Who gains from the SEC’s turmoil? Alas, not UGA
The SEC East is in flux in a way nobody could have envisioned on Christmas Eve. Urban Meyer resigned and recanted and is said to be relaxing. Tennessee has no coach. Kentucky has a new coach. Vanderbilt … OK, there’s the one constant.
With so much in motion, the moment seems ripe for a stable program to make a bold move upward in 2010. That program would not seem to be Georgia.
Having searched for six weeks, the Bulldogs don’t have a defensive coordinator or a defensive staff. They’ll enter next season with a new quarterback, the result of having left Aaron Murray to redshirt. (A wise choice in most years, but not necessarily in the worst season under this head coach.) Worse still, there’s a growing feeling across the South that Mark Richt is a year away from feeling the big heat.
From MrSEC.com, usually a clearinghouse of conference links, came this post-Kirby-Smart post from John Pennington, its headline reading: “Smart Stays; Richt In Trouble.” Pennington’s argument isn’t that Richt should be in trouble but that, having been spurned three times now by coordinating candidates, he’s being perceived as “inept.”
Short of landing Bill Belichick, it will be nigh-impossible for Georgia to emerge from this protracted search with a coordinator who will satisfy the majority of Dog-lovers. And it does seem troubling that three men who worked in the South and have coached against Georgia — Bud Foster of Virginia Tech, John Chavis of LSU and Alabama’s Kirby Smart, who’s a Bulldog born and bred — saw greater opportunity in the current positions than anything awaiting them in Athens.
Is Georgia now radioactive? Is Richt viewed in the industry as damaged goods? Is there a way for the coach who once moved from strength to strength to overcome this onset of weakness?
Sure. There’s a way. Just win, baby. (That’s Al Davis’ signature quote. The second-most famous Al Davis utterance: “Lane Kiffin is a flat-out liar.”) But I don’t see Georgia as poised to win big even in an SEC East that’s without Tebow, without Kiffin and perhaps without Meyer. Indeed, if you’re looking for the program harboring realistic expectations of a 2010 breakthrough, look first to the one that has never won anything of consequence.
South Carolina.
It has a head coach, which puts it ahead of Tennessee and perhaps Florida, and he has a national championship in his portfolio. It has a defensive coordinator, which puts it ahead of Georgia, and Ellis Johnson is a fine one. Its quarterback is returning, along with 15 other starters on offense and defense. And it plays Georgia in Columbia on Sept. 11.
No, the Gamecocks weren’t much good in 2009: They finished 7-6 and looked awful in losing the Papajohns.com Bowl to Connecticut. But the new season is another day, and long-suffering Gamecock fans get geeked up for every next season as a matter of course. This time they might actually have cause.
Not many Georgia fans seem similarly enthused, at least not at the moment. The coordinator search won’t go on forever, but it has left a mark on the Bulldog psyche. Georgia fans are like most: They can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to come coach their team. But they’ve just seen three men choose to remain in place despite the lure of big money at UGA.
Loading ...We learned in 2005, when he won the SEC in his first season without David Greene and David Pollack and Brian VanGorder, not to dismiss Mark Richt. We saw it again this season when he took his worst team and beat Georgia Tech’s best aggregation in a decade. That said, the prevailing wind now seems to be blowing against him.
He’s 14-8 over the past 22 games. (And that’s with victories in the final two of 2009.) He can wind up making a good hire and it won’t be seen as such. Some of the UGA fans who once swore by Richt have taken up a different brand of swearing. As Pennington suggested, Richt is no longer the fresh prince of the SEC but an elder and somewhat diminished statesman.
Five years ago I wouldn’t have thought Richt and Georgia incapable of anything. Now, heaven help me, I see South Carolina as the program on the rise. South Carolina, of all teams.
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785 comments Add your comment
gatorman
January 13th, 2010
3:50 pm
Yep! finally you tell the truth.
Paddy
January 13th, 2010
3:51 pm
During all this turmoil Florida continues to sign almost any top player they want. Dawgs, get a DC and start catching up with the Gators before it is WAY too late!
