Fran Tarkenton on 680 The Fan: UGA ‘is in in big trouble’
If you haven’t heard what Fran Tarkenton had to say regarding Mark Richt last Friday on 680 The Fan, you probably should. The most famous former Georgia Bulldog (non-Herschel division) eviscerated the Bulldogs’ coach and strongly suggested the program needs a new leader.
Francis T. began boldly — “What has happened over the last week with Georgia has been the most disturbing time I have seen in a long time; you know, people don’t want to look at reality” — and didn’t pause for breath. (A partial transcript is available at SportsRadioInterviews.com.)
Richt’s all-is-well press briefing of Jan. 4 apparently set Tarkenton’s teeth to gnashing. Concerning the announcement that Richt would re-immerse himself in the finer points of football, Tarkenton said this:
“Holy cow! Yesterday, where Mark Richt says, ‘I have been freed from administrative duties to spend more time on football.’ Then I quote him, he said, ‘The moves give [me] more time to study the game of football and be an expert and be on the cutting edge.’ What has he been doing for nine years? I have never heard any college, high school, professional coach [say] that [he] was not able to spend enough time on football.”
Asked by host Christopher Rude if Rich might have been devoting too much time to academics or somesuch, Tarkenton said:
“No, it sounds like a cop-out! It sounds like, ‘I am not taking responsibility. I have other things.’ We hire people to be football coaches. We pay him and others millions of dollars to be football coaches, not to be administrators. He didn’t do a very good job there — we had 12 people arrested this year, including a top-ranked quarterback who was a top kid that is now going to play LSU [Zach Mettenberger], and that has been going on forever.
“[Richt] is a wonderful guy. He is a good Christian guy. He wants to be a missionary. He goes on missions. That is a wonderful thing. But do you know the religion of Nick Saban? Or Gus Malzahn? Or Chip Kelly playing for the national championship? I don’t think we care what their religion [is]. We hire them to be football coaches. If we are hiring religious instructors, let’s go to the Candler School of Theology over here in Decatur and get some of their people to come and coach our football team.”
Let the record note that Tarkenton is himself the son of a preacher. Which isn’t the same as being the son of a diplomat, and is evident throughout this diatribe. More Fran: “You’ve been there nine years [10, actually] and you say [you] haven’t had time to spend on football — if you don’t think that’s a problem, Georgia people, and [athletic director] Greg McGarity, if you don’t think the signs are there, my friend … Bad news does not get better with time.”
Regarding last week’s announcements that two top in-state prospects plan to sign with Alabama and Auburn, Tarkenton said:
” We’re going to lose the elite players this year. We haven’t in the past — we’ve gotten the elite player. We either didn’t choose right or we didn’t coach right, because we didn’t have success.
“Right now our program has had three years of regression, and I don’t see any way this thing is going to get out of the ditch. When I read comments like [Richt's] … we’re putting spin on everything. In the meantime Alabama and Auburn and Tennessee are working and kicking our butts and recruiting people and getting coaches that have spread offenses. I mean, can you imagine? We scored two field goals against Central Florida.”
The son of a preacher then offered a benediction: “I think Greg McGarity has got to look at this awfully hard, I think the signs are that we have a program that is in big trouble.”
And now you’re asking: How noteworthy is this? My answer: Very. It’s one thing for some newspaper guy (like this one) to carp about Richt, quite another for a most distinguished alum to sound the alarm. In the space of nine minutes, Sir Francis essentially said what more and more folks are thinking: That Georgia needs a new coach.
