5+1 reasons UGA’s loss was even worse than it seemed
Here's the first of Joe Cox's several interceptions. (AJC photo by Bob Andres)
1. With Georgia within 14 points and still 10 minutes to play, some 10,000 Georgia backers up and left. Think about that. You’ve paid for tickets, parking, food, hotel and gas/airfare to come watch your team, and your team still has a theoretical chance. (One tipped pass and it’s a one-score game.) And you have so little faith in your team that you walk out. And your program has won 10 or more games six times in the past seven seasons. This would seem to say, at least to me, that Mark Richt is losing his constituency.
2. When Georgia pulled within 14-10, it did its huddle-up-and-jump-around thing on the sideline, and I typed on the live chat, “I smell a late hit coming.” It came on the kickoff. Michael Gilliard, late hit. It is uncanny how this team cannot play by the rules.
3. Florida scored 41 points without doing anything extraordinary. No Gator rushed for 100 yards. No Gator had 100 yards receiving. Tim Tebow’s longest completion was for 29 yards. Not until the game’s final drive did Florida gain 30 yards on a scrimmage play. And the Gators didn’t throw a fourth-quarter pass (though Tebow was sacked once). And a merciful Urban Meyer had John Brantley take a knee with the ball on the Georgia 20. Think Spurrier would have?
Loading ...4. Joe Cox was supposed to be a game manager. Instead the fifth-year senior has been wilder than Matthew Stafford was as a freshman. Stafford had 13 interceptions in 2006 and didn’t start every game. Cox has 12 interceptions in eight games. And the second interception Saturday was just sad: Pressured, Cox tried to throw the ball out of bounds but couldn’t sling it far enough. The exact same thing had happened in Knoxville. Which brings us to …
5. Tennessee. It’s coming fast. If Georgia didn’t figure to finish ahead of Florida in 2009, neither did it seem any other SEC East school posed an imminent threat to the Bulldogs’ hold on second place. South Carolina is ensconced as a 7-5 or 8-4 team, and Kentucky and Vandy are Kentucky and Vandy. But Tennessee has now beaten Georgia and South Carolina and has played Florida and Alabama close, and that’s a scary sign. Because if Tennessee in Year 1 under Kiffin can have the same overall record as Georgia in Year 9 under Richt, what happens in 2010?
6. The black helmets. Just embarrassing.
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
1,240 comments Add your comment
SEC Watch
November 1st, 2009
1:52 pm
Speaking for the rest of the SEC, either recognize your place with Vandy, UK, and MSU or plaease leave. Of course, among the aforementioned losers, they all contribute something you don’t have: Vandy gives us academics, you don’t; Kentucky has basketball – well, yo have backetball courses for BB players; and MSU has the better Bulldog football team. Looking around, it’s difficult to find a conference UGA could compete in: Pac 10, lose to USC, Oregon, Cal, probably Stanford and UCLA. Big 12: Lose big in South Divsion, might be 2nd tier in North. ACC – No again, would lose to VT, Miami, Clemson and will lose to GT. Big 10, they wouldn’t take you. Big East: again a second tier team with less heritage than Rutgers, less heart than UL, jst not the right fit. Conf USA might be just the right level for the Richt led puppies in Grambling uniforms. That’s right, there’s always that league (FAMU, Clark, Morehouse, Grambling, Hampton) where thugs rule.
stevew
November 1st, 2009
1:53 pm
Since I don’t believe we have anything left for this year except GT, are we going to begin next year without a QB with game experience. Are we going to redshirt our hot shots every year. Great idea with Moreno. Cox is a nice kid, but do you see any similiarities with Joe T.???
so yur saying that
November 1st, 2009
1:55 pm
coach richt has the morals of a used car salesman?
we gators knew that all along. that is why urban meyers has no love for the dawgs either.
Vanderbilt is next
November 1st, 2009
1:56 pm
First off another year of bragging rights, yesssssssssss. 41-17. Next you can say what you want about Cox the fact is he moved the ball a lot better than I thought he would. Gators probably have the best defense in all of college football, if they don’t they are in the top 3 and nobody is going to put up a big number against them. Joe got in the end zone twice,1 more than Stafford did last year against he same defense who were a year younger. Finally I don’t get the fans leaving early after they travel to Jacksonville Florida. That is not a good way to support the team. Being on the field and seeing your fans leaving can’t be a good feeling. Anyway until next year………….
