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
Athenzdawg
April 29th, 2011
1:39 pm
bout time something lit a fire under him
WTF
April 29th, 2011
1:39 pm
And another thought: the arkansas game from last year was on TV the other night. After rewatching this i came to the conclusion that the players lost faith in themselves when mallet threw that last second TD. If this game had gone the other way after the comback UGA mounted i think the season has a chance to be completley different. S.C beat us plain and simple. But just a reminder we actually lost by less than the other big games they played bama, fla. and if not for ealeys fumble that would have been a very winnable game. Point being a just those two breaks and it could have been us losing to Auburn in the sec champ. Gotta have a little luck folks.
Timbodog
April 29th, 2011
1:40 pm
I hope McGarity doesn’t think like that…berating a fan doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for me at all.
A reporter, absolutely…a fan, no way!
Timbodog
April 29th, 2011
1:43 pm
Well I hope your friend is right, DawginLex…
I want to believe the best about people.
Though I still do not believe Richt is the best coach for our school, I believe he is a good Christian man through the personal experiences I have had with him.
Reading this article made me very upset…I hope he just lost his cool and later apologized.
I would hope he is not the kind of person who gains pleasure from verbally berating meek people.
Shanked
April 29th, 2011
1:45 pm
Here’s a tip for Coach Mark Richt:
PASSION + NO RUNNING GAME =
6-7.
DawginLex
April 29th, 2011
1:48 pm
Heat’s on anderson. McGarity is shrewd.
Think about it.
Richt is not “his guy”. He didn’t hire him, he inherited him.
Richt has done nothing to prove himself worthy of being coach at Georgia since McGarity arrived.
What does GM do? Schedule Boise State.
Richt wins that one and beats SC, goes on to 10, 11 or more wins, Richt gets his contract extension and McGarity has his question answered.
Lose the first 2, Richt is done, McGarity gets his answer in a different way.
If UGA goes 5-0 to start, which would include wins over Boise,SC,CC,Ole Miss and MSU, Richt will get his extension right then.
red&silver
April 29th, 2011
1:49 pm
Get out the past.6-7 this and 6-7 that. Do any of you honestly think we have that record if AJ played the whole year?
AltamahaDawg
April 29th, 2011
1:51 pm
From waht I read, Richt went through a long detailed direct (as the article says, polite) response to his “concerns”.
I would bet that if Richt thought he had truly offended the guy personally, he would remedy that. As far as him wondering if he offended somebody in the blogs who read a third party report, I would imagine he doesn’t feel like that’s his problem. (realizing of course he could have given the man roses and a hug, and the reaction from said person would be equally as negative)
upson lee coach
April 29th, 2011
1:51 pm
Good PR stunt Georgia and CMR,
People CMR has been told by the AD at Georgia you have to show some fire at UGA. This was an act planned, see how quickly he said he was sorry. Now UGA will issue a statement.
Reaper
April 29th, 2011
1:52 pm
You people can say what you want to. So what, he has been a coach for 25 years. Then he should not have let this come to this point. You have to keep winning and stop being so laid back. Look where that has gotten him. He knows what he is doing. The play over the last few years shows otherwise. Instead of saying it, show us the NC and that will quiet all the naysayers. Personally I’m tired of hearing excuses and BS. Time to put up or shut up. Criticism is a good thing sometimes and he deserves a lot of it. No, I’m not the head coach but, a blind man can see when there need to be some changes. MCclendon is not responsible for the two knuckle head action off the field but, he is in charge of the develpment on the field and he is not getting it done. Also the WR coach is not getting the max. out of the WR. Show us on the field and it will change our opinions.
WhatUpDawg
April 29th, 2011
1:53 pm
From a Tech fan here. One that really likes and admires Coach Richt. Never, ever appoogize for being passionate about your team.
Mobile Dawg
April 29th, 2011
1:53 pm
I wouldn’t give him his extension until the end of his contract at this point. He hasn’t earned it and a short term performance won’t get it in my book. He’s been asleep at the wheel for several years, I personally want to see him work his a$$ of and get back in good graces, you know, do things the “Georgia” way, kinda like he’s looking for Washaun to do.
Dawgone Tired Of Richt
April 29th, 2011
1:56 pm
Finally a fan asks Richt a non-vanilla question and then Richt attacks the fan’s comment. Richt was hired to make UGA competitive. He did this his first 6 years. But the last couple of years the team has fallen behind other SEC vteams including Fla.,Auburn,LSU,Arkansas,SC,and Bama. So being the 7th best SEC team is no reason for UGA fans to be concerned ? The crowd should have applauded the guy asking the question.
DawginLex
April 29th, 2011
1:57 pm
I can see that Mobile but McGarity knows that the “Coach Richt is going to get fired” thing is being used in living rooms all across the south.
A 5-0 start or a 8-1 or 9-0 start including beating florida should get him an extension
Beast from the East
April 29th, 2011
2:00 pm
Relax everyone. The guy just caught Richt off guard because Richt was told beforehand that everyone had been given the “Kool-Aid” but apparently this one guy didn’t drink his. LOL!