By Mark Bradley
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1,032 comments Add your comment
dawgster
January 12th, 2011
1:07 am
@Gen Neyland…not going to disagree with you..pretty sure the coaching staff knows what it takes to win the East..i agree i think we have to win the East and if we don’t then somehow it better be a 10 win season or better…I wouldn’t expect CDD to have it any less but he better make a priority out of beating Fla, Bama and some others also…The East is tough, always has been and always will be..and yes Coach Richt has got to get us to at least winning every other year against the gators..i don’t think anyone will be beating the gators on a regular basis, but you have to win a few from time to time…
@Rick…i won’t question your loyality to the dawgs, and i would hope you expect more than mediocrity…i sure do, but it won’t change because of what we say or don’t say on these blogs…and yes our team is hungry every year and should be..i think all teams start off that way or at least they should..the dawgs need some leadership, yes from the coaches, but more importantly from the players…As much as i hate to give the gators any credit, Tebow was a prime example of a leader…as talented as he was and his teammates, without his will for them not to lose and the leadership he showed on the field, well you just can’t coach that, i’m sorry, that was Meyer, that was Tebow…we need some players like Boss Bailey again, David Pollack, David Greene, Thomas Davis…yes all very good players but they had leadership qualities…We have been missing that..everyone points to the talent of Stafford, not doubt about it, but never became a team leader, nor Moreno, although based on how he played everydown the players should have picked up on that..Yes we have to have good coaching, but the players have got to want to get better they have to have the heart and will not to lose or accept 2nd best…when we get that kind of chemistry i think we will see some of the old dawg teams regardless who our coaches our..Yes the coaches are ultimately responsible, i get that, but the players have to take some responsibilities for their own actions on and off the field…go dawgs
RED DOG 77
January 12th, 2011
1:14 am
Fran Tarkenton………”A most distinguished alum ” ?….This guy has got to be the biggest jackass I have ever met. Some fifteen or so years ago I had the misfortune to do some business for Sir Francis. After just a few moments it was painfully apparent this guy was a jerk of the first degree………….The little fella made a living running for his life at UGA and the Vikings……and yea, he could play some ball………..But I think I could find a hundred much more “distinguished” UGA football people than Francis………how bout Loran, Larry, Vince, etc………I would ask anyone who has a doubt about Tarkenton, just ask someone who knows him………..he is truely a jackass !!!………………Sincerily, RED
dawgster
January 12th, 2011
1:18 am
@7576Dawg…on that one i have to agree..i guess he couldn’t or wouldn’t throw them under the bus especially when your staff was not going to change…but them doing a “great job”..did not set well with alot of dawg fans and it shouldn’t have..I guess you could say Bobo did a good job, but a “great job”…no i have to agree with your comments…of course you probably know by by comments how i feel, but i will say after the Liberty Bowl i was pretty upset with the entire staff…what irritated me more than i have been for a long time was the 4th and inches, inches that is on the goal line…your team is 6-6 and you are playing against a team that on paper you should dominate and yet what do you do…you take the easy 3 points..i will admit it took me several days to rebound from that one, still have an issue with the playcalling on that one…One of the worst decisions by a coach i believe i have seen in a long time…at worst UVF has the ball backed up to their endzone…The Coach Richt that took over this program would have told his team to get that TD…the Coach Richt of today seems to not trust his instincts…i still support him, but i understand completely why so many people have given up on him…go dawgs
BAMA
January 12th, 2011
1:20 am
@ 7576DAWG
Thank you for understanding that I want the Dawgs to be a better team and with Richt coaching that ain’t gonna happen. He can only play musical chairs with his assistants for so long before someone finally jerks the chair out from under his butt. They got pushed around by UCF in the bowl game. He really improved the S&C coach too didn’t he ? Richt needs ran out of town before he runs UGA in the ground
BoWeevil
January 12th, 2011
1:21 am
Herschel Walker 2 weeks ago
Fran Tarkenton last week
By winning percentage during the BCS era in SEC games :
1.Urban Meyer 38 13 74.51
2.Nick Saban 56 20 73.68
3.Gene Chizik 12 05 70.59
4.Les Miles 34 16 68.00
5.Phillip Fulmer 62 30 67.39
6.Jim Donnan 16 08 66.67
7.Ron Zook 16 08 66.67
8.Mark Richt 55 28 66.27
Dirty Dawg
January 12th, 2011
1:21 am
Don’t know if anybody has already mentioned this, but the comment was made later in the day on 680 that ‘you have to understand that Tarkenton seems to feel the need to make comments like this from time to time in order to feel, or to try to make himself, relevant’. I couldn’t agree more. The guy has had nothing to do with the Georgia program since he left in ‘60, and I suspect that if Vince had wanted anything from him – say back when he was trying to piece the thing back together in the mid-to-late 60’s – he would have asked him. You see, Vince never suffered fools lightly.