CMR Must GO
November 1st, 2009
1:56 pm
Yea DAWGPOUND – I can see why you rather be a dawg “that a” NATS student; your ignorance says it all.
Coach's Hairdresser
November 1st, 2009
1:58 pm
Come on guys, knock off calling the players thugs—you are only one notch away from calling them the N word.
It is the coaching–it ain’t the players. This same team coached by Meyers, Saban, Spurrier, Holtz, Johnson, and even Kiffin would be in the top 15 or better this year.
By the way, Coach had a bad hair day yesterday—that receding hairline needs work.
Va. Beach Dog
November 1st, 2009
1:59 pm
Bradley, why don’t you pay to fly in to Jax, pay double for your tickets, sit in the stands, walk down the street with the Florida fans cursing at you after the game, and then you have the right to complain about the Georgia fans. Yes, I stayed till the very end and paid a premium for tickets. Yes, that earned me the joy of hearing the Florida fans partying in the parking garage scream names at all the female GEorgia fans that you wouldn’t let me repeat here. Those Fla fans are real classy men. Why don’t you get out to the street next time before you gripe about the fans?
truth
November 1st, 2009
2:01 pm
Buck can you say “high school offense”
Einsteindawg
November 1st, 2009
2:01 pm
Bumper sticker seen around the SEC…”Honk if you’ve hung 40+ on Willie’s D”.
Doug
November 1st, 2009
2:02 pm
Next year should be year 0 for CMR and the entire staff. He has obviously loss control of the team as it spirals out of control. CMR is a nice guy, a good Christian man, but based on his competition, Meyer, Miles, Saban and now Kiffin, he does not have what it takes to wind the national championship. If you want to be satisfied with 10 win maybe seasons, then let’s keep him around.
Coach's Banker
November 1st, 2009
2:03 pm
Coach has socked away close to $20MM in the bank–cash money. He is wealthier than he ever dreamed possible. He doesn’t have to put up with this sh** if doesn’t want to.
He will ride this $2.8MM dollar a year sweet gig into the gound—wouldn’t you do the same?
ThaDawgdude
November 1st, 2009
2:06 pm
Or CMR gets some fire up his @$$ and gets new coordinators and gets this team disciplined. He definitely has earned himself a wait and see cushion for another year or two, but if next season isn’t significantly better…
The one shining light is that next season the east will be a little easier to deal with. UF and Tenn will be down from this season, but what about us? Who are we gonna put at QB without going through significant growing pains. UF’s Brantley has already gotten significant playing time compared to our guys. If we stick with what we’ve got we’re looking at 2 or 3 seasons before we’re strong again. How can this be with the way we recruit? It doesn’t make sense. We should be good right now. This should not be a down year or transition year. I don’t care how many young players we are playing. We’ve played a ton of young players the last 3 seasons and we’re still young. Bottom line: we should be winning more with what we’ve got. UF and BAMA don’t control what we do, WE DO, and right now we are failing at it an awful lot. The talent is here on both sides of the ball but are we gonna keep using inexperience as an excuse to underachieve?
Dawg Gator
November 1st, 2009
2:06 pm
As I was saying…when Jankowski got to San Francisco he got arrested and was SURPRISED as that had not happen to him at FSU…well, no Bowden to PRESSURE the local legal community–police/judges and how Leon County’s name was changed to Bowden County with those who TRY to keep others safe! With what some of you are saying about sending Coach Richt looking for another campus….something you paying fans/alumi just gotta consider. FSU would probably take him back…and this WOULD save ‘face’ for us SEC fans!!
Talent?
November 1st, 2009
2:06 pm
UGA is the only SEC school with 7 straight Rivals top 10 recruiting classes. UT coach Phillip Fulmer proved in 2005 that it takes more than just great talent to win. Top talent hasn’t helped UGA win, why worry about recruiting? Why would any top recruit sign with UGA if FL, LSU, Bama, Miami, or even SC or UT offered?
