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?
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433 comments Add your comment
Stinkin' dog
July 27th, 2011
3:03 pm
After you Mutts start off 0-2, I have to imagine there will be little patience left as your team is well on its way to another disappointing season.
DAWGMAN
July 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
Sure wish I had a $3,000,000.00 + job where the employer was hopeful that my first two efforts would produce a 50% success rate, then expect I would go 90% the rest of the season. My boss is drinking that Kool-Aid I prepared for him again.
Let’s just face it folks. We hold him to a lower standard of success because he is a man of God. That makes sense where the players go home after the game with Mom, and without showering. I am a bit weary of allowing him extra credit for his religious beliefs. Saban, Miles, Dooley, Spurrier, et al don’t play the religion card. He should acknowledge where his passion resides now. He cannot serve two masters. Let him go now. Let him seek the Kingdom of God in the jungles of South and Central America. Let us seek a coach who can and will coach UGA to greatness. That is, after all, what he is being paid for.
mars
July 27th, 2011
3:36 pm
Unbelievable! We are discussing the acceptability of losing our first two games prior to the first kick-off. The mentality of Bulldawg Nation has gone the way of the White House. Mediocrity is quite acceptable these days. Jeez! Can’t wait for Coach Richt’s “Malaise” speech.
Virginia DAWG
July 27th, 2011
3:47 pm
I am so tired of talking about the same thing over and over. Find something new to blog about!!!!
Still@theBAR
July 27th, 2011
4:31 pm
Virginia DAWG
July 27th, 2011
Lets talk about what kind of Degrees the football players will be studying for.
How about what jobs the ex-players have if they didn’t make it to the NFL.
Even better a where are they now for the players that didn’t graduate or make it in the NFL.
Ed
July 27th, 2011
5:13 pm
Apparently I was wrong about Richt choosing another uniform gimmick, that was the AD’s call. One that Richt enthusiastically endorsed by the looks of things. Any issue with the rest of my comments on page 7? I think we can all agree that he’s 2-8 against UF, at least.
DawgByte
July 27th, 2011
6:05 pm
Having seen Dawg fans on this board for years… I don’t expect much patience. If we lose to Boise St. you’ll get Nerds on here and Dawg fans who already wanted Richt’s head to echo the doom and gloom chorus. Georgia fans have ZERO patience for losing and this season is no different.
Personally, I want Richt to stick around.
Dawgs 2-0!
July 27th, 2011
6:08 pm
mark this down—Ga will beat boise and south carolina. SC lost 5 games last year and got blown out by auburn beat easy by a mediocre fsu team. Ga can beat them in athens easy! Boise state? Get real—the Dawg O will be rolling up and down the field on their weak D.
Scottie
July 27th, 2011
6:31 pm
Each time Mark Richt makes promises, and breaks them, his integrity takes another hit. I’m not sure how many more seasons a group of people will accept with a guy who makes promises he keeps breaking.
ThweetyPie
July 27th, 2011
7:47 pm
Dawgs 2-0!, that’s what OUGHT to happen, but based on the last couple of years, that’s not what’s GONNA happen.
Return to Glory
July 27th, 2011
8:04 pm
0-2 is not going to happen, we will spank the smurfs and the SC game will be the usual smash mouth war that could go either way. GO DAWGS.
Jorge' O'leary
July 27th, 2011
8:53 pm
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/knights/os-mark-richt-george-oleary-20110721,0,5582072.story
Bwaaaahaaaaahaaaaaa
AltamahaDawg
July 27th, 2011
9:28 pm
Seems like the ONLY people who keep talking about losing either one of those first two games are the ones who keep telling everyone else not to. The very ones feigning the most outrage over that possibility are still hoping that’s exactly what will happen.
Scottie
July 27th, 2011
9:48 pm
Bill:
Topics for a mailbag or some articles:
1) Reviewing the game losses from 2010–what went wrong?
2) How much patience with Aaron Murray this season–0-6 against winning teams, would losing to Boise & SC and going 0-8 or starting out 2-3 be too much?
3) Should there be a QB competition since Murray went 0 & 6 against winning teams and since Spurrier is having one or should Murray be entitled to start?
