Mark Richt to Macon Bulldog Club: ‘I know what the hell I’m doing, OK?’
I was in Augusta Wednesday night for the Georgia Bulldog Club tour stop there and found coach Mark Richt to be calm and typically laid back. Other than his pointed comments on Washaun Ealey, the meeting was generally warm and fuzzy and it came and went without much controversy.
That wasn’t the case in Macon last night. According to my old friend Michael Lough, who covered the meeting for the Macon Telegraph, Richt got a little feisty with one particularly whiny fan. In the question-and-answer session, one man apparently droned on and on about Georgia’s poor running game last season and his apparent dissatisfaction with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and running backs coach Bryan McClendon.
That apparently lit a fire under Richt.
“I see your frustration, I understand your frustration,” Lough quoted Richt as saying.“I wasn’t born yesterday, I’ve coached football for 25 years, so I know what the hell I’m doing, OK? . . . I appreciate your passion, I appreciate your support for this football team. Everybody can just calm down and know that we’re in good hands. . . . And Bryan McClendon is a hell of a coach, he’s a hell of a recruiter. And I’m glad we got Bryan McClendon.”
Richt’s remarks, Lough reported, elicited a strong ovation from the crowd gathered at the Walnut Creek Shooting Preserve.
Not surprisingly, the normally-chaste Richt apologized a short time later for using the word “hell.” But he also reiterated his disappointment in the tailback situation and the fact that none of the lettermen have stepped up and seized the position in anticipation of Isaiah Crowell’s arrival later this summer.
So what do you think? Glad to hear such passion come out Georgia’s sometimes staid head coach? Disappointed with his word choice?
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595 comments Add your comment
Loren Hunt
April 29th, 2011
10:55 am
The fan was right. The running game stinks and has so since Moreno left. The running backs are mediocre at best and the running back coach is one of the ones who should have been fired when the shuffling took place last year. If Coach Richt is too blind to see this after his 25 years of coaching, then he should be the next to go.
JLC
April 29th, 2011
10:56 am
Well, what the “hell” did you expect to hear at the Walnut Creek Shooting Preserve?
I-DOG
April 29th, 2011
10:56 am
In the meantime, we got a very good DE/OLB prospect out of Eastman this week. In my humble opinion that is where we need some quality AND some quantity in this year’s class. If we can only sign 16 or so, I’d like to see us get at least 4 DE/OLB blue chippers.
We seem to have lost some of our depth there to dismissals, transfers, and injuries from the last 2-3 classes.
Richt getting a little fiesty on the rubber chicken circuit neither helps us nor hurts us. He didn’t go nuts on the guy and at the same time, Richt has to expect some negative feedback for the season we just suffered through. I am cautiously optomistic about what I heard about from Spring practice. Still concerned with OL (no real reason we shouldn’t be good there, but that was true last year and we weren’t). Also concerned with safety and I like the idea of pairing a more mature Rambo with a solid walk on type who doesn’t have great athleticism, but is in the right spot and wraps when he tackles.
yawn
April 29th, 2011
10:56 am
I’m beyond giving a sh*t. He either gets it done this year or he doesn’t.
If he gets canned, he can continue hiring whoever he wants on his imaginary football team.
12 CRIMINAL CHARGES 7--er--6 wins 6--no--7 LOSSES
April 29th, 2011
10:57 am
wow-wee.
Elliot Garcia
April 29th, 2011
10:57 am
Dead Man Walking
rtsr
April 29th, 2011
10:58 am
Keep the spirit alive Coach we know you can do it!!
GIVE ME A BREAK
April 29th, 2011
10:58 am
He’s feeling the heat in his last year.
What the Huck!
April 29th, 2011
10:58 am
To hell with Tech…
teacher
April 29th, 2011
10:58 am
The worst part of the bulldog nation is the fans. They drive those poor kids to steal and drive drunk, now they made Mark cuss!!
Back off-half of you did not even go to the univ of georgia
RichtRedeemed
April 29th, 2011
10:59 am
Hahaha! Leave it up to a bulldog fan from Macon to make CMR lose his cool. That town is completely irrational and worthless. The guy who was whining probably never played a down of football in his life, and if he did it was probably private school ball being in Macon.
CDAWG
April 29th, 2011
10:59 am
CMR brought this on himself; he brought down the wrath for waiting almost too long to step up and take this team and UGA a little more serious and quit playing Daddy ball. I hope that he has turned things around. I definitely feel that he has made many long time coming positive changes. The guy in Macon said what a lot of people on these blogs have been saying a long time about Bobo. I was on here last year wanting to know why Bobo was getting beat up when he was scoring 30 points per game on many occasions. Our offense wasn’t the reason that we had a losing season. I bet Boise State can’t get here soon enough for Richt. I like Richt and hope he stays but he could really use more passion.
