Can UGA sit out an SEC arms race?
Greg McGarity doesn't like the new deregulated NCAA approach to recruiting. (University of Georgia)
There’ve been some interesting discussions recently about the brave new world of college football that may result from the NCAA throwing out part of its rule book, and how Greg McGarity and UGA appear reluctant to follow the trail being blazed by Nick Saban at Alabama.
Even before the recent NCAA move, Saban was already lapping everyone else in terms of exploiting every legal avenue toward establishing an advantage for his Crimson Tide program, getting around the limitations on the number of assistants a school can have on its coaching staff by hiring off-field “analysts.”
Then, in January, the NCAA’s university presidents decided that in an age of texting and social media some of the rules governing recruiting had become pretty much impossible to enforce, so they passed legislation to eliminate a bunch of restrictions. Under the legislation, due to take effect July 1, not only can coaches and anyone else at a school have pretty much unlimited contact via phone calls and text messages with recruits, schools also can add as many full-time recruiters to their athletic staffs as they want and can afford.
Typically, Bama has already jumped on this, hiring former Clemson defensive coordinator and Baylor head coach Kevin Steele as director of player personnel, with his main job being to direct the Tide’s recruiting efforts. Alabama also hired a high school coach as director of player development.
Other programs that can afford to follow Bama’s rich-get-richer template no doubt soon will be staffing up on the recruiting side, but some schools are balking. Big 10 coaches and athletic directors came out last week against key parts of the legislation, expressing “serious concerns” whether the plan is “in the best interest of high school student-athletes, their families and their coaches.” Their statement added: “We are also concerned about the adverse effect they would have on college coaches, administrators and university resources.”
Philosophically, UGA has come down on the side of the Big 10, with McGarity telling the New York Times he fears the new rules will lead to something akin to an athletic arms race among the bigger programs. “Some school is going to want to get on the high dive with this and go all in and spend and spend,” McGarity said. “It is going to start a round of competition among schools that is going to be limitless.”
Nick Saban pushes the envelope ... and gets results. (Associated Press)
You can read “some school” as “Alabama” in that quote.
McGarity told the Times he’s talked with other SEC athletic directors who are opposed to the legislation and he hopes to engineer a conference vote to override the new rules. Opponents of the legislation have until March 20 to gather 75 votes from presidents of Division I universities in order to initiate such an override.
Outgoing UGA President Michael Adams agrees with McGarity. Talking with the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer recently, Adams raised some legitimate concerns about the impact the new rules could have on recruits.
“I think some deregulation on the most ridiculous rules was needed,” Adams said. “But a lot of those rules have been put there because of how competitive coaches are. I don’t know if you ever have a perfectly level playing field, quote-unquote. But I worry about a student-athlete being bombarded in high school, particularly some who need to spend time studying instead of responding to 100 emails per day. All of this is a balancing act, and the pendulum can swing too much in one direction — which it probably had, with some ridiculous rules. But it doesn’t need to swing all the way back to the other side, or we will hurt student-athletes in the process.”
Adams isn’t alone in fearing the new rules will result in the complete harassment of high school kids, as well as massive growth in football staffs at places like Alabama.
But what’s ironic about UGA’s opposition to the deregulation of recruiting and the potential ballooning of athletic staffs is that Georgia is one of the schools that can afford to keep pace with Alabama. As we’ve discussed previously, UGA has one of the most profitable athletic programs in the country and yet ranks in the middle of the SEC in spending. As a result McGarity and company are sitting on a reserve fund of nearly $70 million.
I’ve heard from quite a few fans in recent months who worry that Georgia isn’t keeping up with Saban and Co., and I share that concern.
While I agree that allowing unlimited contact with high school recruits isn’t a good idea, I think the UGA brain trust needs to recognize and react to the fact that, no matter whether these new rules stick or not, they’ve got to be more aggressive and spend more or they’re going to find Saban owns recruiting in this state.
