How much patience will the Bulldog Nation show this season?
How hot will Mark Richt's seat get if the Dogs open with two losses? (Associated Press)
Much of the preseason talk about the Georgia Bulldogs has centered on the high-stakes nature of the first two games against Boise State and South Carolina and how much this ratchets up the temperature under Mark Richt’s seat.
Winning both games would be huge and would probably make the Dogs the early-season Cinderella of the national polls and media pundits, but not too many folks are predicting that.
Most fans I’ve talked to would be pretty satisfied to come out of those opening two games with a split, especially if the win was over the Gamecocks, giving Georgia an edge in the SEC East.
But what if the Dogs lose to both highly ranked opponents?
I’ve lost track of how many observers from outside the Bulldog Nation have put forth the idea that if Georgia starts out the season 0-2 that Richt’s fate will be sealed. I’ve even seen predictions that losing the two opening games would mean he wouldn’t last out the season.
I don’t think that’s the case, however.
Starting out 0-2 would not make fans and alumni happy (especially if the games are not close), but I don’t believe it would be cause for writing off the season. After all, as Richt pointed out Monday night at the Bulldog Club gathering at the Cobb Galleria, Georgia opens with what appears likely to be “the two best teams we play all year.”
Oh, I’m sure the “fire Richt now” crowd would be much in evidence on the blogs and discussion boards, but I think the majority of UGA’s supporters would recognize the high difficulty factor in those two opening games and the fact that, at 0-2, Georgia still could have a pretty terrific season.
But if Richt’s Dogs go 1-4 again, like last year, that would be another matter entirely.
That would mean losses to both Mississippi schools, including Ole Miss, which is expected to be the SEC West’s celllar dweller. At that point, the wheels might well come off the bandwagon and Greg McGarity would be under a lot of pressure to do something about it.
I really don’t think it’s likely to come to that, though. I will be surprised if the Dogs don’t go to Knoxville with a winning record.
How about you? Would 0-2 have you on the ledge, or do you think Richt can “withstand all the stuff that will come,” as he put it, if the Dogs lose to both the Broncos and the Gamecocks?
Got a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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433 comments Add your comment
SSIgator
July 26th, 2011
1:53 pm
“withstand all the stuff that will come,”
Sure he will. As long as he doesn’t run out of KoolAid. Besides, he has plenty of other coaches, players, etc. to blame for his shortcomings as da Preacha Man masquerading as a head football coach while ripping off the university to the tune of $3,000,000 a year. Remember the commandment coach: Thou shalt not steal.
DawginLex
July 26th, 2011
1:56 pm
Pete
I love how Boise always manages to have a “fluke bad season” when you play an SEC school.
It won’t be 48-13 but you are going to get beat so you might as well get used to the idea.
VT? You scored in the last 2 minutes. Your 2 best playmakers are gone that won that game. We won’t be looking over our shoulder for AJ to show up.
It will be a great game. It is idiotic for you to predict that UGA won’t be within 3 td’s.
UGA 21
Boise 17
DawginLex
July 26th, 2011
1:57 pm
SSI
I provided you the numbered TROLL list
Kool aid is # 15
Just reference a number
Or better yet, try some new material.
The other TROLLS are laughing at your lack of creativity.
Chris Petersen
July 26th, 2011
1:59 pm
Pete, while I really appreciate you taking up for our team, we will never win the NC. Nobody respects us because we play in such a weak conference. I am just so happy we give fans like you such excitement every year to watch us play the most embarrassing schedule in Div-1 college football. I think Georgia is going to be us like a drum, but I’ll be sure to draw up some plays like you would see in “Little Giants” so we can maybe outsmart them on a few plays. Please ease up on this one though, your just annoying these SEC people and making us look like the overzealous WAC contender that we are.
DawginLex
July 26th, 2011
2:01 pm
List of TROLL comments to be referred to by the TROLLS after UGA beats Boise:
1.) They aren’t an SEC school
2.) We knew they were overrated
3.) They are 0-1 so Murray still hasn’t beaten a team with a winning record
4.) Spurrier caught it all on film-the beatdown is coming
5.) The red panties were extra motivation
6.) The Dream Team got paid-UGA is getting the death penalty
7.) Still won’t beat Florida
8.) Beating Boise sends UGA fanbase into national title predicting mode
9.) Still won’t win the SEC
10.) Bama would have beat them worse
Pete
July 26th, 2011
2:06 pm
DawginLex…………… kinda like the way you beat UCF and Colorado huh?
lol, keep dreaming. Become significant and Boise fans and football fans across the country will take uga seriously some day.