As much as I used to enjoy watching him play pro-ball, Fran Tarkenton earned the reputation for being one of the biggest jerks in the league (and that’s saying something) and has carried that reputation over to his business ventures here.
Word has it that the likes of Don Leeburn has decided to take his ‘whiskey/beer/wine’ distributing money and sit on it because he doesn’t like Richt (maybe Suzanne never got along with Mark or something), wonder if Fran’s following his orders? Wouldn’t be surprised, arrogance, entitlement and money tend to come in the same packages.
innocent bystander
January 12th, 2011
1:23 am
I thought Coach Richt’s Press Conference remarks were clumsy and ill-advised. Though not nearly so ill-advised as Fran’s rant. The pathetic Liberty Bowl showing unmasked the weaknesses in our program even more than the 1-4 start. We are in trouble. But I think Mark Richt has more than earned at least one more year to fight out of it.Apparently given the current mood he will only have one year. So let’s support our Coach. There are lots of negatives we can focus on in anyone’s life.Didn’t Fran declare bankruptcy? Does he want to be remembered for that or the TD Pass to Bill Heron that secured the SEC in ‘59. Lots to thank Coach RIcht for.
BAMA
January 12th, 2011
1:24 am
@BoWeevil
3. Gene Chizik *
BAMA
January 12th, 2011
1:28 am
Look at the picture on the front of the sports site of Mark Richt…..That’s him driving UGA ’s butt straight in the ground.
dawgwood
January 12th, 2011
1:34 am
I will disappear, but will next year be an “Erk” year or not? Can Mark step it up with the players he has? Will the intensity be what it should be at every single meeting and practice. Whenever two or more are gathered will they think of Erk’s or Grantham’ s or Richt’s motivation. Is it starting now or will we have to wait? Where is the future? Now? Spring? Pre-season practice? WHERE?
texas tornadoes
January 12th, 2011
1:36 am
UCF is just a better team,they QB played hurt the whole game.Oleary out coach UGA coach.if the QB was not hurt the score would have been UCF 31 UGA 6 key to the game 4TH and 1 on the 2yard line what richt do he kick for three.Do UGA play in the BIG SEC. IF UCF play UGA 10 time they will beat UGA 10 time.Coach Richt you need to teach those DOGS how to bite.
ZUMADAWG
January 12th, 2011
1:41 am
I would give Fran the same advice as I would fomer Pres Carter: Your day has come and gone. You should take your old worn-out @ss somewhere , sit down and shut up. You aren’t helping our recruiting efforts with all your diatribe.
Miles D
January 12th, 2011
1:43 am
Just stating facts! In MR’s ten years of coaching at UGA! Urban Meyer has com to Florida and won a national championships, Saban, Miles, Chizik…and now even Spurrier has brought South Carolina to prominence..Kentucky’s getting tougher and yet we only have ONE division title and THAT was an underperforming year!! Recruits know and see this and now its taking its toll on the program! Now, we’re losing to UCF in Bowl games!!! Just call it what it is, which is pathetic! Other programs have the same troubles as UGA but they are still finding ways to win! Teams take on the personality of its head coach! All the other coaches are no non-sense disciplinarians, as a coach should be kids that are getting away from their parents for the first time! If the GREAT Bobby Bowden can get let go for having down years! Then, MR should’ve been got the boot by now!!!
Miles D
January 12th, 2011
1:46 am
Or maybe other programs are not having as many problems as UGA because their coach lets them know from Jump Street that thats not the standard!
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 12th, 2011
2:01 am
Fran was a DAWG?
When did that happen?
Can I get me a #10 Fran jersey?
Walmart ain’t got no Fran Jersey!
Fran can’y be no dawg I ain’t never drank no beer after he throwed a TD.
UGA had football b4 Hershel?