UGA has to step up and play the game. Even without the unlimited-contact rule that might necessitate giant recruiting staffs, Georgia needs to take a page out of Saban’s book and start hiring some off-field quality-control analysts or consultants.
Already last year, the school hired veteran high school coach Daryl Jones as director of on-campus recruiting and, with the departure of recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner, appears content to let him run recruiting instead of putting a member of the coaching staff in charge.
But there are other areas that cry out for additional staffing. As I wrote back in early August, special teams seems ripe for some sort of creative approach like Saban’s, since Mark Richt is loathe to devote one of his precious on-field coaching spots to that crucial aspect of the game.
Why not hire someone like Kevin Butler to analyze video of placekicker Marshall Morgan every day and tell the kid what he needs to work on? It’s allowable under the current rules, as Saban has shown, and it’s needed.
What good is sitting on a $70 million surplus if the conference leader is establishing a new level of excellence that you refuse to reach for?
POOCH KICKS
Hot Dawg Delight. (from Mark Richt's Twitter feed)
Tuesday’s belated signing of another big defensive lineman in four-star recruit Toby Johnson is a great way for Richt to cap off his largest recruiting class ever. It’s time to quit harping on the ones that got away and instead appreciate the talented group of 33 players who’ve decided to play ball in Athens. … And while we’re appreciating the players we have, check out the the piece CBSSports.com columnist Dennis Dodd did about UGA quarterback Aaron Murray, whose remarkable work ethic is likely to have him leaving UGA owning most of the school’s and the conference’s passing records. … I joined my brothers and daughter for lunch Sunday at Herschel Walker’s new restaurant in downtown Athens, where peak time waits of 35-plus minutes for a table are still the norm. I’d say the menu and service need a little tweaking, but overall the food was tasty and well-prepared and we enjoyed the experience tremendously. Loran Smith takes a look at Walker’s evolution from Heisman winner to big-time businessman in his latest Athens Banner-Herald column. … And while I wouldn’t recommend Herschel add this to his menu, I was amused by Mark Richt’s tweets earlier this week about his birthday treat: a Hot Dawg Delight, which he explained is toasted bread, cooked hot dogs, melted cheese, baked beans and ketchup. “Mmm Mmm Good,” the coach said. I’m not sure that’s anything I’d want to tackle, but my indefatigable brother Jon noted: “He forgot the coleslaw on top!”
JUNKYARD MAIL CALL
Got something you want to discuss concerning UGA athletics? Or maybe a question you want the Junkyard Blawg to tackle? If so, send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
Find me on Facebook.
Follow me on Twitter.
— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
167 comments Add your comment
BKbroila
February 20th, 2013
12:27 pm
I, for one, do not agree with twisting the rules as much as Saban does…but the man is smart…I don’t think it’s ethical to have 5-10 “off field analysts” who are actually coaches, but I sure as heck wish CMR would have maybe 3 more on the payroll somehow…especially when you’re churning a $40-$60 million profit/year and need someone dedicated to special teams…
just sayin' it as it is
February 20th, 2013
12:27 pm
All Alabama has is it’s football program and it’s one race track. Think seriously, what has Alabama ever contributed culturally that has enhanced the US either musically, arts, mechanically, engineering wise, or anything. They haven’t. All they have is that football program and a bunch of people in Northern Alabama that handles snakes thinking it gets them closer to Jesus or something. I mean, come on, the country group Alabama got it’s name from a bar in Florida…
Come on now...
February 20th, 2013
12:28 pm
‘98 –
I’m not even a georgia fan and i know what that “350 on the ground didn’t help the cause” comment meant
GTBob
February 20th, 2013
12:29 pm
GTBob we do consider that cheating and so does the NCAA hence the probation…thanks for playing!