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
2:07 pm
Lex you forgot, so what you were 6-7 last year, and for SS- I bet the kool aid will be flowing tonight
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
2:09 pm
very creative stealing lines that are about your school anbd trying to make them about us. hahahaha man you are pathetic.
You talking about last year and last I checked this isnt last year and we dont have the same players. Also they players that are still here on D have gotten accustomed to the 3-4 D and guess what we actually got 2 big NG’s for the 3-4. So comparing us to last season just shows how retarded you are.
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
2:15 pm
Where is Wittle Pete. He get scared of the truth???? come on you talked such a big game before I got on here.
Im still waiting on your little nuggets of wisdom?????????
Destin Dawg
July 26th, 2011
2:15 pm
S. C. is crumbling from no discipline.. and alcoholic QB.. and QB. coach.. hard to be good with out a QB….
treyingeorgia
July 26th, 2011
2:25 pm
Pete, you are the one that is dillusional… I’ve read a lot of your posts touting this and that with Boise State… are you f’ing crazy…. you are outmanned on both side’s of the ball– your center is 5′11 and 265 if I remember correctly and you think he can handle Geather or Jenkins ( hell both ) who are 6′6 340 and can fly… ( not even talking about out linebackers and dbacks )you will not be able to run against UGA…plain and simple and we all know that you will start airing it out… Ok help me out here– your smaller and slower across the board and your going to trounce UGA…. I know you keep bringing up last year– heck go ahead and bring up the last 2-3yrs of play— there is one constant on those teams…. undisciplined selfish play— which if you haven’t noticed those players have fallen by the wayside (ie…Ealey, King and a host of others that had graduated ) If and I mean a big if we finally see some disciplined play on both side’s of the ball you will loose by 2 touchdowns… I am not a homer- just stating the obvious… enough of the talking lets play ball…. also Pete I look forward to hearing from you the day after the game– eating crow…
Atlanta87
July 26th, 2011
2:28 pm
@ How Bout Them Dawgs You’re going to be back on the blogs on September 4th saying you were wrong if you lose right?
treyingeorgia
July 26th, 2011
2:29 pm
Pete you keep harping on Colorado and UCF– yes it was an utter embarassment ok… my god you lost to Nevada… it was a bad year– that’s why they play a new season…. I will say it again the mindset in Athens is a lot different and we’ve been able to weed out the bad players with questionable attitudes…
Forgot to mention Ogletree having been moved to Outside LB from Safety cause he outgrew the position… can you imagine a 6.3 230 LB with 4.4 to 4.5 speed absolutely destroying one of your little wideouts as they come across the middle or flair out on a misdirection play and smother the play… not even talking about Jarvis Jones or any of the DB’s…
Atlanta87
July 26th, 2011
2:29 pm
Same to you @ treyingeorgia
treyingeorgia
July 26th, 2011
2:30 pm
The key to their season is the ability to play smart disciplined football… and the rest will take care of itself…
DawginLex
July 26th, 2011
2:41 pm
apparently the “G.A.” in G.A. Mangus stands for
GOT ATTORNEY!!!!!!!!!!!
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
2:47 pm
Of course I will. We arent little cowards like jackets, That always talk about beating us and never do.
Atlanta87
July 26th, 2011
2:50 pm
I hope you’re not assuming I am a Yellow Jacket @ How Bout Them Dawgs (I’m not) because you know what that means.
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
2:52 pm
Im pretty sure you are a techie troll. Seen you on their blog before bashing dawgs
Atlanta87
July 26th, 2011
2:56 pm
No I like Tech more than UGA. I am actually an Auburn fan, but think what you want because it doesn’t really change anything to me.
WDE
July 26th, 2011
2:56 pm
@Pete the road for UGA to once again become “significant” again runs all over the Smurfs..@Atlanta87 and of course your not going to run and hide after the 3rd are you? .