Belue is the only QB UGA ever had before the gators started to kick the dawgs butt.
Was there a Uga alive when Fran played at UGA?
What Uga# did Fran play for?
Fran played at UGA when Beer and Liquor was allowed in the stadium. I guess that is why no UGA fans remember him.
LoganvilleDAWG
January 12th, 2011
2:01 am
I am a die-hard fan of UGA. I love the DAWGS as much as anyone, BUT CMR DOES NOT NEED TO GO!!!! Name a HC that has a better record his 1st 10 years at UGA. And if all of you succed at getting him fired who will UGA get, not anyone that all of you think will come here. It’s not always greener on the other side of the fence, ask Chris Peterson & Les Miles why they didn’t leave BSU & LSU. All the people that listen to Fran need the wax checked in the there ears. People that follow UGA football should know that Fran was not a great QB, he was good. Look in the the record book at UGA, out of 32 records for QB’s he’s in 2. At number 4 in one & 5 in the other & behind Coach Bobo in both of those. He was part of the 1958 SEC Championship team. Fran started in 1960, a team that went 6-4. I am not here trying to pick on Fran, he was a very good QB at Athens High School, won a state championship & a very good QB in the NFL. But the man & MB are not helping the players, coaches & the recruits to stay pumped up about this GREAT PROGRAM. I do agree we need to get the kids off the team that do not know right from wrong. But I guess if we were winning the SEC every other year all of you would overlook it. GO DAWGS!!
PHIL
January 12th, 2011
2:12 am
My friend Herschel is certifiable as mentally incompetent now and Fran Tarkenton is a shame to the Bulldog Nation. What has he done for the University? ZERO. Why isn’t he promoting the school instead of down grading it? Because he is a jerk that’s why. He has Napoleon syndrome.
Michael Bonner
January 12th, 2011
2:14 am
Whats the matter Mark Bradley you to lazy to do a real column? Just spew garbage from a bitter old man and let the blog hits roll in. Fran Tarkenton has not done anything worthwhile for UGA in the past 35 years.
Macon Dog in Middle East
January 12th, 2011
2:15 am
Although I recognize that the Bulldog program is in deep distress, a fact that disturbs me considerably, Tarkenton’s comments make me want to support Coach Richt. Of course, he should be held accountable for what he does and fails to do to turn things around. Although much of Tarkenton’s criticism cannot be disputed, and should be addressed, I have learned not to attach much credibility to anything he says. Please understand that, as a life-long Georgia fan, I grew up being proud of Tarkenton, the player that, for much of my young life, was my favorite Bulldog. Several years after he retired from pro football and his television work, I was excited when I got the chance to meet him. He was filming a local TV station’s commercial from the Sanford Stadium bridge. It was a sunny day during the University’s spring break, when most of the students had left campus. I waited patiently for the TV crew to wrap things up, standing about a hundred yards from the filming site, at an angle behind and outside of the camera’s view. As the TV crew’s van drove away, I approached Tarkenton, who was standing alone on the bridge. For no apparent reason, he snarled at me and said something like “Do I know you?” When I told him my name and that I had followed his career all my life, he mocked my statements and said “I suppose you want an autograph, huh?” Before I could adjust to, or recover from, his immediate vitriol, he asked me “Is that what you want? What else do you want?” At that point, I said simply, “I don’t want anything from you.” As I walked away, he called out some other statement after me, such as “I don’t owe you anything.” He seemed conflicted, as if he wanted to fight. I had done nothing to provoke that kind of response, and I was deeply disappointed in him. I guess the old adage that warns us against holding our heroes up to the real life spotlight must be true. Believe me, if I do not encounter Tarkenton again, I will not be sorry. I hope Coach Richt will examine his comments, but take them with a large grain of salt.
