Early November draft: Richt's time is running out, and perhaps should

(Note: This was written earlier this fall, and is presented untouched - and I think, maybe unfinished - in light of Sunday's announcement.)

 

 

 

The friend in California, who was pretty connected back in the day in the land of Bulldogs, would reguarly call after certain games and demand that I get on my meds before we talked.

Well, I had no meds, and I recited the Mark Richt resume: around a 75-percent winning mark, wasn't Ray Goff, program was cleaner than under Jim Donnan, national reputation was good, the world is much different and college football much tougher than in the early 1980s.

No, Richt is a farce and Georgia's a joke and this has to be his last year, because this is embarrassing.

And then I'd suggest the he had, in fact, missed his meds.

The calls were regular, about once a month, and ever so slowly, I started to budge.

Couldn't tell him that, though.

Until this year.

The ceiling has been reached.

Listening to knee-jerk yammering - emphasis on "jerk" - from corners of the state and hidden behind keyboards, I'd hoped for a certain scenario, that Richt would win a national championship and walk off the field waving with one hand and flipping the bird with the other.

He would, of course, never do that. ... But he'd sneak one in from the tunnel.

The reality that it wasn't going to happen hit awhile back. The examples are many.

And they got no shaft back in WHAT,. They deserved to be close to No. 1 at the end, and was No. 2. But I sure didn't see them worthy of No. 1 going into the next season.

And they just never did it for me on that  level. A nice team, flashes of greatness often matched by bouts of South Carolinaness.

There remain defenses of Richt, and deservedly so.

One thing lost in the debate is the regular correlation between salary and outright wins, and what Richt's job is.

The CEO of GM is to run a successful and profitable car company. The CEO of a football program - and a program is so much more than just a team, the duties so much more than just on Saturdays - is to run a successful and profitable program.

No, cars and football aren't the same, but the jist of the job is.

 

Parents hand over their teenagers to the head coach, athletics director, assistants, staff, trainers, dorm managers and other athletics department personnel. They're in college, where the instruction is to be vast and broad.

 

I've had the longstanding belief that I'd much rather my kid play for Richt and never get the big ring than play for assorted other head coaches and get one.

A head coach is, as we're told by 93 percent of the players, a father figure, an adviser, a career counselor (for careers that may or may not include the NFL), disciplinarian and teacher.

Period.

Amazingly, thousands of parents and otherwise narrowminded folks who lose their fractured minds on game day never, ever realize that. As Jim Mora and Peyton Manning say, they don't get it and they never will. And they'll be the loudest in showing it. But that's part of his job, being in charge of other people's kids. There's more to that than the playbook.

Wish folks would realize that just a little bit.

Alas, growing the company/program is part of the job. And that's where, finally, I see the need for a change.

It truly grumbles people that I really have no team, and that leads to some blood-pressure-raising debates, where objectivity and facts aren't part of the conversation.

But yeah, at this point, if I woke up tomorrow in another profession or finally won my lottery and was a Georgia fan, I'd be ready for a change.

I've always liked Richt, even if he wasn't flashy or chatty or a quote machine.

For several years, there were regular dealings with him, from Athens to the Macon Touchdown Club to the visits to the local Bulldog Club, and he was measured and friendly, and consistent.

Another view I've always had regarding people in the spotlight is if you saw them in a store or somewhere and didn't know who they were, you wouldn't know who they were. They weren't 'on.,' they were humans.

Richt is that way.

Nevertheless, I've always had issues with his offensive philosophy, from the start. A very finite selection of plays used in predictable situations, and there was always a reason not to do something. Coaches are an annoyingly stubborn species when it comes to logic and wide-open eyes, and Richt is right there.

A staggeringly large faction was misguided in overall complaints about Mike Bobo. Situations? Yeah, all coaches have iffy calls. But the subordinate had to call what was in the boss-authored playbook, and I always thought that if Richt completely washed his hands of the offensive game plan, other than to peek in every so often with an idea, the offense and Bobo would be better.