Greg Foreman
July 27th, 2011
10:15 pm
No offense, but this a stupid question. The Dawgs have win not only every game, they have to win each and every down–period. The team has to literally approach each and every game, every down as though it was for the national championship. This is the game element that UGA fans have not seen for seven or eight years. Furthermore, no more EXCUSES….just get the job done…PERIOD.
Greg Foreman/Lafayette, LA
wreckmaniac
July 27th, 2011
11:37 pm
Lets have a fresh question tomorrow like: ” Will UGA live up to expectations this year?” or “How does UGA become the SEC champ?” or “Will UGA return to the top 10 ?” Please, does it have to be the same question every day ?
Forgive me, South Georgia
July 28th, 2011
1:01 am
I’ve been a Dawgs fan all my life and I graduated from UGA.
If the Dawgs only win one game next year, they’d better beat Boise St. I’ll take losses to Kentucky and Vandy better than losing to BSU. More specifically, I’d prefer to finish 3rd in the East with losses to Florida AND Tehc if we can only beat BSU. I mean, good grief, how much smack has been talked about Boise St/TCU/etc., and the comically bad cupcake conferences that they play in? For me, the season begins and ends September 3rd. The pressure is on UGA to represent SEC football in general. I can’t believe that some folks think USc is the bigger game when we play USc year in, year out, and they are always competitive if not beating us. Who cares about USc, or our ‘rivalry’ with FLA if you can even call it that, when we’ve got to rep the entire SEC?
Boise State is the only game that matters this year for a team that doesn’t have a chance at the SEC Champo game. Again, if the Dawgs go 1-11 next year but beat Boise St, then I will be a happy camper. (The bonus is that Richt would be shown the door [hopefully] in this scenario.)
Sadly, I’m pretty sure a team that is used to winning that has a vastly superior coaching staff will beat the collection of more talented individuals being coached by an inferior coaching staff. More specifically, I fully expect Boise St to beat UGA handily.
Come on, Richt and the Dawgs. You’d better show up to play or you’re going to be embarrassed.
love,
Forgive me, South Georgia
RED DOG 77
July 28th, 2011
1:37 am
@Bill……..How about asking what Bulldog Nation will do if we win both of our first two games?………………..Always has to be a half emty glass for you Bill, and frankly, I’m fed-up!…………..Lets look at the first two games from a little different perspective, ok?…….First of all, Grantham has his D fired-up, we are what, 1 point underdogs to Boise State?……..The great Kellen Moore, and he is pretty dern good, will be taking snaps from a center who is 5ft 11in 280lbs……….We trot out a very quick nose tackle who is 6ft4in 355lbs, or mabe another nose at 6ft 6in 350lbs……….and you don’t think with blitzing linebackers there won’t be just a little chaos in the Boise backfield?………..Now about South Carolina, again, pretty dern good QB and team as a whole. Bill, have you ever watched what “The Great Unsuspended One” does under pressure? No, Bill you’re right!……..it’s not pretty!………The whole point to my argument is this, Coach Mark Richt and Todd Grantham are going to throw caution to the wind in these two games, Bill Georgia is a caged, wounded, mistreated DOG backed into a corner………….If I were Boise State or South Carolina………….I’d be asking myself the same question you are asking us……..Hell I don’t know, and no one else does either, but my money is on the wounded DOG backed into the corner……..Daddy always said, “Son, even if it’s your own DOG, if it’s wounded, don’t touch it, cause it’ll damn sure bite ya!”………………RED
UGA FRIEND
July 28th, 2011
5:25 am
UGA might stumble along the way and lose one game. I see 11-1 at worst in regular season. Everything seems to be falling into place for the Dawgs. CMR is aparently rejuvanated, the players are behaving, and the UGA fans are so excited. Great season for UGA this year.
1962 DAWG
July 28th, 2011
6:17 am
Bill
As of now CMR is the Dean of the coaches in the SEC, with all the investigations going on at Bama, Auburn, LSU, and now a suspended QB coach at SC, CMR may be one of the only SEC coaches left standing at seasons end.
CMR is a great coach and a great person, good things always come to good people.
Our fan base should be proud to have him leading our team.