Monkey says
January 12th, 2011
2:56 am
IT IS NOT OVER AUBURN,,,YOUR AD IS HIDING AND RUNNING SCARED
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/sports/ncaafootball/12bcs.html?_r=1&ref=sports
Fan
January 12th, 2011
2:56 am
Fran as coach? Get a clue people, everytime I see him he looks like a hobo. His hair makes Trump look good in comparison, I can’t tell if it’s a bad hairpiece or what, it looks like he laid a dead possum on his head. That’ll look good on ESPN at his first presser. Fran ran every bogus business into bankruptcy right after the lawsuits and SEC investigations began. Fran will be a critic but won’t lift a finger to help Richt or a new coach, you can count on that.
What?
January 12th, 2011
3:56 am
Going on a mission trip every Summer didn’t stop Tim Tebow from winning the heisman or national championship. The comment about hiring at a Theological school was funny….but ignorant. Here’s the deal, we all agree Richt has earned the right for one more year. Garity needs to set clear goals for the program in 2011 and either they are met or not. The bitchin’ needs to stop and we need to get behind the team. No coaching moves are going to happen before next season.
BoWeevil
January 12th, 2011
4:25 am
What recruiting ? They are all arrested / suspended. We have no FB, no TB, no OL, no Secondary, no DL, no kick-off returns, no pressure opposing QBs, can’t stop the run, can’t stop any pass, have no one calling offensive plays, can’t make a 1st Down, can’t convert 3rd downs, have no offense, beat 6 teams with a LOSING RECORD and no one else. Fran is not hurting the recruiting. Mark Richt is.
BoWeevil
January 12th, 2011
4:32 am
Clear Goals ?
9-4 in 2009 would have made Mark Richt # 32 in won / lost 2009
9-4 in 2010 would have made Mark Richt # 32 in won / lost 2010
9-4 in 2011 will be the same, making Mark Richt # 32 in won / lost 2011
UGA is # 11 program all-time in won / lost
Georgia finds only 3 states with more high schoolers going on to NFL
9-4 at # 32 in nation in won / lost 2011 is NOT ACCEPTABLE
BoWeevil
January 12th, 2011
4:42 am
He needs to beat a top 10 final AP Poll team and not have 4 losses.
He needs to win more games vs top 25 final AP Poll teams than he losses
He needs to not lose to any team not ranked in the Top 25 final AP Poll
He needs to SUSPEND NO ONE
He needs to have zero arrested / suspended
He needs to sign the in-state talent and then play them, have them do well HERE
He needs to prove he can HIRE a coaching staff
He needs to not tell 1 Lie. Not 1.
He needs to play in The SEC Championship Game he hasn’t been to last 5 years
He needs to not make any bone-headed personnel decisions players or coaches
He needs to do this 2011 vs a schedule NOT with 8 games vs not Top 25 final AP Poll
He needs to do this with without AJ Green
He needs to do this without his 14 seniors on scholarship this season
He needs to do this without a FB, TB, OL, DL, Secondary, WR, kick-ff return team.
He must do this without ANY excuses no cop-outs, no spins.
He has NO HOPE of any of this 2011.
Jeff
January 12th, 2011
4:43 am
CMR Kool-Aid drinkers have been ripping the angry fans for basically not being qualified to have an opinion. Of course the CMR kool-aid drinkers opinion holds water in their mind. Now someone a little more qualified is sounding the alarm. I’ve even heard Herschel himself make comments about the problems at UGA. Are you hearing us now Mr McGarity?
BoWeevil
January 12th, 2011
4:58 am
No. Greg McGarity has never coached a game of tiddly winks.
He is NOT hearing this.
Hippo
January 12th, 2011
5:14 am
Funny how a guy like Fran can roast a guy for his faith and noone says it is inappropriate or calls him some kind of “hate” monger. This is typical AJC crap….fruits and nuts only rise up when precious icons like Carter, Obama, or Clinton (s) are under scrutiny..YAY
Notsp Fast
January 12th, 2011
5:20 am
Bulldogs fans are something. They are satisfied with what they have along as it’s better than some. You know that regardless of what Tarkenton did or didn’t in football his remarks have some truth to them. We can sit back and hitch our dreams to the “dream team” and Coach R having more time to work in Football or accept what the facts are. One more year.
