previously planned statues of Heisman Trophy winners Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson, who won their honors in 1971 and 1985, the school also will be putting up a statue of Cam Newton, who spent all of about a year as a Tiger but who delivered a third Heisman and a BCS championship this past season.
No matter that there’s still the possibility an NCAA investigation could lead to one or possibly even both of those honors going away (and that USC is, no doubt, glad it didn’t rush to put up a statue of Reggie Bush in 2005). Auburn is, as they say, “all in” on Newton.
The news of the Newton statue came right on the heels of the unveiling of a couple of other hastily erected statues at SEC football powers, with Florida’s Tim Tebow having gotten a bronze likeness (along with the Gators’ other two Heisman winners, Danny Wuerffel and Steve Spurrier), just a little over a season after leaving the school. And Alabama recently put up a rather creepy looking 9-foot-tall bronze Nick Saban, despite the fact he’s only in his fifth year coaching there. A trifle premature, maybe? After all, five years into his coaching career at UGA some folks thought Mark Richt should be declared the school’s greatest coach ever; you don’t hear that as much now. But say this for Saban, he did win that national title.
All this bronzing in the SEC prompted quite a bit of media commentary about our region’s football obsession, most notably from HBO “Real Sports” host Bryant Gumbel, who noted, “it seems Southerners in particular have gone bronze bonkers of late. … It used to be you had to serve a lifetime and die for your country or some noble cause to be immortalized. Now, it seems, all you have to do is generate some cheers and win a few football games for those who live and breathe for such things. If nothing else, you’d think they’d wait at least awhile to see how events play out. Recent sports history has taught us that yesterday’s hero might quickly become tomorrow’s outcast.”
Should Vince Dooley's statue in Athens be joined by other football monuments? (University of Georgia)
Knee-jerk assumptions about the South aside, it’s not just in our part of the country that football heroes get statues. Oklahoma put one up of Jason White four years after he won his Heisman, and the school has erected statues of three other Sooners, with another still to come. Oklahoma also plans statues of four of its coaches, including the current one, Bob Stoops. Notre Dame has statues of Knute Rockne and Lou Holtz (I wonder if they managed to capture the spittle in bronze). Syracuse has one of Ernie Davis, the first black Heisman winner, and Nebraska put up a statue of Tom Osborne (along with a player who died in a plane crash) in 2006.
There’s a lot to be said for statues. They honor achievement, celebrate a school’s past accomplishments and tradition, and make great backdrops for fan photos. And it’s hard to complain as long as public funding that could otherwise go for faculty or classrooms isn’t used to pay for them (most are either funded by private donations or athletic association money).
There’s the prestige factor, too. As Bama athletic director Mal Moore told the Wall Street Journal, “I’d just say that, right or wrong, the thing that brings a lot of immediate attention to a university is its athletic programs. It’s a way of recognizing that success.”
UGA has been rather slow about entering this new Bronze Age, with only the Vince Dooley statue on the South Campus athletic complex so far. But if putting up statues is going to become the latest weapon in the recruiting arms race along with fancy weight rooms and practice facilities, it probably won’t be long before someone’s talking about adding to the statuary in Athens.
As I wrote before on this subject, I recognize there are those who question whether a university campus perhaps ought to erect monuments to great scholars or distinguished alumni rather than athletes, and it’s worth noting that the UGA Alumni Association is raising funds now for a North Campus statue of Abraham Baldwin, the school’s illustrious founder.
But it seems almost inevitable that at the very least Heisman Trophy winners Frank Sinkwich and Herschel Walker will one day get bronzed on campus. And if that’s going to happen, I’d argue Maxwell Award winner and Heisman runner-up Charley Trippi ought to join them. Probably Wally Butts, too.
And how cool would it be to tell friends to meet you after the game at the Erk Russell statue?
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153 comments Add your comment
GOB BLEUTH
April 23rd, 2011
11:06 pm
Bill
Cam Newton didn’t spend a year at Auburn. The guy spent ONE SEMESTER there. ONE SEMESTER! I would love to know what courses he took in the fall.