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
2:59 pm
WDE- Does that stand for War Damn Eagle?
WDE
July 26th, 2011
3:02 pm
@How Bout Them Dawgs nope they are my initials…it confuses and confounds the Barners.
Atlanta87
July 26th, 2011
3:02 pm
You would think HBTD but he’s a UGA fan
Atlanta87
July 26th, 2011
3:04 pm
@ WDE no I’ll be here all year whether we go 0-11 or 14-0 like last year.
WDE
July 26th, 2011
3:07 pm
@Atlanta87 good glad to have you..
rational
July 26th, 2011
3:08 pm
treyingeorgia, this may shock you but UGA isn’t the only big name team Boise St has played recently and Boise St tends to hold their own pretty well. If you think you will easily win the game because your players weigh more then you are setting yourself up for disappointment. If the games were played on paper then UGA wouldn’t have gone 6-7 last year, and Boise St would have never won a BCS game.
Atlanta87
July 26th, 2011
3:08 pm
Thanks. Glad to be here. Can’t wait until Nov 12th.
"CaneDawg": UGa needs at least 9 wins.
July 26th, 2011
3:09 pm
With this schedule CMR needs at 9 wins to cool the hot chair off. And a win over UF is a must. I have been highly critical of CMR but if he can pull it off, this critic would be silenced at least for that time being.
The heat came on CMR because UF, LSU, Bama, & Auburn have won the national title in consectutive years, while UGa can only boast dated SEC titles. There is a mad hunger for more not less out of Georgia under CMR and it’s not a personal attack against him because he is a good person outside of coaching. But his primary goal has to do what it takes to put UGa on top of college football. I hope he can suceed, but more mediocrity is totally unacceptable. I wish him the best this season in his effort to bring the Dawgs back. Go Dawgs !!!
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
3:13 pm
@ Rational- the pint we are making about playing bad teams is that they play 1 a year. Clearly you arent Rational… Ironic huh.
Rita Lin
July 26th, 2011
3:13 pm
Boise State 222, UGA 0 >>>> The beatdown of the year.
After the game, a UGA player who reads, writes, and speaks at a 4th grade level will be interviewed on TV, and millions of viewers will wonder why Mark Richt recruits these dummies and why UGA admits them.
It makes you long for the days when ethical UGA coaches like Wallace Butts and Harry Mehre recruited literate athletes who actually earned serious college degrees.
If you doubt this, go back and read Caleb King’s farewell tweet. The guy couldn’t even write a coherent sentence. This simpleton should have been sweeping floors somewhere, not enrolled in college.
Mark Richt and the University of Georgia are a disgrace to this state.
Oh, I forgot… red panties!
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
3:14 pm
When boise decides to play more than 1-2 real teams a year maybe then people will respect them. Until then they havent earned anything.
treyingeorgia
July 26th, 2011
3:15 pm
Rational far from it… if they play good solid fundamental football…. follow their assignments then they will be fine… to often in the past they wanted to do their own thing… and really didn’t want to work for it… heck the UCF game was a perfect example of the sense of entitlement that was displayed by some UGA players whom I might add are no longer on the team… We shall see…
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
July 26th, 2011
3:15 pm
Another loss to FL
And it will be time for, U-Haul, Ryder, Fed-ex and UPS to come knocking
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
3:16 pm
@ Rita- you act as if no one else recruits people that dont have an abundace of academic knowledge. I would like to see how you are in front of a camera for your first time knowing that millions of people will be watching what you say.
You sir or madaam are an idiot.
Pete
July 26th, 2011
3:17 pm
From what i’ve gathered so far:
uga fans think:
You can join any conference you want to at any time.
20-30 lbs difference on lines means better.
No good stats, no good players, a losing season, equates to being able to compete with one of the best teams in the country (Boise State).
Losing to UCF Colorado and 4 other teams means “a great season to come!”
Losing multiple criminal and failing grade RB’s means “beating Boise State!”
Georgia will go from a team that could barely compete in CUSA to beating top 5 teams.
Georgia will go from getting owned in the trenches to dominating Boise State lines that are considered the best in the country.
Georgia will go from losing to crap teams to beating a team with the best QB in the country.