When did the NCAA say that we were cheating? This may shock you, but a minor rules violation is not the same thing as cheating. AJ Green selling his jersey was closer to cheating then what we DRad did.
beebee
February 20th, 2013
12:30 pm
Dawgs fans haughtily proclaim pride in “doing it right.”
Then, when Title hopes get dashed year after year after year, they whine and whine and whine and WHINE!
You’re no better than anybody else dawgsters.
And on the field, well, we know where you stand there as well.
Nice attempt at glory this past season, I’ll give you that!
Hey good to see you GTBob!
bee
just sayin' it as it is
February 20th, 2013
12:33 pm
all Alabama is going to do is focus on that football program, there is nothing else the state offers the US. When Saban retires or gets a coaching gig that pay him 8 million annually, he’s proven he’ll leave for more money, Alabama will fall into irrelevancy for a number of years. Every great school has proven you can’t follow a legend and win like him.
tony
February 20th, 2013
12:33 pm
Why do the fans in our state get upset when other schools work hard to do the best they can to build a successful football program for their fans? Don’t you people realize that uga is cheating our fanbase by spending(revenue over 70 million) less money to build a successful program than Ala, Fla, Sc, Lsu and Ark? I think the pass 2 seasons they went without a special team’s coach. Are you kidding me?
Arthur Blank is the only sports business man who seems to care about the fans in this state.
…………Stadium Capacity..Football Revenue
Univ. of Alabama 101,821……$71,884,525.00
Univ. of Georgia 92,746…….$70,838,539.00
Louisiana State .92,400…….$68,819,806.00
Univ. of Florida 88,548…….$68,715,750.00
Auburn Universit 87,451…….$66,162,720.00
U South Carolina 80,250…….$58,266,159.00
Uni of Tennessee 102,037……$56,593,946.00
Univ of Arkansas 76,000…….$48,524,244.00
Univ of Kentucky 67,606…….$31,890,572.00
U of Mississippi 60,580…….$28,409,774.00
Mississippi Stat 55,082…….$14,551,275.00
Vanderbilt Univ. 41,448…….$14,152,061.00
…………….Football Expenses
Univ. of Alabama $31,118,134.00
Auburn Universit $27,911,713.00
Louisiana State. $25,566,520.00
Univ. of Florida $24,457,557.00
U South Carolina $22,794,211.00
Univ of Arkansas $22,005,104.00
Univ. of Georgia $18,308,654.00
Un. of Tennessee $17,357,345.00
Vanderbilt Univ. $14,152,061.00
Univ of Kentucky $13,905,724.00
U of Mississippi $11,920,510.00
Miss State Univ. $9,951,097.00
……………..Football Profit
Univ. of Georgia $52,529,885.00
Univ. of Florida $44,258,193.00
Louisiana State .$43,253,286.00
Univ. of Alabama $40,766,391.00
Univ. of Tenness $39,236,601.00
Auburn Universit $38,251,007.00
Univ. of South C $35,471,948.00
Univ of Arkansas $26,519,140.00
Univ of Kentucky $17,984,848.00
Univ. of Mississ $16,489,264
Mississippi Stat $4,600,178.00
Vanderbilt Univ. $0.00
bubba4dawgs
February 20th, 2013
12:36 pm
Recruiting is where it all starts. I am pleased that the overall recruits includes a lot of talent; 1 – 5 star, 14 – 4 stars and 18 – 3 stars. It’s a matter of coaching them up. I think the DAWGS will be OK this fall. I don’t expect them to win them all. I believe they will be lucky to win the East.
Back to recruiting, Sabn seems to have it all together and will be plucking the prime ones from the state of Georgia hereafter. As long as he keeps winning, he’ll get the players and simply reload every year. UGA needs to get deeply connected with the high schools in Georgia and get the coaches to talk up UGA and get the kid’s parents involved too.
Whiskey Breath
February 20th, 2013
12:36 pm
So it is always about evil Saban huh? Instead of demonizing the man, why don’t you just tip your hat to the guy and try to learn from the guy. You know and I know, if you took everything away from him,
he would still figure out beat you. You are stuck with Brother Richt, that is just how you guys roll.