RED DOG 77
April 24th, 2011
12:58 am
@Michael G………Great post my fine BULLDOG friend ! Don’t worry though, it is mostly fringe types that want coach Mark Richt’s head on a stick. Most of these fools who trool around these blogs and spew venom, or wet their beds because we haven’t been”up” for 11 years straight don’t know a damn thing about college football in the first place. Yea, Yea, Yea, so we have been down a few years, but I would challenge anyone who has any thoughtful insite into college football to take a close look at coach Richt’s “body of work” and tell me with all honesty that coach Richt isn’t the greatest coach The University of Georgia has ever had. PERIOD!!!!!……….Michael, son, you are indeed a Damn Good DOG!!!………Regards, RED
Fire Mark Richt
April 24th, 2011
1:03 am
Richt will be tarred and feathered maybe, but I don’t see bronze in his future.
RED DOG 77
April 24th, 2011
1:06 am
@ Bill King…………Yet another doozie of a story “ol boy……..try a little harder Bill you know you can do better………Regards, RED
RED DOG 77
April 24th, 2011
1:11 am
@ “Fire Mark Richt”………You son……….nah…..you’re not worth my time, or stupid is as stupid does………x’ o’ ………hugs and kisses………RED
Dawg48
April 24th, 2011
1:12 am
What will cost auburn more money? A statue of cam newton or paying him to okay their?
Dawg48
April 24th, 2011
1:13 am
Play thier
Dawg48
April 24th, 2011
1:29 am
Sorry bam a fans you can’t poison a statue!
Sugar Hill Dawg
April 24th, 2011
8:01 am
Any Erk statue would have to be life sized so I could butt heads with him.
Dawg4life
April 24th, 2011
8:51 am
How about we actually do something that constitutes a statue first?
CrackDaddy
April 24th, 2011
8:55 am
I thought Bama would have surely “bronzed” Forrest Gump. (Did UGa really recruit him only to lose out to Bama?)
FanSince59
April 24th, 2011
9:44 am
I think those individuals responsible for erecting bronze statues at UGA better wait until after this season before casting Richt in bronze. Also, if Dooley got bronzed, then Herschel’s likness should be rendered out of solid gold, because it was Herschel, and not Dooley, who won UGA’s national championship. I was there.
Buckeye
April 24th, 2011
10:00 am
Herschel only though I’d also put in a vote for Schmeckdawg and Still at the Bar. D A Double and DawginLex can buy honorary bricks at Herschel Plaza.
tide roll
April 24th, 2011
10:12 am
has anyone seen my cousin/wife anywhere? I cant find her..so who is going to clean the trailer and cook up the possum now? Not me, Im too busy shooting rabbits and poisoning trees. I love that woman though..she gave me my two wonderful daughters, Sabanisha and Bryantina. And my two sons Bear and his other brother Bear.
UGASlobberknocker
April 24th, 2011
10:13 am
Im thinking one for Herschel and one for blogger Bubbatavious
UGASlobberknocker
April 24th, 2011
10:18 am
I also would go for a bronze statue of Dr Adams,,but only if ,rather than using a model, Adams himself was simply dipped into the bronze. Then place it under power lines that have a lot of pigeons roosting on them..
It Ain't Rocket Science
April 24th, 2011
10:21 am
I bet that statute of Cam Newton, will not cost as much money as the school has spent on his defense for lawyers and such. He should help out a little when he signs a pro. contract. Say, a flat donation of $180,000 or so.
Math question
April 24th, 2011
10:27 am
Im wondering what is the higher number? the amount of wins last season for Auburn, or the number of credit hours earned by Cam Newton in his one semester career.? I would bet a couple of oak trees that the 14 wins exceed his total credit hours. I dont know how Auburn people can celebrate what is such an obviously tainted championship.If I were an Auburn fan I would be ashamed to even talk about it. Bama fans are morons, but at least their championship in 2009 was legit.
Is it just me?
April 24th, 2011
10:35 am
I get it that Bill is a loyal Dawg fan, and that this blog is supposed to be from the fan’s standpoint ..but still, am I the only one who thinks that more often than not the topics on this blog are irrelevant to the main focus..Bulldog Sports?. Too many times the subject matter is almost “high school-ish” journalism in form and subject matter.
This blog could be so much better. It looks especially lame when compared to the much better UGA blog with Tucker and now Towers.
Dixie Redcoat Band
April 24th, 2011
10:42 am
ohio state claims 45,000 yesterday at $15.00 each. That’ll go to the head coaches defense fund and tattoo shop.