Sorry……I just couldn’t help myself.
Peyton Russell
April 29th, 2011
2:02 pm
Solid info! I wonder if this’ll show up on CoachWatcher. CW is the place to go for all the coaching rumors and news. http://www.CoachWatcher.com
Ga.Girl
April 29th, 2011
2:06 pm
CMR may know what in the Hell he’s doing, but he’s not getting it done.
AltamahaDawg
April 29th, 2011
2:07 pm
I agree there is no point in extending his contract till the season end. I can’t see what point that would serve. Where I see it slightly different than some is that I don’t believe that Richt would want that.
As I see it, you lose all the theatre from the “show” of appreciation for a job well done IF things to turnaround. And it’s far worse for UGA AND Richt if the contract talk are a distraction in the middle of the year, plus I just don’t see any benefit. Worst case, it could be a disaster.
What I am positive of is that this has all been discussed many times by those 2 guys, and I doubt there is any disagreement.
Ed_Dawg55
April 29th, 2011
2:07 pm
I am glad he finally let one of the lunatic fringe fans have it. Face it folks most of you who critize CMR, even though you think you know the game of football, really have no clue! Given the same opportunity, you who pop off all the time cause you donate so much money, could not coach a pee wee team to a championship! Let alone coach Georgia to an SEC Title, which at last time I checked Mark Richt has.
Mobile Dawg
April 29th, 2011
2:08 pm
Again Lex, Richt isn’t going to get fired if he has a successful start, and season. I believe all recruits, fans, alumni, and opposing coaches know this. IMO, that’s what’s wrong with our world today, to may fruits handed out that aren’t “earned and deserved”. Coach Richt is now suddenly (and rightfully) demanding that of his players, I think we have the right to demand that of him.
FBFan
April 29th, 2011
2:09 pm
Well MR if you “know what the hell you are doing” what in the hell are those forty or so arrests all about?
WIN WITH RICHT
April 29th, 2011
2:14 pm
Richt is a great coach and will rebound big in 2011. Go DAWGS!!!
Gerald
April 29th, 2011
2:16 pm
I have to agree with Coach Richt’s AD McGarity, you have a coach who loses more games than the previous season 7 out of last 8 seasons. It’s not like Coach Richt’s going to figure this out. So McGarity schedule a tough opener and then a bunch of home games, where McGarity knows Coach Richt has a worse record at home games than away games. Then when Coach Richt has a bad season, AD can go ahead and fire him and say we gave him every chance.
Coach Richt’s a LOT better in AWAY games than HOME games, coaches are out recruiting during home games instead of preparing fdor the game, so I expect this year to be brutal, 5-7 at best.
PaulieOldSchool
April 29th, 2011
2:16 pm
Fire him. He’s should have been gone after last season. His refusal to part ways with people that he likes (Bobo) indicate how stuck in the mud he is. We are going nowhere fast and now, with A.J. Green gone, we’re gonna fall like stones. This all goes back to Richt. Time for him to go. “Hell”, it’s past time for him to go. Way past frustrated with this guy.
gators eat little dawgies
April 29th, 2011
2:17 pm
Yup. Fits right up there with the royal wedding. Lots of fluff and no substance. I been doing this a long time then why did you recruit these clowns as tailbacks? Yup, your fire may help you win 3 games this year. Loser.
DawginLex
April 29th, 2011
2:19 pm
GELD,
Better worry about your OC.
CHARLIE WEIS-DESTROYER OF ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFETS AND MAJOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS
I bet we win more games than Florida does this year…..
Beast from the East
April 29th, 2011
2:21 pm
DawginLex,
I’ll take that bet. I’ll change my blog name to DAWGS RULE and you have to change your to GATORS RULE. Deal?
PerroenLex
April 29th, 2011
2:23 pm
Serious Dawg fans need to start organizing and demanding that Richt be fired. Otherwise, sports writers will be asking the same questions this time a year from now.
Richt represents mediocrity. Coaches like Saban, Miles, and Spurrier represent excellence and championships. Richt simply isn’t in their class, nor will he ever be. Actually, Richt has no class and neither do his drunken, illiterate players. Richt would have to be incredibly lucky to win the division, and the odds against him winning the SEC championship would be at least 50:1.
Those are the simple facts, and there’s no amount of enthusiasm or cheerleading or Top 5 recruiting classes that can get around it.
As they say in poker, “Read ‘em and weep.”
cedrick
April 29th, 2011
2:24 pm
No need in Richt getting upset cause if he had tossed Bobo out on his ear two years ago when we struggled to make it too .500 then he would not be in the hotseat!!!!!
truedawg
April 29th, 2011
2:26 pm
Enter your comments here
Nick
April 29th, 2011
2:28 pm
Not been impressed with B. Mac as running backs coach either. He’s a Dawg, I’ll give him that but also he was a freaking receiver, albeit a good one. Nevertheless…
Finally some fire from CMR. Positive I think.
DawginLex
April 29th, 2011
2:28 pm
beast
how about DawgNowaGatorinLex and BeastofTheEastEatenbyDawg???