As a true fan i have faith that our CMR and our team will do their best.
Some of the fans on this blog everyday are on the fence, and by that i mean if we lose those first 2 games they’ll scream about how they knew we would lose.
But those same fans, if we win those first 2 will hide over in the corner and say “I told you we would be win these 2. So there you go Bill.
I will be a DAWG win or lose.
All i hope is our players and coaches work their asses off and are PREPARED to play those 1st 2 games, if so then i’ll accept the outcome.
But most fans are win or CMR is gone?
Bill what do you think UGA fans would say if Mike Bobo got caught doing the same thing that the South Carolina QB coach got suspended for? How long do you think he would remain in Athens?
Character is one thing that can’t be bought.
RedandBlackDAWG
July 28th, 2011
6:44 am
The better question should be I think, is “How many ways will Bill find to ask the same question”. Hasn’t this been done enough times as it is. How about some real journalism?
Boiby Bowden
July 28th, 2011
7:08 am
Patience hell, I just wish they would show some class. Obviously, that ain’t gonna happen.
Columbus Dawg
July 28th, 2011
7:10 am
Hey 1962, is there an investigation going on at Alabama? All I can find is that since the Alabama Compliance Dept. says that there were no violations that everything is hunky dory, but I would bet $1000.000 that those players did not sign jerseys and the like for that pos store owner to sell for thousands of dollars for no compensation. Anyone who believes that is a fool.
Hope and Glory
July 28th, 2011
7:43 am
Boise State in a beatdown over UGA
USC in a mauling of UGA
Florida in a mugging of UGA
Auburn destroys UGA
And on and on….
Salvation comes from running Mark Richt out of Athens on a rail.
Fran the Man
July 28th, 2011
7:46 am
Fran Tarkenton for President!!!
In your heart, you know he’s right.
Jabberwocky Dawg
July 28th, 2011
7:50 am
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought–
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Loyal Dawg
July 28th, 2011
8:32 am
Reasons UGA fans are proud of CMR and want to keep him:
1. Jim Tressel
2. Butch Davis
3. Lane Kiffin
4. Ga Tech Athletic Dept.
5. Gene Chizik? Les Miles?
Go Dawgs!
Loyal Dawg
July 28th, 2011
8:41 am
1962 Dawg, Excellent, thoughtful comments! A rarity on this board.
Kudos!
Will
July 28th, 2011
8:44 am
Enough of the positive spin everyone’s trying, and failing miserbly, to put on Ealey ditchin Coach Richt. It wasn’t because of a conditioning program. Ealey after all led the team last seaosn in 4th quarter td’s. and averaged over 6 yards per carry in the 4th quarter. ealey was obviously in the best shape on the team come game days.
Ealey left because of Richt’s entitlement policy. Ealey EARNED the right to be the PREMIERE BACK by scorign 11 td’s to Caleb King’s 2. And Richt kept rotating King in, regardless of how King performed.
Gray left for the same reason. Dowtin & Williams too. Dowtim got benched during the Bowl game after being the #4 producer int ackles. Williams led the team in tackles on G-Day and got moved to linebacker.
Nice try by the Georgia coaches to spin it, but when highly conditoned athletes leave like these guys, it’s because of favortism and entitlement and lack of confidence in coaches.
DawginLex
July 28th, 2011
8:47 am
http://cfn.scout.com/2/1087804.html
Florida prediction of an 0′fer in October
Troll Power Ratings
July 28th, 2011
8:47 am
@Jabberwocky Dawg: Put the ’shrooms away, son.
Troll Power Ratings
July 28th, 2011
8:49 am
You too, Will
DawginLex
July 28th, 2011
8:51 am
Wrong again Will
your logic is very flawed and your statements are outright lies.
If King was such a favorite, why is he gone? He flunked out? Oh well according to you, that means richt ran him off because he didn’t do his homework for him.
The other players mentioned including Ealey, got booted off the team. Richt is classy enough to not totally throw them under the bus but make no mistake, they were asked to leave.
Cancers
Selfish
Not willing to pay the price
Go find an opportunity elsewhere
Happens all the time you big baby. It’s a man’s world and not made for big babies like yourself and the players listed who couldn’t take care of their business.