It Ain't Rocket Science
April 24th, 2011
10:58 am
I didn’t think that most colleges charges for a spring practice game. I sure hope they provide more than just the game, in order to justify that charge. Do Bama and Auburn, or most any other SEC team charge for their spring game? I am ok with donating to a charitable cause at a spring game, but not if the money is going to the athletic dept. Fans already get robbed enough on the price of regular season ticket prices.
UGASlobberknocker
April 24th, 2011
11:08 am
There is no charge for the spring game at UGA. But then the UGA finances and profitability are annually among the best in college sports.. Auburn and some other schools not so flush with cash prob have to do it for budgetary reasons.
Schools let people in for free if
a/ they dont need the relatively small amt of cash brought in or
b/if they charged, no one would come (like at Tech).
UGASlobberknocker
April 24th, 2011
11:12 am
Here is a link to an article talking about how Ohio State finances are tight..so that prob explains their $15 charge
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/02/03/OSU_athletics.ART_ART_02-03-09_B1_95CPC9A.html
1eyedJack
April 24th, 2011
11:27 am
Did they give away free cokes and hotdogs at the T-day game yesterday?
Bubbatavious
April 24th, 2011
11:47 am
UGA Slobberknocker…… Thanks for the mentioning of being bronzed. But I have to admit I ain’t quite there yet just like Richt and our football team.
FB Fan
April 24th, 2011
11:54 am
How about a statue of Ga. wide receiver and AD, Damon Evans?
Maybe clutching a football in one hand and a pair of red panties in the other!
UGASlobberknocker
April 24th, 2011
12:09 pm
Bubba you get a statue just for the best blog name
Carlton
April 24th, 2011
12:11 pm
Hines Ward, Champ Bailey, David Pollack would all be good choices Bill, this isn’t 1980 anymore-we can look at players after the Vince Dooley era you know.
cantondawg
April 24th, 2011
1:54 pm
WOW. Tide Roll actually posted something besides the OL from Georgia leaving to play for Alabama. I’m sure he had to get someone else to “think up” something else for you
CrackDaddy
April 24th, 2011
2:00 pm
UGaAlum, you are the stereoptypical Narcissistic UGa alum!
Senator Blutarsky
April 24th, 2011
4:31 pm
Bronze Aaron Murray!!!!!
He’s the greatest QB in the history of planet earth!!!!
Scored 24 td’s as a FROSH!!!!!
Jimmie
April 24th, 2011
4:33 pm
Slow down there Senator hyperbole.
19 of your hero’s 24 td’s came against teams with LOSING records.
Let’s hold off on the bronze for Murray until he at least beats 1 team with a winning record, okey dokey Senator Hot Airsky?
Senator Blutarsky
April 24th, 2011
4:44 pm
But Murray beat Idaho State, Vanderbilt, and Louisiana Lafayette.
Bronze him!!!!!
Did you see Aaron Murray play against LA lAFFY? At my prestigious law firm we call that incredible.
Jimmie
April 24th, 2011
4:45 pm
Senator Hotairsky, those teams wern’t good.
You don’t give a QB a bronze statue for beating Idaho State, comprehende?
longdog
April 24th, 2011
4:59 pm
They ought to put a bust of my butt in sanford stadium so every time tech comes over they can kiss it
Bronze race and keeping up with the Joneses
April 24th, 2011
5:01 pm
Seems like just another trend started by Saban envy.
First it started with the spring game when 92,000 showed up for Saban’s inaugural spring game. Then it just became all the rage in college football to see how many folks you could get to come to your spring game and get it televised by ESPN.
Then it was the stadium expansion up to 102,000. Then everybody wants to start renovating or looking at ways to possibly expand their stadium to keep up with Bama.
Now its all about the bronze statues that started once again with Alabama. When Alabama expanded and renovated Bryant Denny several years ago they decided to put up bronze statues to honor the 4 coaches who had won national championships at Bama and they ominously erected a plot for the coach who would become the 5th. Once Saban won it he became eligible and deserving of the statue. That’s what you get the statue for and there is no point in waiting for the award. If the statues were solely for overall lifetime achievement I could see a reason for waiting. But they are not. They are an immediate reward for an accomplishment. Nothing wrong with that and we can’t help it if all the followers just want to try and keep up with us.