An Old Dawg
January 13th, 2010
3:52 pm
I just can’t take many more days like this. This is the nadir. The lowest point of my life. Now we’re regarded less than SC. Any good
Samari warrior would have inserted his sword by now and I’m getting close. This can’t be. Say it ain’t so. (What were the other parts of
Hamlet’s solileque ?) I’m near the end. Life as I knew it is no more.
My total identity is shot.
Hal
January 13th, 2010
3:52 pm
Mark, I can never put a line on you. You’re worse then John Kerry waffling. First UGA is through, then they aren’t. I realize you’re inciting a riot to generate page views but dang. Schultz was an idiot this morning which I expect from him, Terrance the racist Moore blogs no more… but I do expect a little better from you.
Let’s be both honest and realistic about Mark’s search. The “offers” if you’ll call them that went like this:
Foster: “hello”
Richt: “Bud, Mark here, like to gauge your interest in being UGA’s DC?”
Foster: “Mark I’d love to talk about it.”- Hangs up calls Beamer
Beamer: “hello”
Foster:”Frank, UGA wants me, offered a bunch of cheese.”
Beamer: “Double the salary to stay and you’re Coach in Waiting”
Foster: “thanks I’ll tell Mark”
Same with Chavis… the search took 6 weeks because of Kirby. The UGA fan base, media, alums, booster and yes probably even Mark wanted Kirby. Period. And he was busy so instead of making overtures to other guys he didn’t want, he waited. And in order for Mark to survive this hire, he had to make Kirby say NO. If he’d skipped Kirby and aimed low the way Schultz seemed to endorse, and has a bad year he would be on the hot seat. As long as it’s Kirby, or at least Kirby said no, he can survive a sub-par “rebuilding” season next year.
You guys would have crucified him either way. And frankly most of us fans get it. But it still draws anger, which you want anyway. You didn’t crucify Paul Johnson for not hiring one yet. You didn’t crucify him for not firing him at the same time Mark did. Seems you think Tech is too fragile a program to handle criticism, but UGA is so strong that an outsider stroking the nerve is just what we need to unify the fanbase in support of Mark.
If you don’t think we are firmly behind our captain… go take a quick read through this blog and Jeff’s… you’ll get the picture. Mark, more-so than Kirby or anybody is…. is OUR guy!
Go Dawgs!!!
Hmmmmm
January 13th, 2010
3:52 pm
Mark,
If you didn’t think they would win the East, exactly how do you thin SC will gain from TN’s mess? Will they win one more game, Go to a better bowl, sign some of the TN recruits? What exactly did you mean by gain?
SC Boy
January 13th, 2010
3:53 pm
SC will win the East. Of course the Bulldawg Spurrier haters will discount him but the fact is that Garcia was the second best passing QB and they are loaded on both sides of the ball. They will play UF in November for the East. Lattimore will lead the way running; Garcia throwing.
Dorsey Hill
January 13th, 2010
3:53 pm
USC usually finishes 4th or 5th in the division. For USC to benefit they would only have to finish 3rd. So what Bradley has done is written an article 8 months before the season opens that concludes that USC just may, might or could finish third in the east in 2010. Man, is that journalism at its finest. I’m thinking of submitting the article for a Pulitzer Award. Tommorow, I want to read an article about which team will be affected the most adversely by Lane bolting. Start off by saying that because UT may actually hire a good coach, it may hurt UGA, but in the end you can only conclude that the program most likely affected by Lane leaving is UT. Why? Because using Bradley math: no coach – no defensive coordinator – no offensive coordinator < coach + offensive coordinator – no defensive coordinator. Who knew that things could be broken down so simply. Of course you have to see the Texas A&M game as a mathematical anomaly since the Bradleaum Theorem would have suggested that A&M would have won 3-2.
BTW: Mark, are they taking applications for sport's writers at the AJC? I have a whole box of crayons I need to find a use for. In addition, I can schedule the labotomy required for AJC employment at the AJC managment's convienence. Let me know soon as I already have an idea for my first article: "Will Vandy finsh 6th in the East in 2010? Perhaps." I plan on raising the possibility that Vandy beats UGA in Athens in 2010 to gain the blogger reaction desired.