Weather Channel
November 1st, 2009
2:06 pm
Bundle up, Dawg fans. I hear that Shreveport can be mighty cold in December.
Just Wondering
November 1st, 2009
2:10 pm
Just Wondering:
How do you expect a team to be disciplined when the head coach tells the whole team to go out and celebrate a touchdown?
How do you expect a team to be prepared for their biggest conference rival when the staff believes that uniforms are required to motivate?
How do you expect a team full of 4 and 5 star recruits to play like a team when they are more interested in biding their time until they can play on Sundays?
Why do you expect a team to play every year for a NC when their only NC came on the back of one of the best players in college fb history and have only won 2 SEC Championships since 1982?
This is a program (from the fans to the admins and everyone in between) that believes its own publicity machine.
Einsteindawg
November 1st, 2009
2:11 pm
Doug, I agree with everything you say; however, I think another “10 win season” is a reach with our schedule and our current coaches. Vandy and whatever Division 2 school we schedule are the only gimmies. UF, TN, SC, AL, GT, and LSU have all passed us…KY, AU, AK, and Ole Miss are probably equal. Thanks Mike Slime, for Miss State and Vandy.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
2:11 pm
DAWGPOUND
November 1st, 2009
10:16 am
“Rather be a Dawg in defeat that a winning North Avenue Trade School student–end of story”.
You and the other 3 guys that cut grass for the Greene County Parks & Rec?
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
2:11 pm
If it wasn’t for tie ins Georgia would be headed to Boise. I think they owe the Tech Nation a huge apology.
Tech Forever
November 1st, 2009
2:12 pm
Please keep CMR! He is just what we need in Athens!
ThaDawgdude
November 1st, 2009
2:12 pm
The funny thing is that all of these people hating on UGA and kicking us while we’re down are gonna be eating their words 4 to 5 years from now. The landscape will change significantly by then and UGA will have a very good coaching staff and team. The administration, I believe, truly wants championships and is willing to do what it takes to get them, in a just manner of course. Too many young players like UGA for us to fall off in recruiting. The players are gonna be there, its just a matter of when we get the right coaches. Its gonna happen and much sooner than all of these other teams fans realize. We are historically better than most of the teams we play and it will be that way again soon. Its just a matter of time.
confused
November 1st, 2009
2:12 pm
Is the pointspread really Tenn Tech -1? That guy just joking right?
You all sux!
November 1st, 2009
2:15 pm
None of you are bulldawg fans! You’re fans when the bulldawgs have 10 win plus seasons. You should all be ashame!
Keep wishing CMR is fired. You may get what you wish, but the answer to your prayers may be a worse coach.
Suck on that………..
UGA +++
November 1st, 2009
2:16 pm
Talent? That’s jus’ it! On the ‘crutin’ trips, those immature athletes are shown that, at UGA, you don’ hav’ to go to class much or learn nuthin, there’s scores of fine easy women lined up to fetch you anythin’ you want, parties on the sideline and every night whether you win or lose, jumpin’ around with you team brothers on the sideline after TD’s whther or not you’re losin’, and all the time you got all of those ole dawg white bubba’s jus’ screamin’ their lil hearts out fer ya while stuffin’ mo $$$ in yo pockets. Yea, they see that life as a dawg is fine unlike the other schools where you actuall are expected to work in the classroom and produce on the field.
ACME HANDYCAPPING CO.
November 1st, 2009
2:22 pm
If the game dosn’t win, we’ll give you next weeks matchup Terrible Tech vs Sloppy State at no charge. Current line: Tenn Tech -1 1\2 vs Georgia
jack bull
November 1st, 2009
2:29 pm
1) that spikes thing, he’s been told to do stuff like that and he’s been getting away with it for along time. pretty scary nothing gets done about it though, not even any press coverage. 2) good teams don’t have to rely on gimmicks, i know, it’s a players sport and they love that stuff, but you shouldn’t need it against #1 teams that are named florida.3) no more QB’s named Joe, they always seem to be “average”,,get it, 4) time to find a QB for next year, 2 down years in the SEC will kill ya, and last, but not least 5) our D has zero RESISTANCE to ANYBODY’S offense!!!!! we get a break only when they other team makes a mistake or just get bored with what’s working and they want to try something else. they could’ve scored 60 on us if they wanted too. i know it’s not going to happen in the middle of the year, but slick willie needs a change of scenery….