Herschworld
April 29th, 2011
10:59 am
It’s not the players, it’s not the coaches, it’s the concept. The offense is predictable and uninspiring. Georgia’s run game is a power rungame, but they aren’t physical enough to be a power run team..They can’t push around Florida’s front, Auburn’s Front, Ala’s front…They got to either mix it up a bit scheme wise or start eating a lot of wheaties because what they’ve done the past 4 years aint’ working. They really need to hit the chalkboard and develop some wrinkles in the run game
Been There, Heard That
April 29th, 2011
11:00 am
I hear ya CMR. I played a little college ball at the DII level in South Ga. Most can figure the school out because Hal Mummy was there, Leach, Holgrom, Majors, etc…… All of those guys are either at or were at a big time school. You think they held back on words when someone pushed THAT buttom, Hell no, and it made me a better player. Not because they cursed at me but because I knew deep down they wanted me to be a better player or do better at what I was doing or what they were asking of me. I’m not saying CMR is a Leach or a Mummy, I would never put him in that category but COME ON MAN… I’m glad to hear the fire in the belly for a change. I have a strong faith as well but there are times when things can be expressed through words, especially in his position and if he says it, so be it. GO DAWGS!!!!!
Cracked up
April 29th, 2011
11:00 am
It just cracks me up to see grown men talk in terms of “us” and “we” when discussing a group of transient college athletes. No problem in pulling for your team, but it’s silly to get so wrapped up in a team of 20 year olds that have absolutely no connection to you. Suggestion: stop trying to re-live your pasts, get a life, and spend some time with your families.
John K
April 29th, 2011
11:01 am
Really? Apologizing for saying “hell?”
haha
April 29th, 2011
11:01 am
Hmm Mr.I love jesus cussing now? HAHA what a bunch of trash the bewldawg nation is. Get a damn life.
C-Dawg
April 29th, 2011
11:01 am
He should have dropped the F bomb and called that guy the C word.
Joey
April 29th, 2011
11:02 am
“Be glad you didn’t get stuck with Chan Gailey for seven horrible years!”
*************************************
Gailey last 2 years at Tech 16-11.
Richt last 2 years at UGA 14-12.
They’re beginning to resemble each other, unfortunately.
dawgfan75
April 29th, 2011
11:02 am
i appreciate Coach Richt standing up for his employees, but I have to agree with the whiner. Bobo is too predictable and McClendon has had enough time to teach Ealey/King how to block. Even if they weren’t taught in HS it doesn’t take a genius to teach this fundamental. Richt can curse at me all he wants but he won’t change my mind about these two coaches. Only they can do that.
MttPF
April 29th, 2011
11:02 am
Hope my bid for AJ’s Bengals #1 jersey wins out!!
trupert
April 29th, 2011
11:04 am
I’m glad I’m not that guy. Must have felt like an ass but if the shoe fits. Good for Richt.
HAB
April 29th, 2011
11:04 am
Listen, North Ave Trade School grad here and I’m glad to hear it from him. I grew up a UGA fan and pull for them against everybody but GT, but I’m glad to see some heart from him. Only if UGA had offered an engineering degree…..
Cynical Dawg
April 29th, 2011
11:05 am
Good for Richt getting a little testy and good for the drunk fan for pushing Richt a little bit. I’m convinced that Richt needs to be pushed, as he has a tendancy a be complacent. CMR needs a little bit of an edge to dominate. His finest moment was when he had us celebrate on Florida’s goal line after our first TD. We could have beaten anyone that day, but instead of embracing this kick butt mentality, we apologized and went back to being very nice.
Bill King
April 29th, 2011
11:06 am
My name is Bill King. I bought this goofy looking UGA shirt at Wal Mart. It wasn’t even on sale!
I didn’t go to UGA. I went to Valdosta State. I am like most UGA fans, no real connection to the school and have never been to Athens. Who is Mark Richt? I thought Dooley coaches my DAWGS!
Yours,
Bill
DamntheButcher
April 29th, 2011
11:06 am
Cuss all dim sum of biotches out coach
Goober McGarity
April 29th, 2011
11:07 am
Sounds like he is becoming a smart-ass like Jim Donnan.
schmeckdawg
April 29th, 2011
11:08 am
Now did he really say “hell,” or did he say h e double toothpicks? Kidding, love the emotion!!!!!
suwaneedawg
April 29th, 2011
11:09 am
GIVE ‘EM HELL CMR!!!! GIVE ‘EM HELL!!!!
Not sorry I used the word.