This Just In
January 13th, 2010
3:54 pm
Mark Bradley, sports commentator with the AJC, has been nominated as UGA’s favorite sports annalist of the year. Mr. Bradley is dearly beloved by the many fans of the bulldog nation, and regularly receives many positive comments on his blogs.
LOL
January 13th, 2010
3:54 pm
Bradley, your cock logic is just priceless. Downright disingenuous.
The Ghost of Mark Bradley Past
January 13th, 2010
3:54 pm
What a surprise, Mark. More talk radio like trolling for page hits. How do you sleep at night? Do you ever wonder if your old journalism professors read your work?
homer
January 13th, 2010
3:55 pm
Awww, the doggie fans are all upset because a sportswriter said S. Carolina might be a team with a good chance to improve. Are the AJC writers supposed to grovel and just write nice things about the dogs every day. Hey, he could recap that fine 7-5 record in regular season last year which included the big win over Tenn Tech…or he could mention how again this year georgia had all 5 star recruits…and, oh, maybe he should mention the big stadium and the record number of puking drunks that show up for each game. Actually, instead of just mentioning SC as on a better track than georgia, he could have also talked about KY and Auburn, both of which look to be better than georgia.
Steel Metal Chair
January 13th, 2010
4:00 pm
Mark: At long last, sir, have you no sense of shame? On a day in which all responsible sports journalists are (justifiably) inveighing against the exposure of one of the biggest phonies in the college ball universe, you (ever the smug, self-appointed “bad boy” of local sports journalism) giggle and maliciously direct your column against one of the few remaining decent and ethical head coaches in the game (universally regarded as such, and not just by us locals). Why? Why? Is it your own little fiefdom’s version of McCarthian witchhunt? Is it because (as you just congratulated DAWGGoneRight for pointing out) you get your pay/bonus/praise based on sheer number of blog comments, no matter their content or thoughtfulness? (If so, then, congratulations, you are officially just a shock jock.) I like to think it’s because you couldn’t get enough of poking sticks into anthills when you were a boy, but that’s just the romantic in me.
You truly hit a low point today. I hate it when “journalists” blithely call for someone’s job (as you have so often done), but today I wouldn’t disagree with any of the above comments suggesting that the ajc find a new (unsullied) voice for its blogs. There are many, many solid reporters (with writing flair and humor) in the blogosphere with huge fan bases that a smart paper might just want to snap up (e.g., Orson Swindle, David Hale, MGoBlog).
You really should feel ashamed. (Of course, I also feel a little ashamed myself today, because instead of finding some way to reach out to help the millions of earthquake victims in Haiti in today’s truly important story, here we all are acting like the sky is falling over this ultimately meaningless bullrot.)
An Old Dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:00 pm
Mark, if you keep this up I’m going to have to become a prodawg sportswriter at one of the state’s other leading newspapers. Don’t force my hand
Football Fan
January 13th, 2010
4:01 pm
Kirk Herbstreit knows infinitely more about football than Mark Bradley. In his wisdom, he stated that South Carolina starts stong and then fades every year because they cannot recruit as much elite talent as other SEC schools and, consequently, they cannot compensate for injuries. Kirk has been right every year so far of Spurrier’s tenure.
Wreckmaniac
January 13th, 2010
4:04 pm
Mark, I know its tough but keep coming up with anything to keep us off of how wonderful this year’s 5 Star recruits are or “know your dawgs”.
I promise, I’ll read anything other than that.
Yep!
January 13th, 2010
4:04 pm
gatorman – FYI, our coach is not slowly dying a little bit every day like UM. Do you think he will make it till summer?
Palm City Dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:05 pm
Hey Bradley, you are full of sensationalism s**t! You don’t deserve to work for even the National Enquirer. Check with Bisher. Remember when you Journalist were trying to run Coach Dooley out of town and the, what happened…a few more SEC championships and andus, oh yeah, a National Title.