No chance he might be responsible for you not winning anything of significance?
Old Fan
February 20th, 2013
12:36 pm
UGA talks the biggest game in the SEC, with the help of The AJC as their mouthpiece. I was told personally (name withheld) by a former Asst. Coach that served at both UGA and Auburn that UGA’s facilities were not even in the same league as Auburn’s. No indoor facility and meager practice facilities. What is their problem?? Certainly not the $$$. Comments welcome. This is not a bashing post, just a reality check.
monty
February 20th, 2013
12:37 pm
It would seem that recruiting is the name of the game since everyone is so paranoid about it. You have to invest in the movers and the shakers, why not get Tony Robbins as you’re main recruiter? Get the best salesman in the world. Get a Zig Zeiglar type. Recruiting seems to be more about personalities than teams. Example: “I want to play for Rodney Gardner at Auburn versus my in state team. So, get the biggest most convincing figure arround to spread your doctrine far and wide. Of course winning NC’s might help too.
just sayin' it as it is
February 20th, 2013
12:40 pm
I wouldn’t boast about Tennesee’s “profit” off of football, word came out about 2 months ago that Tennessee’s athletic program is 200 million in the hole, they are in real trouble.
AU Liberal in ATL
February 20th, 2013
12:44 pm
Alright Columbus, you’ve said something stupid that needs to be corrected. I hate Saban and bama and bammers just as much if not more than anyone and I really don’t give a damn what you say about them, true or not. But I’m here to tell you that the only difference between the state of Alabama and the state of Georgia is Atlanta. Without Atlanta, Georgia IS Alabama. I spent 25 years there and I’ve spent 33 years here and I know what I’m talking about. And that’s not all, you can add Mississippi to the mix.
Under The Bleachers
February 20th, 2013
12:48 pm
Columbus Dawg,
You have One Big Problem, You make up lies, stories and theories that best suit your byline.
When you stop making up fictitious stories the sooner others will stop calling you out on your outrageous lies. You are who you are, and your apparent lack of understanding how the internet works( where practically ANYONE can research your statements) is your biggest downfall.
Stop making up lies, and others would let you move along with your agenda.
Holy Guacamole
February 20th, 2013
12:51 pm
Saban is agressive in walking the line between glory and probation and on any given year, could fall either way. Sooner or later it will probably catch up with him. UGA seems to want to do it right but I do agree that they need to enhance their recruiting efforts because the game has changed(especially with Garner gone now), build an indoor practice facility (they should have “state of the art” facilities) and spend some bucks on a special teams ‘consultant/analyst or whatever you call them’. But like some of the other posters, I do not want the UGA program to be anything except above reproach, even if that means that guys like Saban hold up a crystal ball on occasion.
WDE
February 20th, 2013
12:51 pm
Bud I’m a UGA fan and I’d punch you in the mouth for equating Penn State’s covering up child abuse with anything Bama has done in the past I’m hoping it was a terrible attempt at humor but no one is laughing.
Whiskey Breath
February 20th, 2013
12:52 pm
Bill you do have it right about Saban, he is evil. He plays dirty, . He uses a work ethic and intelligence
to get ahead. I can see why you guys spend so much time in trying to bring him down.
,
WDE
February 20th, 2013
12:55 pm
GTBob so now your probation was for what exactly ? You broke the rules how is that not cheating..?
Pitbull
February 20th, 2013
1:00 pm
Ah, The University of Alabama….almost as good as going to college and the football team is to kill trees for.
All of you Bama fans come out of your trailers and yell “Nick Saban rules.”
Grantham's The Man!
February 20th, 2013
1:02 pm
It’s high time that UGA get’s on the ball and hires some extra Coaches!