Mark Bradley`s Booster
January 12th, 2011
5:35 am
If some of the comments in this blog about Tarkenton are true, I will take his comments as being nothing. He, like anyone, has a right to his opinion. However, he is certainly not helping his school with this kind of venting. Also, does anyone have the real scoop on Don Leeburn? Does he really have any control over Dr. Adams?
I realize he is on the Board of Regents and contributes a lot of money but he is still only one person.
SnoopDawg
January 12th, 2011
5:37 am
Is Grantham gone????
swampfox59
January 12th, 2011
5:43 am
for years we did not hear from Tarkenton. He ran his mouth about Favre not retiring, now he is running his mouth about Richt. I agree we need a new coach, but he went a little overboard with his comments
Savannah J
January 12th, 2011
6:00 am
Alabama,Florida,LSU and Auburn would have already fired Mark Richt and made serious runs at the successful big name coaches(Jim Harbough,Gary Patterson,Chris Peterson, etc) to get back in the championship mix. That is why they all have recent national championships…they run run their program like a business. UGA has all of the resources(recruiting,talent,alumni support,rabid fan base,etc) to be elite like the above teams except the mindset of the athletic dept is not championship caliber.
Nub
January 12th, 2011
6:14 am
Unfortunately most of what Fran said holds merit…. The problem starts and stops with Michael Adams…. I don’t think he cares one way or the other if UGA whens a championship…. As long as the money flows to the university …. And you can take that to the bank!!!
Fan
January 12th, 2011
6:27 am
Georgia will either have a great season or go get a great coach in 2011. Trashing the program like Tark only helps the enemy. He’s more like a Jane Fonda, complain, get attention, don’t work or offer help and go home and have a cocktail. This only aids and gives comfort to your enemies.
Jim 007
January 12th, 2011
6:46 am
Thank You Fran !
Georgia needs More people to Step Up and Speak the Truth !
Tired off all the Spin !
Richt may be a nice guy, but his time is up for sure !
Why wait to dump this Sub-Par Coach whose players have only set the record for Most Arrests in 2010 ??
Jess
January 12th, 2011
6:48 am
WORD (as the young folks say)! Great point by point rebuttal.
Travis McGee
January 12th, 2011
6:52 am
I agree, coaches and programs have ups and downs and CMR has had a great career. That’s not the point. He’s unable to articulate a plan to deal with the downward spiral. His presser was pathetic and the changes he talked about were irrational.
It’s almost like he’s had a small stroke or the air is out of the tire. Maybe this is just a classical care of burn out.
Regardless, the AD needs to do an “intervention” because it looks like this program is mired up to the axle.
rosezeee
January 12th, 2011
6:56 am
What’s all the hoopla??? Don’t see any news in Tarkenton stating what we have known for years now.
UGA laid an egg when it fielded a team with three first round picks (Stafford, Moreno, and Green) on offense and several NFL players on defense so I dont need Tarkenton to tell something is wrong
Its like, no $^$%@, Sherlock. And if is takes Tarkenton to force some kind of change then the problems with this program are much bigger then we all think.
You think solid recruits and D co-ordinators pass on UGA because the program is sound? And the more nothing changes, the more things stay the same.
Unfortunately, UGA will remain a second to third tier program because all the ranting about winning a championship is jive; all this program cares about is playing well enough to make money.
Travis McGee
January 12th, 2011
6:57 am
HIPPO: How in the name of common sense did you make the great leap from talking about CMR and Fran and the UGA program to Carter, Clinton and Obama?
Un-freakin’-believeable!
rosezeee
January 12th, 2011
7:01 am
What’s all the hoopla??? Don’t see any news in Tarkenton stating what we have known for years now.
UGA laid an egg when it fielded a team with three first round picks (Stafford, Moreno, and Green) on offense and several NFL players on defense so I dont need Tarkenton to tell me something is wrong
Its like, no $^$%@, Sherlock. And if is takes Tarkenton to force some kind of change then the problems with this program are much bigger then we all think.
You think solid recruits and D co-ordinators pass on UGA because the program is sound? And the more nothing changes, the more things stay the same.