Yep!
January 13th, 2010
4:06 pm
SC Boy – lay off the drugs man!
gatorman
January 13th, 2010
4:06 pm
Yep! long enough to hand you your ass again.
Alan Davis
January 13th, 2010
4:07 pm
I have a comment. Fire Mark Bradley. Do your homework fool. If there is a program on the rise it would be Auburn. A tough search for a DC doesn’t make Richt inept or Georgia toxic. No one with any experience would say that. Name the winningest coaches in the last 10 years in major college football. Right. The biggest point, take your foolishness to Columbia, I hear the paper there is looking for someone to write a blog on trash collection in the suburbs. How can a paper based in GA keep you employed.
Wreckmaniac
January 13th, 2010
4:08 pm
How much is that doggie in the window ? Apparently, too much.
Afternoon Grab Bag | MrSEC.com
January 13th, 2010
4:08 pm
[...] Mark Fox has been named the SEC’s Twitterer of the Year.5. Mark Bradley of The AJC believes South Carolina is the program best set to benefit from the turmoil in the SEC East. (He also links back to one of our stories so may find yourself [...]
Cuz
January 13th, 2010
4:08 pm
Mark I would swear you were drinking when you wrote this. However, I know that other than communion, you don’t drink. I think maybe you got some bad pimento cheese.
Yep!
January 13th, 2010
4:09 pm
gatorman – are you sure about that? Did you speak to his doctor? BTW, I am friends with his doctor and know everything.
sc dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:10 pm
This, Mr. Bradley, is a bit of a stretch. SC? REally!!! Richt in “trouble”? REally!!! I usually defend your positions, or, at least the process from which you arrive at them as fair and reasonable, but, this looks like a hatchet job from guy when a lot of ink/space and an agenda.
Easy, Alan....
January 13th, 2010
4:10 pm
…..Bradley is just utilizing the same cock logic used in Columbia.
Tbone
January 13th, 2010
4:10 pm
Ole “Overreaction” Bradley has struck again. You just wait, sports fans. If UGA comes out of the starting blocks strong (especially defensively), Bradley will crow about Richt and how “astute”, “patient” and “intentionally careful in his pursuit” he was in this hire. Bradley is a bright enough guy (considering korntucky roots), but his fickleness is astounding.
Wreckmaniac
January 13th, 2010
4:11 pm
Kirby Smart has just scheduled an 11:00 press conference to announce that he still isn’t coming to UGA. Count on it, this is certain, there is no doubt, I’m not kiddin.
Cuz
January 13th, 2010
4:11 pm
Mr. Davis, I believe the context of the article was about who in the SEC East benefits. Unless Auburn has moved into the East when I was not looking your comments do not apply. Besides, I lived outside of Columbia before, it is not much of an improvement on Atlanta.
OZZFEST
January 13th, 2010
4:12 pm
Richt is a “ministry person”, not a “corporate person”.
…and just like all non-profit corporations, he has rendered himself jello.
Actually, below jello.
Alas
January 13th, 2010
4:12 pm
Cock Logic at its finest!
rob
January 13th, 2010
4:13 pm
Tons of posts = you’re doing your job. That does not make your inane ramblings any less hackneyed.
Cuz
January 13th, 2010
4:13 pm
I don’t believe Bradley is that fickle. I am sure he uses the same finger to guage which direction the wind is blowing.
What?!?!
January 13th, 2010
4:13 pm
Of all the bullsh!&%#&t I’ve read on the AJC site, this may take the cake. Bradley, I thought you were a sports writer not an emotional, fair weather fan. To take such a short sighted view of what is happening at UGA is completely miopic. Thankfully, the people commenting seem to be able to see that this is mindless drivel.
gatorman
January 13th, 2010
4:13 pm
Yep! I heard you were watching when they gave him a rectal.
Technophobia
January 13th, 2010
4:13 pm
2010 represents a brief opportunity in the SEC east for teams that aren’t UF. UF has an unbelievable recruiting class coming in this year and they get results out of their recruits. After 2010 you’ll likely be looking at another 3-4 yrs of UF winning the east. The window of opportunity will close quickly.