Do everything that you can, as long as it doesn’t cross the ethics line. Saban will still have his advantage (Oversigning) but UGA needs to do everything within reason.
Joey
February 20th, 2013
1:08 pm
Hire some help. Bama (Saban) already had 3 times the number of assistants by naming them analysts support staff.
We make roughly the same money, but Bama spends almost twice as much.
Keep up or be prepared to get left in the dust, McGarity.
Old Dawg
February 20th, 2013
1:09 pm
I don’t care which school it is, what conference it’s in and any thing else, this legislation is nuts. While there are too many rules for any human to comply with on a daily basis, just throwing away the rule book and saying “have at it isn’t the way to go.”
High school recruits and their coaches have complained for years about the continual bombardment of recruiting calls, letters etc, etc.
Quite frankly, a 17 or 18 year-old has enough going on trying to qualify, schools where family and friends have easy access to travel and other issues without being hammered with unlimited sales pitches.
If this goes the way I think it will, college recruiters will make good fellas look like polite and rational sales people.
Can I vomit now?
UGA is for LOSERS
February 20th, 2013
1:11 pm
Whle you little sissies cry on the schoolyard Bama will just keep winning while PLAYING BY THE RULES. Your d-bag of a coach is lazy as hell but ya’ll can’t admit that of course…so you attack those with success. And I think it’s funny that you idjits think these recruits and their families have no idea what Saban will do with their son…yet they keep coming to be 5th in line at RB instead of start at UGA. Hmmmmmmmm…keep crying and wailing along with your HOMER beat writers like Crvall, Schultz and Bradley. Bama will keep filling the crystal case.
1980 and counting…but hey 5 yards and almost and woulda coulda shoulda blah blah blah!
Slick Nick
February 20th, 2013
1:17 pm
Catch me if you can!
Typical UGA blog
February 20th, 2013
1:17 pm
Bammer cheats! They got the NCAA, refs, and local PD in their pockets! How come nobody listens to us?!? We KNOW they are cheating! I heard it from a friend of a cousin of a girl who knew a guy that had a sister that saw Ferris Bueller pass out last night at 31 Flavors!
Saban won’t be at Bama more than a couple years! NCAA is about to it Bama with probation! Dodge Chargers! Free suits! Fishing trips! Book it! Take it to the bank!
WDE
February 20th, 2013
1:22 pm
UGA is for LOSERS if you don’t like our ‘Homer” writers stay off their blogs its simple even for a Bama fan ….
GTBob
February 20th, 2013
1:23 pm
GTBob so now your probation was for what exactly ? You broke the rules how is that not cheating..?
We are on probation because DRad shared some information with CPJ that he shouldn’t have in the middle of an investigation. It was reported to the NCAA that the conversation took place and the NCAA hammered us for it. I’m not sure how you twist that into cheating. Cheating is intentionally doing something you shouldn’t to gain some advantage that you shouldn’t have. How did that happen in our case?
UGA is for LOSERS
February 20th, 2013
1:23 pm
Nope. As long as your d-bag writers keep flinging crap against the wall I will be here to call them out on it.
threeleggedbulldog
February 20th, 2013
1:36 pm
like Alvin Kamara said, the culture at Bama is totally different than in Athens. At Bama, football is EVERYTHING. Here, its big, but there’s “more to life than football”. Listen to our leaders; Adams, McGarity, Richt…sure they want to win, but there is perspective in how you go about it.
At Bama, the only perspective that matters is winning championships, and, however you do it, as long as it doesn’t get you in trouble, is acceptable.
It takes a village to win big year in and year out, thats what they have in T-town.
Tarzan
February 20th, 2013
1:41 pm
That mean ‘Ole Nick Saban. Every program needs an excuse to fail. For what it’s worth, Texas A&M is going balls out on this more than Alabama.