As it was, the numbers  under Bobo were pretty fantastic, but there seemed to be the Richt influence in situations that were sometimes maddening. (And don't bring up the pass-instead-of-Gurley against South Carolina because there was plenty of logic behind that).

Fan criticism can often be baseless and reek of entitlement and a lack of information, and I thought Richt caught more harsh grief than he deserved. Parts of all fan bases don't have much substance, indications whch have increased with the anonymity of social blathering.

As for who's next: For the love of God, stop talking about Kirby Smart and Jon Gruden. Holy cow, just stop. Stop, stop, stop, and for scores of logical reasons, not enough room to list here.

Big-name coaches rarely make lateral moves, so stop with other names. There are dozens of jobs that are pretty much the same - TV long ago more than leveled the playing field - contrary to the "analysts" and those who love their school.

And Georgia will have better legitimate candidates than Smart - what can he do without Nick Saban? - and Gruden - he's done what as a head coach that's so inspiring and fantastic? - that many folks won't know because knowledge-seeking isn't a major hobby.

No matter the results of this season, Richt deserves more praise, respect and thanks than many in the stands and at the baseman computer will give him.

But Georgia will lose something when Richt leaves, something a little more special than those who have the hardware and jewelry.

 

 

Richt's time had come, but this is still a monster day

It was inevitable.

It was probably time.

            Still, to see the phrase "Georgia has fired Mark Richt" is an absolute hammer.

            We should all execute at a 74 percent success rate at our jobs - and better in our lives - with all sorts of hindrances and impediments to deal with.

            I've always said that I'd rather my kid - who, like Barney Fife's often-discussed boy, is nonexistent - play for Richt and never get a ring than play for assorted other coaches and get a ring.

            That will always be the case.

            But the bottom line is that Georgia reached its ceiling under Richt. And it hasn't really been that low a ceiling. Nevertheless, with the tools in place, Georgia should be in the national title conversation more.

Gurley, Bobo, Gobo, Burley and Mr. Allen

(Posting delayed by technical difficulties)

            The venom-filled and embarrassing reaction – folks are allowed to say all that and vote and reproduce? – of Todd Gurley’s screwup – and that’s all it was, a screwup in the scheme of relevant life – aside, Georgia folks needn’t sprint to the ledges again, jump on the panic button.

            The pick here was Georgia early in the week, and it’s stayed at Georgia. Frankly, hardly thought about changing. Maybe I still don’t take Missouri serious enough yet.

            But there are scores of reasons to stick with Georgia.

            A) There is little reason to tweak the game plan a whole bunch. Tailback has been, even with injuries, a position of strength for Georgia, and people have already started easing Gurley out the door for Chubb, as people are wont to do.

            There will be adjustments, of course, but not drastic. Fine tuning here, ‘let’s not do this as much’ over there, and a “Hey you receivers, catch the damn ball and block the damn man.”

            B) Missouri is decent at most things, not particularly great at any.

            The Tigers are in the top 25 percent of the FBS in sacks and tackles for loss

            They’re in the bottom 30 percent in completion percentage and time of possession.

            C) This is the right time to be on the road, considering the distractions.

            Coaches really like road games because of the bunker mentality, fewer distractions and chance for team-building. The “us against the world” thinking develops more on the road, and coaches have more time with players. It’s unifying.

            Expect Georgia to be unified, and sharper.

            D) Huston Mason is due, and sometimes there’s stepping up in dire circumstances.

            We see it all the time in sports. When it comes down to nut-cutting time and odds have fallen the other way, somebody comes up big. Georgia also tends to turn in a "why can't they do that all the time?" kind of game when backed up to the wall.

            He has to put it on his shoulders, and he’s a confident guy who now has a pretty full complement of receivers, which is a huge difference as far as his gameday confidence and the during-game playcalling adjustments.

            Missouri loses one thing to worry about, adds a few more.

            The bigger key is, again, Georgia’s defense, not quite revolutionary under The Next Erk (Yeah, I keep pounding on that because of the frothing at the hire for no legitimate reason other than delusional wishful thinking).