DawginLex
April 29th, 2011
2:29 pm
Look, my stalker speaks spanish!!!!
PerroinLex???
that’s funny I don’t care who you are……..
Big Dawg Cobb
April 29th, 2011
2:32 pm
Good to see CMR get fired up !
truedawg
April 29th, 2011
2:33 pm
Will everyone shut the “hell” up about firing CMR? HE has EARNED the right to try and right the ship, we can say what we think about “he knows or doesn’t” about football coaching. Like him or hate him, he has the best record ever at UGA..He raised the bar for himself and the school. Yes his teams have started a backward slide. He made changes, so lets see what happens. GM isn’t an idiot, the schedual is set up to see what we can do. Either way, CMR show’s he’s still one of the best out there, or he gets fired and we see the winningest coach EVER at UGA shiped off. I predict a 10 or 11 win team and a top 5 finish and no contract extension…he retires and then all the bandwagon jumper will ahev a new coach to complain about when we go 20 years without a SEC title.
Mobile Dawg
April 29th, 2011
2:35 pm
You gonna apologize to us all for saying “hell”. My feeling just got hurt.
Time
April 29th, 2011
2:38 pm
@ Timbodog – “I hope McGarity doesn’t think like that…berating a fan doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for me at all.”
Usually I agree. But there’s any number of Bulldog “fans” that post on this blog that certainly do deserve a berating from Richt. This “fan” should have felt lucky to be in the same room with Richt, much less try to act like he knows more than Richt. There’s a reason this “fan” isn’t a D1 football coach.
Count me as one real UGA fan that LOVES the fact that Richt put one of these so called “fans” in their place.
AltamahaDawg
April 29th, 2011
2:38 pm
You guys are fools to even try trot out that idea that McGarity scheduled Boise for any other reason than to HELP Mark Richt. (and with the coaches full agreement). I think he is just a little bit more serious and committed than to be playing a chess match with his HC.
truedawg
April 29th, 2011
2:38 pm
Maybe we should review how Donnan went off on Loran Smith…
Also sorry for saying Hell, it was wrong as hell for me to say that…GIVE ‘EM HELL DAWGS!!
AltamahaDawg
April 29th, 2011
2:40 pm
So, Brandon are you betting any cash on him losing 8 game in 2011?
Roll Tide 1964
April 29th, 2011
2:41 pm
Whine Whine Whine You Num-Nuts are living in a Fantasy World. Now Roll Tide and show the whipped puppies how real football is played..
truedawg
April 29th, 2011
2:41 pm
beast I’ll take that bet..have you seen the Gators Schedual?
Beast from the East
April 29th, 2011
2:42 pm
DawginLex,
It’s a deal. I should be getting odds because we have a much tougher schedule. LOL!
I suddenly became a HUGE Boise State fan.
Hannibal The Cannibal
April 29th, 2011
2:44 pm
Well, I don’t hear Auburn fans “hootin and hollerin” about Chizik now ! They lambasted the power players there for getting rid of Tubberville ! My point is,sometimes change is good ! There were high points early on and now UGA is stuck digressing and being bottomfeeders in the SEC !!
Beast from the East
April 29th, 2011
2:45 pm
truedawg,
Yes, I’ve seen the schedule and it’s brutal in October and part of November. Just trying to have a little fun with my fellow bloggers. One of us will have to learn some humility. Should be fun!
macrotech
April 29th, 2011
2:46 pm
Good for him! All the armchair coaches can ’speculate’ all they want, but when it comes down to ACTUALLY coaching….no friggin idea! ALL CMR has done is win a LOT of games since he’s been there. I remember when Caleb King was going to come in and become the next Hershall Walker…he’s proven to be a bust to this point. Ealey is good….WHEN he holds onto the ball. These guys were ’sold’ to UGA from coaches that wanted ‘their’ guys playing at the D1 level…you REALLY don’t know what you’re going to get once they’ve arrived. What UGA SHOULD know is that they have a coach that has proven that he can win….he deserves greater respect! Lord KNOWS he’s got my respect…he’s been beating us like a drum since he’s been there! To CMR….HELL yeah!!!
DawginLex
April 29th, 2011
2:47 pm
We have to maintain identity so here is the bet.
DawginLexEatenByGator
BeastOfTheEastEatenByDawg
Hannibal The Cannibal
April 29th, 2011
2:47 pm
Hopefully the players will do some “woofing and biting ” on the field where it counts ! Maybe that’ll amount to more wins !
trupert
April 29th, 2011
2:50 pm
Funny how fickle some college football fans can be. Richt is only one good season from being back in the good graces of the fans and Saban is only one average season away from being on the hot seat.
It’s going to be intersting when Saban fails to even win the West again this season. All those Alabama fans had convinced themselves that they were going to win three or ten in a row and after this season, it will be Saban who’s seat is getting hot.
Mobile Dawg
April 29th, 2011
2:52 pm
Is the glass half full, or half empty? The Boise game was scheduled to give notice that the Dawgs are expected to be one of the “premier” programs in the land. Should he win it, it will help him, should he lose it, I believe it’s devastating to the Richt Era.