Unbelievable
November 1st, 2009
2:30 pm
I can’t believe you all have stooped to such SUPERFLUOUS BANTOR. Georgia will always be NO. 1 in my heart.
You've Got To Be Kidding ME
November 1st, 2009
2:37 pm
You people are all crazy! Weve got a serious situation here. There is no way Georgia is going to lose to Tenn Tech. Georgia will win by at least 7.
DawginLex
November 1st, 2009
2:40 pm
Coach Richt has earned the right to have a rebuilding year and we are in the middle of it. His decisions going forward will be very interesting.
Do you play Murray now?
Martinez will be demoted at the end of the year or he will resign. He won’t make Coach Richt fire him, he will just leave.
CMR is just a joke
November 1st, 2009
2:40 pm
Most of you Dawg fans are pathetic – if it isn’t the refs that you want to blame – you have to blame another player – in this case Spikes. You guys are ridiculous cry babies. Why don’t you concentrate more on why your team is lossing and is totally undiscpilined than on other things.
Sheila
November 1st, 2009
2:41 pm
Real good move Orson. Hope you enjoy the #7 that Jacka## promised you. Aaron Murray isn’t cute enough to follow him to Athens.
Martinez' Realtor
November 1st, 2009
2:41 pm
Bama Fan, You are really going to come on here and talk about how Georgia fans abandon their team early. what was going on in tuscaloosa about 4 years ago. Man, how soon they forget.
Kennesaw Dawg
November 1st, 2009
2:41 pm
Mark, do you know how much it would take to buy out Richt’s contract?
Lou Vales
November 1st, 2009
2:43 pm
I keep hearing that “Mark Richt is a fine Christian man”, I’m happy for him. Would someone PLEASE tell me another man in another profession in America–besides the Clergy–who is defined career wise by his religious faith??
South Florida Jacket
November 1st, 2009
2:43 pm
Oh Please Dawgs…..please don’t wear those Black Helmets when you come to Grant Field…..our Bees Knees are shaking…..I’m afraid if you show up in those Black Helmets we’ll just have to forfeit the game!!!!
It's Techs Time
November 1st, 2009
2:44 pm
I’m sure they only wore the black helmets for Holloween so I wouldn’t read too much into that. You could have chosen any combination of red, black, silver and white uniforms yesterday and it wouldn’t have mattered. The team has no discipline. I believe they have heart and lots of talent but it’s not being used to the best abilities of the players they have. I hope you all see how much better Paul Johnson is as a coach by bending his players talents successfully to fit his system. I know it sucks for UGA fans but it’s true.
Big Harry Dawg
November 1st, 2009
2:45 pm
GO DAWGS!
GO RICHT! ANYWHERE BUT HERE!
and take Willie with you…..
Va. Beach Dog
November 1st, 2009
2:45 pm
Mark, you’re the only person I’ve heard say that they watched the Brandon Spikes eye gouge on youtube and said they couldn’t tell what he was gouging at. C’mon. When somebody inserts their hand between the helmet and facemask in the general vicinity of the eyes and makes the gouging motion, it’s fair to assume that Spikes is not picking Washaun’s nose. Even the Florida fans admit it’s an eye gouge and just try to make excuses.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
2:48 pm
Tennessee Tech vs. Georgia = Appalachian State vs. Michigan
FLA DAWG
November 1st, 2009
2:48 pm
I’ve never blogged on a Gator or GT website. I don’t bother to read them – why would I?
The Gator and GT comments on The AJC sites that discuss The Dawgs have fully revealed the absolute lack of class many of these fans have.
When GT stunk for decade after decade I used to cheer for them unless they played The Dawgs.
When The Dawgs had a decent enough team for the game to be competitive I had respect for the Gator players and fans.