Will
July 28th, 2011
8:54 am
I wonder, if Richt continues to start Murray, and Murray continues to lose every important game as a starter, like going o & 6 against winning teams last season, how long until Lemay & Mason leave and are accused of having run ins with Joe T?
Will
July 28th, 2011
8:56 am
Come on, you buting what the Coaches are selling about Caleb King too? Caleb doesn’t have a problem for 5 years with academics, then all of the sudden, he does? Could it have something to do with Richt fawning over Crowell????
Will
July 28th, 2011
8:58 am
Logan Gray left because he beat Murray both Springs and Richt kept going with Murray, even after 5 losses. Richt’s coaching staff spinning all this garbage.
NO ONE HAS LEFT BECAUSE OF JOE T. NOT 1 PLAYER.
Will
July 28th, 2011
9:03 am
Ealey said he left because he thought he’d earned the right to be the premeire back, I’d think putperforming your competition 6 to 1 would do it. 11 td’s from Ealey to 2 for Caleb King. And Ealey didn’t like platooning with 3 or 4 guys who produced5-6 less td’s than he did. Ealey averaged more yards per carry than Lattimore in the 4th quarter, believe me, this had NOTHING to do with Joe T’s conditioning program and EVERYTHING TO DO with Richt’s favortism policy.
Logan Gray got sick of it too. Gray was in terrific condition too.
DawginLex
July 28th, 2011
9:04 am
Yeah the Colorado coaches are really salivating at the prospects of having Gray at QB.
So much so he is not anywhere on the depth chart.
Your football knowledge is a joke.
Will
July 28th, 2011
9:06 am
you have coaching exits too, SEARLES left for Texas, Belin for Carolina, and the high school recruiting coordinator retired.
These 3 coaches leaving have more to do with lack of confidence in Mark Richt than anything else. Richt going 2-9 versus ranked teams over 2 seasons hasn’t helped in changing people’s mind that practically any ranked team can beat Richt.
Will
July 28th, 2011
9:09 am
It’s interesting that Richt chose to kick Mettenberger off the team, instead of suspending him for 6 games. Creating a lot less competition, and LEADER BY DEFAULT, for his favorite, Aaron Murray.
Saban & Miles thought enough of Mettenberger to offer him scholarships. Richt didn’t think enough of Mettenberger to keep him on his team.
Will
July 28th, 2011
9:14 am
I guess Coaches Searles & Belin left because of Joe T’s conditioning program too? I mean if Joe T is getting credit for everything, let’s not stop at players.
Troll Power Ratings
July 28th, 2011
9:19 am
Will, can we get an update on Murray’s height?
Fat Lady in the Front Row
July 28th, 2011
9:47 am
Preach it, Will !!!
Loyal Dawg
July 28th, 2011
9:50 am
Will is a GT fan (Troll) who posts under a bunch of different handles. He is just stirring the pot. He knows nothing. He posts shots a Murry claiming CMR just hands him the job for the heck of it. We consider him- persona non grata.
RedDog
July 28th, 2011
9:52 am
I guess Virginia Tech projecting as a top 10 team had NOTHING to do with Benedict leaving to go there over stay with 6-7 Richt?
Know it all
July 28th, 2011
9:53 am
Hey, Will. Here is a reading suggestion for you- http://www.amazon.com/Football-Dummies-Howie-Long/dp/0764550543
I assume you can read, can you?
Forrest Gump
July 28th, 2011
9:56 am
Stupid is as stupid does.
DunceHead
July 28th, 2011
10:02 am
I BELIEVE EVERYTHING RICHT SAYS, AND I BELIEVE EVERTYTHING MY PRESIDENT SAYS.
Coach Beamer
July 28th, 2011
10:04 am
Well, its a little easier to make the depth chart here than at UGA. Benedict would probably start at BSU.
DunceHead
July 28th, 2011
10:04 am
IT’S MERE COINCIDENCE THAT GRAY & METTENBERGER LEFT THE TEAM AND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MAKING ROOM FOR MURRAY. IT’S MERE COINCIDENCE THAT EALEY & KING ELFT THE TEAM, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAKING ROOM FOR CROWELL.