Lakedawg
April 24th, 2011
5:01 pm
The secret to a bronze statue is being 5″ 6″ tall. Holtz and Saban. Check both of those esteemed coaches record vs the Dawgs.
heeldawg
April 24th, 2011
5:04 pm
Newton statue at Auburn? Too soon. This story ain’t over yet. If Auburn loses its SACS accreditation and gets kicked out of the SEC as a result of all of the Camgate crap (a real risk, as they were already on SACS probation due to other academic/athletic “irregularities,” i.e. pay-for-play and the Bobby Louder/ Bobby Petrino debacle, and loss of accreditation mandates a boot from the SEC, according to the league by-laws), they’ll be tearing that statue down like it was Saddam Hussein’s.
Not fair to make fun of the trees dying at Toomer’s Corner, though. That was a bush league stunt that guy pulled.
I’m no seer, but here’s a hunch: 2011-2012 will mark the renaissance of Coach Mark Richt. He’s a quality individual who wins ball games. A 10-win season and New Year’s Day Bowl game this year will be followed by an SEC title and a shot at the BCS title next season. And when he’s at 113 or so wins after 11 seasons, with three SEC titles and a possible national title under his belt, would anyone bet that he won’t get a statue in Athens eventually? People compare him unfavorably to Nick Saban and Jim Tressel, two slimeballs who win. But let me ask you something: if Richt does what I think he can do in the next few years and finally wins that MNC, who do you want representing your school? Who would you want your kid to play for? A guy like Saban, who runs kids off whenever he thinks they won’t be contributors to the program–and who will get away with anything he can in recruiting as long as he doesn’t get caught? A guy like Tressel, who breaks the rules and lies about them? Or a guy like Richt, who tries to do the right thing by his players?
I know what my answer is to this question. And if you’re a true Dawg fan, you do, too.
Georgia statues?
April 24th, 2011
5:08 pm
No need. There would only be 1-2 so it would be kinda weak and would be counter productive because it would only highlight Georgia’s overall lack of success on the national stage.
If you honored coaches it would look weird to have only 1 coach who ever won a national title and hence one single statue wouldn’t work for UGA. You aint Alabama folks.
And if you honored Heisman trophy winners you would only have .2 statues and that would look kinda weird also- kinda barren.
AU and Florida it works for both because each has 3 Heismans- at that point it begins to make sense for statues if you have at least 3. But 1 or 2 would only highlight Georgia’s ineptitude.
At Alabama they have 5 coaches who won national titles so it definitely makes sense to have trophies.
King Saban
April 24th, 2011
5:13 pm
Lakedawg,
In terms of overall achievement both Holtz and Saban are far more accomplished than anyone at Georgia. Both have national titles and Saban has 2. Saban is 1-1 against UGA while at Bama and is probably 1-2 at worst or 2-2 against Georgia while at LSU. Frankly Georgia is just plain lucky that they don’t have to play Bama every year and very lucky that they got Saban in his first year at Bama when he was in the first year of rebuilding. But if Georgia can somehow back into the seccg in a watered down east then you in all likelihood would face a powerful and loaded Alabama team. And you don’t want none of that. Blackout anyone?
King Saban
April 24th, 2011
5:25 pm
heeldawg,
Saban a slimeball? Man are you funny. Saban is the one who has had one player arrested in the past 2 years. I believe you have him confused with that thug Richt who had 12 players arrested just last year and something like 20 in the past 2 years. What a thug program- Fulmer cup champions also.
King Saban
April 24th, 2011
5:26 pm
heeldawg,
Here’s the SEC bcs championship club- Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, and Tennessee. Who is missing heeldawg??? Now shut up boy.
No more thugs at UGA
April 24th, 2011
5:46 pm
I believe you have him confused with that thug Richt who had 12 players arrested just last year and something like 20 in the past 2 years. What a thug program.
Yes, UGA is indeed a thug program. Make it 45 arrests in the past 3 years.
Sickening, isn’t it.
Always the panties... :-)
April 24th, 2011
6:07 pm
A few salient comments:
1. Four different SEC teams have won the last five BCS championships.
2. UGA was not one of those teams.
3. During that period, UGA did not win the SEC championship.
4. During that period, UGA did not even win its SEC division.
5. Red panties. Always the red panties, the new symbol of UGA.
In other words, UGA has sunk into total irrelevancy both regionally and nationally.
So why is UGA paying Saint Richt millions of dollars a year?