Holy crap! I could go on but this is just ludicrous! I’m laughing my ass off just typing this garbage down! It’s hilarious!
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
3:21 pm
Pete you finally decided to rejoin your own embarrassment. Kudos to you.
Its actually called you havent proven that you can play with real teams more than 1 time a season.
You compare last season to this as if we are the same team
You fail to realize your best offense weapons are long gone.
You fail to realize the extra weight our guys have doesnt take away from the fact that they are also faster than your guys. We have some guys on the line that run under 4.6.
You fail to realize we have weeded out the cancer (Ealy, King, Green, Houston)
I could keep going but I cant stop laughing at your stupidity.
funny...
July 26th, 2011
3:21 pm
You Richt apologists do realize he has the same record over his last four years that Jim Donnan had over his last four years?
6-7, should have fired him. Georgia lost SEVEN games last year. Actually he should have been fired after Georgia lost to Kentucky at home two years ago.
The two SEC championships Richt won are overshadowed by the abortion of the 2008 season.
funny...
July 26th, 2011
3:23 pm
LOL at Pete, guy is a legend in his own mind.
funny...
July 26th, 2011
3:24 pm
Pete, how are you going to feel when your coach is in Athens next year.
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
3:24 pm
Let me know when you decide to play real teams.
Or as boise spins it let me know when teams arent “too afraid” to schedule you hahahahahaha.
Man you are cracking me up today. I havent had this good a laugh in ages (maybe since the last time we destroyed your “Elite” team. hahahahaha i almost couldnt type elite there i was crying from laughing so hard at the thought of calling boise elite. hahahhaha
Joe
July 26th, 2011
3:25 pm
How about some positive……
UGA 34 Boise 24
UGA 21 SC 10
Pete
July 26th, 2011
3:25 pm
How Bout Them Dawgs………………….I’m just not entertained by idiot people like you.
You can’t even talk sense, so yeah i’m gonna ignore you as long as you act like a dumb georgia southerner.
So, it looks like you’re hoping on hope that uga will be better. Like I said, georgia fans only have the pre-season to like. Keep hoping on hope, b/c that’s all you have. See I present facts and a broad consensus, you provide hope that you’re players are faster or better. Do I need to remind, Boise has the most All-American’s in the country? Or you gonna give me some bull about hoping you’re guys are faster or stronger? Too EZ.
Joe
July 26th, 2011
3:27 pm
This team has been cured of cancer……Ealey……King…….Houston………
topdawg
July 26th, 2011
3:28 pm
@Rita- unless you’re a fan of an Ivy league school, there’s a great chance whatever school you affiliate with has the same, if not more “dummies”, admitted and playing for their school as UGA does. you are the simpleton in this case. Plus, the good days when Coach Mehre and Coach Butts were at UGA are a little different than whats going on in recent years around recruiting in college football.
Pete
July 26th, 2011
3:28 pm
Why would our coach go to a poor trashy city over Boise? Boise is nice and clean, not full of trash. Chris Petersen has had opportunities to go to Florida, USC, and several other better programs than uga. Petersen is already at a better place, why lower himself to some dwindling program, get real.
Joe
July 26th, 2011
3:29 pm
Pete…..do I need to remind you that….Boise is Boise……all the hype when they came to Athens and we sent them home with a beatdown……you beat VaTech……thats the ACC…..dont hang your hopes on that……and Nevada….NEVADA?????? Seriously dude…..NEVADA???????
How Bout Them Dawgs
July 26th, 2011
3:30 pm
Or is it that you are just acting like the biggest idiot and you cant handle being called out on it constantly.
You want numbers let me give you your past numbers for you to choke on.
We'll beat you and the horse you rode in on.....
July 26th, 2011
3:33 pm
Hey Pete….maybe you can give us an update on the Nevada game last year……you cant beat NEVADA and you expect to be considered for the National Championship? HA!
Pete
July 26th, 2011
3:33 pm
Joe……… you’re gonna get ignored too if you continue to try to pretend losing to 13-1 ranked Nevada team is anything like 6–7 season capped by a CUSA team beating you down. You’re embarrassing, uga fans don’t have a dog in this fight. I don’t debate with such idiotic comments, that’s your only warning.