Bama Mike
February 20th, 2013
1:44 pm
Bill: From all of us thanks for going back to the old format.
jacob
February 20th, 2013
1:44 pm
love how uga fans are saying how they almost won last year and a national championship is right there.. you are forgetting your team last year was ur best and it was loaded w talent while bama was rebuilding and you still didnt beat them..
Tarzan
February 20th, 2013
1:45 pm
“Bill you do have it right about Saban, he is evil. He plays dirty, . He uses a work ethic and intelligence
to get ahead. I can see why you guys spend so much time in trying to bring him down.”
—————-
Most accurate post on here…and I’m an LSU fan stuck in Atlanta.
59bulldawg
February 20th, 2013
1:46 pm
I think we need to pony up and come into the 21st Century. We have the resources to turbo charge our recruiting just like Bama. Let’s do it! BTW I like your brother Jon’s idea about the cole slaw but would replace the cheese with mustard and a little diced onion and black pepper. LOL!
Milledgeville DAWG
February 20th, 2013
1:46 pm
Are you listening Mark Fox? Get Jarvis Hayes involved so the Atlanta talent goes to Athens.
UGA is for LOSERS
February 20th, 2013
1:46 pm
“More to life than football.”
Yep, all Bama fans and alumni do is watch football games from the time they wake up in the morning to the time they go to sleep. Nothing, and I mean nothing, else. We just sit around in a big circle and jerk it to old football games.
The excuses from you Mutts get weaker and weaker every day…kinda like 1980 keeps getting farther away in your rear-view mirror.
The Masked Superstar
February 20th, 2013
1:50 pm
Here’s a 9 point plan to improve UGA’s performance on the football field:
1. Move Coach Ball to the recruiting office and hire Hines Ward as receivers coach. What aspiring WR wouldn’t want to play for Hines? UGA and NFL legend. Coach Ball has done an amicable job but Hines would boost credibility tenfold. Or move Coach Ball back to RB Coach and move Coach McClendon to the recruiting office since he’s become a very good recruiter.
2. As someone mentioned, have Kevin Butler serve as an analyst for the Kickers. Another UGA and NFL legend bringing high credibility.
3. Get a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility complete ASAP.
4. Recruit the max number of recruits each year. 17 one year and 30 plus the next year is crazy. Be as consistent as possible.
5. Have the recruiting office identify potential high yield recruits beginning their 9th grade year in High School and maintain contact up until just before signing day. Continuous evaluation and quality control would be a must.
6. PR & advertising. UGA Football should be on all Georgia TV stations as well as border states constantly. Keep the “G” out there with radio spots and billboards too.
7. Use famous Georgia Alumni (Herschel, Kevin Butler, Thomas Davis, etc.) in the recruiting process, especially those who have played in the NFL.
8. I think it’s being done but model the Strength & Conditioning after NFL S & C programs. Expand the facilities too.
9. Marketing the program. Show up at as many High School games as possible with kiosks to promote the program. Be at the High School Championships at the dome with a massive presence.
Comes down to Promoting, Marketing, Recruiting and Selling the program to potential recruits. Get on them in 9th Grade and put the hammer down.
USC Jimi
February 20th, 2013
1:51 pm
Let’s talk about solutions! 1) Draft NCAA legislation that holds head coaches liable for any and all violations by their staff! They hire the assistants. They make millions of dollars. Make them accountable! Make the penalties follow them from school to school. 2) Make freshmen in-eligible to play varsity sports. It worked for many years, why not today? Give “student athletes” a year to adapt to higher education before putting them in the spotlight. I’m just sayin…
59bulldawg
February 20th, 2013
1:53 pm
Like the way you think Superstar!
Heisenberg
February 20th, 2013
1:55 pm
“Some school is going to want to get on the high dive…….
Well UGA has the coach that can compete with any when it comes to the high dive. When was the last time little nicky satan went off the 10 meter board?