Atl Dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:14 pm
Shut up Yep, you are embarrassing the Dawg Nation
gatorsman
January 13th, 2010
4:15 pm
Atl Dawg, thanks Atl Dawg
IlliniDawg
January 13th, 2010
4:15 pm
Hey Mark: I took your article and copy-edited and had some fun with the following:
WHO GAINS FROM THE AJC’S TURMOIL?
With so much hype and sensationalism, the moment seems ripe for a stable newspaper to make a bold move upward in 2010. Having ragged on Georgia for six weeks, the AJC staff don’t have any new arguments or information. Worse still, there’s a growing feeling across the Atlanta area that Jeff Schultz and Mark Bradley are months if not weeks away from feeling the big heat.
Readers and bloggers have not argued that Schultz and Bradley should be in trouble but that, having offended Dawg fans umpteen times now by ridiculous columns based on wild conjecture and speculation, they’re being perceived as “inept.”
Short of landing Rick Reilly of ESPN, it will be nigh-impossible for AJC to emerge from this protracted offense of the majority of Dog-lovers.
Is the AJC Sports desk now radioactive? Are Schultz and Bradley viewed in the industry as damaged goods? Is there a way for the editorial staff who once moved from strength to strength to overcome this onset of weakness?
Five years ago I wouldn’t have thought Schultz and Bradley and the AJC Sports desk incapable of anything. Now, heaven help me, I see the GWINNETT DAILY POST as the paper on the rise.
Atl Dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:16 pm
Dont thank me Gatorman, he did it to himself.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:17 pm
You Dawg fans are PATHETIC!
Last national title: 1980
UGA is a second rate SEC football program.
Ed
January 13th, 2010
4:17 pm
Wow, South Carolina as the breakout team in the East. I don’t know. Spurrier hasn’t exactly set anyone’s hair on fire in about a decade. I’ve been wondering how he keeps his job, because I’m pretty sure he wasn’t hired to lose 5-6 games each season. Don’t tell me about how USC (South) is a coaching graveyard, either – Lou Holtz had back-to-back 10-win seasons and Outback Bowl victories over Ohio State that shot that theory down. The right coach can get it done there, Spurrier just doesn’t seem to be the guy for whatever reason.
Brad in Jasper
January 13th, 2010
4:17 pm
Relax everyone, Mark is doing this intentionally. Remember not long ago when he touted the millions of hits his blogs have received? Well, he’s gettin’ em writing anything to get a hit. (Sounds like a drug reference, no?)
Hillbilly Deluxe
January 13th, 2010
4:17 pm
I think the people who will benefit the most from all this are Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz. The way things have gone in the last month, y’alls columns should practically write themselves.
Topp Dogg
January 13th, 2010
4:18 pm
I have been saying Ellis Johnson for months now but nobody will listen he will leave for enough money .
Wreckmaniac
January 13th, 2010
4:18 pm
CMR is reportedly asking his first three choices if they have changed their mind.
Yep!
January 13th, 2010
4:18 pm
gatorman – that fact that actually entered your mind is very disturbing. You may want to look into getting some professional help. I am friends with a psychiatrist if you would like a referral otherwise good luck to you in the future and stay away from playgrounds.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:18 pm
Someone actually said that South Carolina cost UGA the 2007 NT.
LOLOLOL!!!!!!!!
No, your crappy football team cost you two losses. And guess what, you guys CHOKED the next year when UGA was HIGHLY overrated.
WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!!!! We’re preseason number 1!!!!!!
Scarface
January 13th, 2010
4:19 pm
Mark, I thought you were better than this. Then again, how often have you been right vs. wrong. Who keeps score on these things? Someone please start a “Mark Bradley Right/Wrong Scoreboard” website. As a matter of fact you could do this for all the bloggers/talking heads in the media too. Your Terrance Moore imitation will get you about as far as it got him.
jimren
January 13th, 2010
4:19 pm
You obviously don’t know or have not talked to true UGA fans.