Joey
April 29th, 2011
11:09 am
“. . . Richt or Johnson, it’s their job (for years) and they’ve probably thought of just about every possibility before you came up with the “brilliant idea”.”
*************************************************
I don’t know. I thought Willie Martinez was a mistake as early as ‘07 (UT game), but it took Richt until Dec ‘09 to figure it out.
I love Mark Richt, but he has let his buddies (Martinez, and Mike “3 and Out” Bobo) drag him and his football program down.
Hopefully, all the “cutting edge football” he is studying now will convince him that Bobo is in over his head.
RxDawg
April 29th, 2011
11:10 am
Ha! Darn tootin I’m pumped to see Richt put these bozo armchair QB’s in their place. Deep down he cares as much or more as any fan in the Dawg nation and it shows.
Dawghater
April 29th, 2011
11:12 am
What a shocker a drunk fan at a UGA fan club meeting?????????????
cG
April 29th, 2011
11:15 am
Who gives a CRAP about professional sports? You bunch of losers who don’t have a life. Those ball players and coaches wouldn’t spit on your butt if it was on fire. You ignorant dupes pay millions thinking you’re a “part of the team”. GET A LIFE fools. Wearing your little T shirts and hats with the team logo. LOL what idiots.
Alabama Jack
April 29th, 2011
11:15 am
Smash that fan in the mouth.
D-Dawg
April 29th, 2011
11:16 am
Why would my butt ever be on fire?
Prezo Obozo
April 29th, 2011
11:16 am
I, as everyone am frustrated about last season. I think the entire team, not just Bobo should share the blame for not executing. He has called a number of good games. The arm chair coaching fans who work in various lines of non-sporting careers should respectfully display their displeasure but not try to tell ANY coach how to call plays. I’m sure they don’t appreciate someone in another line or work instructing them on how to do their jobs.
HECKLE
April 29th, 2011
11:16 am
No connemt!!
Red-N-Black
April 29th, 2011
11:18 am
Everything is cyclical in the world – You cannot always win all the time and when coach Richt get’s pushed out you can bet we will see more years of dissapointing play without him. Most people just don’t get it.
Carolina Dawg
April 29th, 2011
11:19 am
Sic ‘em Coach. Go Dawgs!!
gadawgs
April 29th, 2011
11:20 am
LOVE IT!!! I am estatic that he showed some fire in his gut. I always knew he had it he just needs to let it out once in a while. No need to apologize to anyone coach. You were nicer than I would have been!!
DIT
April 29th, 2011
11:22 am
I believe that CMR is finally getting it. I just hope that it is not too late! I back him and want to see him do well in turning this boat around. It was good to see the fire in his belly! Hopefully he is also pointing that fire at the team.
First two games will tell everyone what kind of team UGA will have. Go Dawgs!
Time to change my prediction...
April 29th, 2011
11:22 am
Whoa!! Looks like it’s time to change my prediction for my dawgs this season…
No more 8-4 or 9-3 …. we’re going 14-0!! Move over AU, here come the big barkin dawgs, and CMR’s ready to take his bites!
Woof…woof…woof!
SeenItBefore
April 29th, 2011
11:23 am
Paul? Paul Hewitt? Is that you?
Gary
April 29th, 2011
11:23 am
While I am dissappointed in the Team performance last year, I am still damn proud to have him as our coach. He seems to be getting his players under control and taking strong measures when they step out of line. That needed to be fixed. He is a good coach and a good man. He has earned my respect.
beebee
April 29th, 2011
11:24 am
Rings?
What Rings?
Oh, you mean that SEC title you won, what 35 years ago? Man, I had forgot about all that!
silly me.
Joe
April 29th, 2011
11:25 am
GOOD FOR COACH RICHT…..maybe some of these idiots that think they know everything will shut up
RealityDawg
April 29th, 2011
11:25 am
At some point all of you need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid and realize Mark Richt and Mike Bobo, while being great men I respect a great deal, are mediocre coaches at best when compared with the rest of the SEC coaches – their offensive scheme is predictable, unimaginative, and unproductive. I love Mark Richt but its time for change so we don’t continue to drag out the inevitable.
D-Dawg
April 29th, 2011
11:26 am
Don’t let BoBo hear you say that RealityDawg…He will throw a wideout screen on you so fast it will make your head spin.
beebee
April 29th, 2011
11:27 am
wait a minute. Ok, so I take that back a little.
Winning SEC titles is great. and your coach won two of them.
it’s just that it’s a “what-have-you-done-for-me-lately kind of world.
but at least he’s done something there. so yes I take that back.
beebee
Musa
April 29th, 2011
11:27 am
Wish he woulda jumped the desk and opened up a can of whoop ass.