Beast
February 20th, 2013
1:59 pm
We are going to rename the dogs to The Georgia puppies. I have never heard so much whinning .
gbal
February 20th, 2013
1:59 pm
Two issues here….. One is laying off the kids and their lives. Two, why not have some level of control over spending by the schools, first just to control spending and second to maintain some parity in college football. Money talks…. If UGA, Bama, LSU, FLA others have no cap on what they cand sped for coaching staff, recruiting, …. they will continue to leave the mid level schools in the dust. I really dont think we want this in college football. Not good for the game.
Staff should be controlled.
Contact with recruits should have some limitations.
Early signing period should be implemented.
The oversigning should be controlled.
sly dawn
February 20th, 2013
2:04 pm
The mission of this athletics department should be the absolute destruction of Alabama’s football dynasty, albeit, by spending money and on the field, not by petty legislation. Schools need to stop whining and learn how to adapt and overcome.
funny...
February 20th, 2013
2:06 pm
No reason Georgia should have to take a backseat to anyone in recruiting.
Georgia is continuously in the top 10 in revenue and profit margin.
But then again it seems that Georgia is just fine with being “almost” there.
Almost as good as Florida in the 2000’s, almost as good as Alabama in the 2010’s, hell, Georgia could have taken the reigns in the early 80’s from the Herschel days, but it really seems that Vince had no idea how to parlay that success in to anything but a flash in the pan.
gbal
February 20th, 2013
2:07 pm
Start 9th grade??? Nuts superstar. I say just the opposite should be the case… Schools CAN NOT under any circumstance contact a highschool player in any way until the end of their Junior football season That would be January of their Junior year. NONE… no phone call, visits, text, nothin. End the chaos for kids and schools.
Mike
February 20th, 2013
2:07 pm
Bill, I honestly dont want to see UGA “step up” in this fashion. Michael Reed put it right…Bama is always on the verge of a violation that sends them into probation. It’s always been that way. They have a win at all cost attitude, and I am honestly a bit detested at that attitude at this level. We are still talking about amateur athletics here, not pro sports. Let Saban skirt the rules and win his championships. UGA still is recruiting the talent necessary to compete with him. Murray and Gurley may not have been 5 star rated, but they play as good if not better.
funny...
February 20th, 2013
2:09 pm
The Chicago Cubs continue to sell out games without winning anything in 105 years.
Begs the question, why change anything? If you can sell out your stadium and deliver your product cheaper then why spend more?
Why on earth would the Cubs or Georgia change their formula. As a business, they’re crushing Alabama. Georgia makes the same (roughly) amount of $$$ as Bama with (roughly the same) profit margin with a cheaper product.
The only thing that changes the culutre at a place like Georgia is if the fans stop settling with 8-4 to 10-2.
gbal
February 20th, 2013
2:10 pm
SLy – But why not cap the spending in some way. It is unnecessary a never ending pit. The rich (including UGA) will get richer and others will be left behind. Parity is important to the game same as NFL. Got to hae some restraint or limits.
JB
February 20th, 2013
2:18 pm
I’m all Dawg but I think Saban cares more about his legacy than to pull some stupid stunt to ruin it. And all the guy does is win and he proves it. He gets what he was hired to do, and just like in big business, whines and snifflers come in last and are usually weeded out. Saban was hired to win championships……and he does. Any thing else is just crap…..GO DAWGS.
The Masked Superstar
February 20th, 2013
2:23 pm
“Start 9th grade??? Nuts superstar. I say just the opposite should be the case… Schools CAN NOT under any circumstance contact a highschool player in any way until the end of their Junior football season That would be January of their Junior year. NONE… no phone call, visits, text, nothin. End the chaos for kids and schools.”
Not saying they should be ridden like a government mule. Check them out, send them a letter that your watching them, send them a letter quarterly and perhaps at thier birthday if it’s known. Just let the kid know they’re on your Radar. This is where contiuous evaluation and quality control would come in. If it looks like the kid isn’t going to fit the program, then quietly back off. It’s that simple.