Unfortunately, UGA will remain a second to third tier program because all the ranting about winning a championship is jive; all this program cares about is playing well enough to make money.
buckeyedawg
January 12th, 2011
7:11 am
Just another dim lit star trying to bring a little light his way. Great player in his day. Sad that he would stoop to this level to get attention
BoWeevil
January 12th, 2011
7:15 am
What I love is all the Mark Richt fans saying how bad it is for recruiting for EVERYONE to be telling the truth that Mark Richt is # 8 vs SEC as a coach in the BCS era, worse than Ron Zook and worse than Jim Donnan, for example.
Presumably, the recruits – then – what ? Won’t find out ?
FLA DAWG
January 12th, 2011
7:17 am
I would add that Aburn’s Chiz just won The BCS in two years as HC.
UF just hired Muschamp as HC and Mus will let Weiss run The O and an NFL D Coordinator will run his D.
I think The Gators will be back on top quicker than even Auburn.
By the way, LSU had a pretty decent team this year and they lose no one from that team – including Les Miles.
I don’t know how Dooley will turn out at UT but it HAS TO BE BETTER THAN RICHT. I wish Dooley well.
All this time McGarity and Adams have dithered other SEC Teams have had a big jump on us in quality coaching staff.
Now Dowtin is gone.
Think this season was bad? Wait until you see next season – we’re gonna be slaughtered.
legionaire
January 12th, 2011
7:18 am
McGarity has already told us that there will be no change this next season. All Tarkenton has done is poison the recruiting pool for us. He is respected and entitiled to his opinions but an alum of his stature should have picked up the phone and called either Richt or McGarity to vent. Richt’s press conference was a disaster and should have been this ” I am the coach and this is my shop and I take full responsibility.I will get it right and in 60 days will give a full report back. Questions?” He came off whining and that ain’t good.
Escaped from Email Purgatory
January 12th, 2011
7:19 am
“And Mark B., why do you encourage this [competition to be the first post to a blog]?”
I’m guessing because it’s the number of posts that count, not the quality of the post. It ain’t hurting anybody.
Travis McGee
January 12th, 2011
7:22 am
Let’s just cut to the chase: IF YOU CAN’T PREPARE A UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FOOTBALL TEAM TO BEAT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS AS HEAD COACH!
Joe Bulow
January 12th, 2011
7:28 am
“Mommy! Nick is playing dirty again! Mommmy, make him stop!!! He so dirty, he should be named Unfairly! Make him stop, Mommy! Puleeze! Mommmy…..are you there, Mommy?”
What have you guys sunk to? You used to be the bad boys on the block.
Louisiana Dawg
January 12th, 2011
7:30 am
Fran is absolutely right!! I think CMR s a wonderful Christian man but Georgia needs a damn football coach, not a wonderful Christian man. It’s time to right this ship before we are completety underwater. As much as I like CMR, he needs to go. Get Gary Patterson!
Escaped from Email Purgatory
January 12th, 2011
7:30 am
If speaking the truth about CMR is “ripping” him, then that’s just one more reason why he needs to move on.
Tarkenton wasn’t mean-spirited. Didn’t seem to have an agenda – other than the fact he loves UGA football. I don’t know though. Maybe some of the loyal posters (i.e. those with a UGA sheepskin) could chime in with their perceptions. I confess, I’m what the elitists call a WalMart Dawg fan.
Seems this topic has reached the “dead horse” stage. Everybody agrees UGA football has been in a sorry state for two to three years. Only the most blindly loyal in the CMR camp are still willing to absolve him of any blame. Others admit he’s lost his mojo, but point to the early years as justification for giving him more time to relocate his coaching butt with both hands.
UGA’s football schedule is projected as their softest in years. Should be, it’s shamelessly padded with out-of-conference patsies – who are we, Florida? Even if we post a “respectable” record, are we really on the right track?
And to answer my own rhetorical question – I hope we will be (Florida) some day. Doubt it will happen with the tanned and devout one at the helm. Seems every minute his tenure is extended only delays the beginning of the necessary repairs to get the program back where it should be.