1eyedJack
April 24th, 2011
6:19 pm
Just wanted to check in and wish everybody a happy holiday. But I would like to address the Techies general attitude of hopeless negativism. Sounds to me like they’re harboring a hateful grudge against the Bulldawgs on account of their rough and rowdy past. Appears to me they don’t like losing after Thanksgiving every year neither. Kinda makes the turkey sandwich taste a bit blander on the third day, and sit upon one’s stomach, bloated, like a pass out of bounds on 4th down.
Speaking of third days, let us Dawg fans take the opportunity to pray for those who are overseas fighting for our country, and for our many blessings, before our president redistributes them. And you might then slip in a request to deliver us from all fumbles, and interceptions…..and poor play calling on third and twelve and for the strength to stop our opponents on third down.
I’m a forgive-and-forgettin’ guy, and I say, if their rambunctiousness, and misdemeanoring is behind them and their hearts are pure, and they’ve stuck to their diets and training regimens, the Great Bulldawg could cast a loving eye upon them and favor them with a championship. All our neighbors have one since our last one and we cannot allow a championship gap!! Why even the snotgobblers to the west can claim half a one, though the august organization who bestowed that honor upon them is now defunct.
The blind are reputed to possess sensitivities compensating for their lack of sight, even to the point of developing paranormal psychic powers. Now, clearly seeing into the future would fall neatly into that category. It’s not so surprising then that an organism deprived of half of its earthly vision could make a half attempt at prognostication and say that the Dawgs will earn 14 victories this season and win the elusive grail…..assuming of course that the Mayans had it all wrong and their calendar is simply incomplete.
Why not us?
Sir Barks A Lot
April 24th, 2011
6:20 pm
1. If UGA were to go of the route of statues – then by all means – the first three should be:
– Frank Sinkwich
– Charlie Trippi
– Hershall Walker
2. How other schools honor their best stars – that’s up to them – I do not have a problem with it. If Alabama places statues of National Title winning coaches – then Saban should have a statue – the guy is the best coach in the SEC at the moment – and I think Alabama is in much much better position to win another National Title before UGA.
3. If Auburn puts up Cam Newton – good for them – won a Heisman, and QB of National Title team.
Hope 2011 is a resurgence of the Richt era – but just not convinced until it happens.
Looking at SEC EAST schedule – it’s wide open:
UCSe and Florida are the biggest hurdles.
Tennessee shoudl be better – but very very young
KY is rebuild mode – after losing their stars from the last few years.
Vandy – well, they are starting over
SEC West:
Auburn – lost 23 seniors and major starters – but great staff – you just never know – but UGA should be favored
Ole Miss – Nutts teams atre Jekyll Hyde – UGA should win
Mississippi State – real DANGER game = 50/50 at best
OOC:
Boise State – this excellent team and giant killer has risen above the competition in their easy conference – so they seek teams like Va Tech and UGA.
This is a game that UGA could easily lose – but the could win this game as well.
Most Boise fans think this is a win – ans why not????
Did you see UGA play against Colorado, OK State, AZ State, – UGA has slid to 6-7 for a reason – the record reflects who they are.
6-7 teams get beat and outplayed in the 4th Q (See UGA vs Mississippi St, South Carolina, Auburn, Florida, UCF, Colorado, Arkansas)
6-7 teams turn the ball over during critical drives (See South Carolina, Mississippi, Colorado)
6-7 teams have head coaches that drive the length of the field – and on 4th and 6″ on the opponents 3 yard line – kicks a field goal. (see UCF)
I would say if Richt does not win at least 9 regular season games – let some other young stud have his chance. Jim Donnan gaves us 8 win seasons – UGA should be better.
Lakedawg
April 24th, 2011
7:16 pm
King Saban–My Auburn friends tell me that you are supposed to address you as messiah, at least thats what bammer fans tell them. You are still 5′ 6″ and have a losing record to the Dawgs and that will only increase this year in SEC champioship (if you make it) or the following year in 2 bit Tuscalooser.
Burma Shave
April 24th, 2011
8:50 pm
Gather up the children
The uncles and aunties
Come up and see THUGA
They’re bronzing the panties
BURMA SHAVE
Burma Shave
April 24th, 2011
8:55 pm
The beatdowns, arrests, and violations
They gave it a name
Come re-live it all at
The Bu++ Smear Hall Of Shame
BURMA SHAVE
Burma Shave
April 24th, 2011
9:05 pm
Go out and get arrested
You get a week off
The discipline now
Is worse than with Goff
BURMA SHAVE