            Georgia’s not-really-the-problem offense won’t be able to throw up a bunch of points almost automatically and save the defense. This is the game the defense has to bow up and maybe save the offense.

            Note that Missouri is 93^rd in completion percentage. Georgia is 12^th.

            Are there differences in the game today than as of Tuesday? Yeah. Is it the mammoth difference people want to say? No.

            But folks overreact and prepare for the worst, so exaggeration is convenient.
          
            E) Georgia's season isn't done. The Bulldogs should become more diverse on offense, will get healthier at RB and have a new  underdog mentality that will help. Nothing is out of the picture.

            As for the other aspect of Gurley’s absence:

            1) This happened in the spring. Months ago. And Gurley knew.

            The rule is the rule, teams and coaches hammer about five key ones home to players on a regular basis, and this is one of them.

            And Gurley’s no idiot.

            2) Differences in violation and punishment aside, Gurley just saw this situation with Mr. Manziel only months earlier. Not years earlier.

            It was a fairly well-covered topic. And Gurley ignored it.

            3) The rule may not be perfect, but in theory, it’s needed, and the “ah, screw it, let’s cheat” reaction of so many backs up that it’s needed.

            Same people bitch about “regulations” on one hand want to break them on the other.

            The deal: money corrupts and college football has plenty of money. Obsession corrupts, and ditto.

            Take it out, and you’ll have boosters and others setting up big-money autograph sessions or dropping 5Gs on an autograph.

            In reality – sorry, I throw that word out every so often – that’s a bit much for a 20-year-old, yes?

            Many rules are imperfect, but fairly fitting an imperfect and very-hard-to-govern institution.

            It can’t just be about money, and the rule helps with that.

            4) I’m pretty sure Mr. Allen was just about money, and isn’t so wise to plan a massive scheme – last spring, away from football, before Gurleymania took full effect – to sabotage Georgia before it played Florida.

            Come on, man. Guy is what he is, looking to make money – hey, where’s our talk about capitalism? – and not giving a crap about how he does it. Manipulation – as in recruiting – is part of the game.

            You seen Florida the past few years? That’s a lotta sabotaging to work on. Gurley was just a name on his money-making list, not THE name.

            5) Folks need drastically to get a grip and grow up. It’s become almost psychopathic.

            Like most every other reaction the past decade, hypocrisy teams with a closed mind and suddenly non-existent memory.

            It happens to somebody else: haaaa haha ha. What a douchebag/idiot/moron. They get what they deserve. So typical of (fill in school).

            It happens to us: Maaaan, everybody’s against us. NCAA must love this. Why is that rule in there in the first place? That’s just wrong.

            Fan base goes flat apeshit with paranoia, threats, and wails of persecution: Jeez, they’re nuts. Glad our fans aren’t anything like that.

            And then: Bryan Allen better move out of state and change his looks. Dead man walkin. Better have the cops ride by his house for awhile. I’ll kill him.

            Really? And people need to get over themselves and this arrogance of importance and feeling of entitlement, as if Gurley wanted to make you feel bad.

You volunteer to watch and pay, and that’s all. You own the ticket and your souvenirs. Nothing else, and certainly no body.

            More need to invest in Prozac. Maybe we can start putting logos on it.

            There is a vast difference between passion and obsession.

            Passion: “a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something.”

            Obsession: “a state in which someone thinks about someone or something constantly or frequently especially in a way that is not normal.”

            Obsession isn’t healthy, and no, it’s not funny. It’s almost medical.

            We are a nation of the obsessed.

Sky? Falling. Dreams? Shattered. Reality? * Crickets* Nope, it wasn't Bobo.

            Georgia lost – and Georgia is never supposed to lose – and the ledges filled up.

            Listen for the wailing on the horizon.

            And yet again, people are all over Mike Bobo.

            It’s almost gauche to not jump on Bobo when Georgia loses, no matter the circumstances, because people think they grasp offense from what some windbag on TV says or anonymously behind a keyboard.

            They don’t.

            Sports and politics go together: tell me what I agree with, and without considering anything else, I will further the argument no matter how illogical or knee-jerk. Where’s the door to the in-one-direction blinders bandwagon?