Now when The Dawgs are stinking up the field almost every game GT & Gator Fans come onto a Dawg Discussion site to stick the knife in deeper AFTER THE GAME IS OVER!
You guys have lost one heck of alot of respect – from others and in yourselves.
Please respond and let more readers see your infantile drivel.
MadDawg
November 1st, 2009
2:50 pm
I never leave games early, but perhaps it’s the betrayal of the fans by CMR. He knows he can’t win with Martinez, yet he stands by him and the team pays and the fans pay. Jim Donnan was run out on rail for not beating Florida. What happens if you get trounced by Florida and the upcoming triple-option from Mid-town Atlanta? Further, Joe Cox is no Stafford, but he’s getting a bad rap. He doesn’t have Stafford’s line and he’s stuck with bad play-calling? How many slant passes were thrown to pull back the blitz? It’s ironic that the very play that destroys Willie’s defensive “scheme,” week after week and year after year hasn’t occurred to Bobo.
Tom
November 1st, 2009
2:50 pm
Texas would be beat both Georgia and Tech…..BAD. Richt should take some pointers from Mack Brown. People talk about Muschamp coming back to his alma mater, what a joke!!!!
Mr. Bradley, I couldn’t agree with you more. Is playing the #1 team and border rival enough of a motivation? No more black in the uniforms at all. The Auburn 2007 blackout is a once in a lifetime thing. Can’t be done for 50 years.
Still comes back to the man at the top. Richt has lost control of this team. No excuse!
GTOldSchool21
November 1st, 2009
2:50 pm
If Richt and company would simply pay their players more, they could relive the 1980 team. Give some recruits some fast cars, clothes, and money to enjoy college and another H.Walker may hatch in Athens. That’s what UGA will need to avoid annual beatdowns by Florida and add Tech to that list again this year. THWG
It's Techs Time
November 1st, 2009
2:55 pm
FLA DAWG – You’re just speaking for yourself. There are plenty of UGA and FLA fans that have had to take loads of crap of off UGA fans for years. You know why fans are kicking UGA while they’re down? Because even while they’re down they still have the audactity to talk trash about “That Trade School”. They still talk trash about the defending national champs at UF even though they have no chance of beating them almost yearly now. UGA under Richt is overrated and UGA fans have an inflated sense of their team’s importance in college football so when they’re down, yes the knife is going to go deeper.
gtphotographer
November 1st, 2009
2:55 pm
U[sic]GA: Built Ford tough since 2001.
Get tan-in-a-can Richt off the carpet commercials, and maybe he’ll have some sense to fire DC WM.
Gators wear JORTS!!
November 1st, 2009
2:56 pm
The same people who left yesterday are probably the same people talkin’ all that trash in ‘07 when we had a great year. It sucks to get hammered by UF and UT this year. Real fans stick with their teams when it’s tough (see S. Carolina and Auburn). I AM A DAWG and WIN or LOSE, I LOVE MY DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ladawg100
November 1st, 2009
2:56 pm
Hire Tuberville!!!
CMR gets the big money at least in part because of the high expectations he is not meeting.
FIring him will be a relief for him no doubt. We should go ahead and do it. Does anyone think he will ever have his heart in winning for us again?
No one wants to get the criticism that he is getting yet no one want to walk away from the huge money.
If we fire him now someone will hire him and we will all be happy. If we let him stick around he will be miserable but richer and we will all be miserable too.
It is a no brainer. He should go.
App. St. Fan
November 1st, 2009
2:57 pm
If we played Georgia this year, I know we would win. Our quarterback Edwards would run all over the Dawgs.
Tom
November 1st, 2009
2:57 pm
Do you play Aaron Murray now? Most would say YES!!!! Richt won’t. He’ll play Skinny Runt Logan Gray. How old is this guy? 12?
There’s a reason Joe Cox has not played until now. DJ Shockley was good, but David Greene was better. DJ is still way better than Cox. There’s no way it was going to be the same.
No more black. That doesn’t make the difference. I will admit I have left games early before. However, I don’t even bother to drive 400 miles to watch us lose. Its just an excuse to get drunk for 3 days.
Gators wear JORTS!!
November 1st, 2009
2:57 pm
F— the “Trade School”.