            Thinking and exploring take too much effort.

On Grantham and Kirby and Franklin, oh my

            Who knew that Bobby Petrino had a Santa outfit in his well-traveled closet?

            Turns out Petrino had a present for Georgia fans: the snagging of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

            There may not have been dancing in the streets, but there was a little dancing in Dawg Nation.

Auburn-Florida State: who wins?

            I like Jameis Winston.

            The hammering of Clemson was impressive.

            The offensive line is money. Nick O’Leary is one of those pesky playmakers that nobody looks at until they’re chasing him.

            Florida State has often looked like a video game, dominant on both sides and choking the football life out of most opponents with nary a hiccup.

Analysis with Mettenberger a waste of time: it's about football

            The night in the bar in Valdosta in 2010?

            Irrelevant.

            Mom working in the football office?

            Meaningless.

            Growing up as a fan and now on the opposite sideline?

            Trivial.

            All the yapping the past week about Zach Mettenberger playing at Georgia has been exhausting because it offers absolutely nothing important about the Georgia-LSU game. TVcompoops yammer about it, and fans follow, wasting time and energy and precious - reeeeeally precious for most - brain cells on a topic that can't be less relevant than which shoe he'll tie first.

            Mettenberger will be more nervous before the game than usual, but good players are always nervous.

            It's a road game. He'll be harassed.

            This is the SEC. This is not new. He's played at Auburn, at Florida, at College Station. You know, on the road in the SEC. It's mostly interchangeable.

            And there's more pressure starting at home - especially with some baggage - and getting home fans behind you than playing on the road after having established yourself and gotten those home fans behind you.

            Players do what TVcompoops and fans never do: move on. Mettenberger is a Tiger, and a pretty good quarterback. Living in Baton Rouge as a good LSU quarterback ain't a bad life.

            He's thinking more about winning a game so LSU can stay alive for a national championship. Period. Before the game and after the game, he'll think some about the opponent, the colors, the stadium, and the greenery, and that'll be about it.

            The stuff people think players and coaches worry about is hysterical.

            Mettenberger is worried about football. Reads. Not getting picked off.

            If he struggles, it will have nothing to do with the other stuff, it'll be because A) he's human; B) Georgia made adjustments. Period.

            The winner does so because of fewer mistakes, and not compounding mistakes. Anybody gets a decent lead, can't let up for a second.

            This is like the UGA-Clemson game: two top-10 teams that are pretty even overall, with strengths and weaknesses. Georgia miiiight be better, but LSU can win by more.

            But whatever happens has nothing to do with a bar in Valdosta, a mom in the football office and growing up in Watkinsville.

 

LOUGHDMOUTHINGS

 

            Folks wouldn't hurt themselves to be less, oh, whiny and juvenile and offended and whatever by the accomplishments of a team that they've never been on.

            Good gawd, people, grow up. It's not the sign of a small one to offer or admit respect.

            You don't have to go crazy, but, hell, grow up a little bit.

            It's like the simpletons who spaz out because David Pollack is, ya know, an adult and professional and takes his job seriously and says things that aren't ignorantly glowing about where he went to college.

            He, you know, got older and all.

            Calling him a traitor is about as immature as a hissy fit because you can't watch cartoons. Actually, it's more  immature, because we expect hissy fits from 4 year olds. ...

            Today's picks, version 1: What the hell has happened to West Virginia in the past 11.5 months? Oklahoma State 54, WVU 30. (Update: pick was at kickoff, WVU is playing big).

            What the hell happened to South Florida? The Bulls are 0-1 against the Southland Conference. Miami 47, South Florida 24.

            Oklahoma is 1-9 against Notre Dame, which is really an odd record among national powers. It'll get a little better. Oklahoma 27, Notre Dame 20. ...

            ESPN sure does love them some Urban Meyer, who's really good at, um, what it is that he does when ESPN loves him. I kinda think a few hunnert people in Gainesville laugh/smirk/regurge when they watch some of this.

            Of course, then they get misty-eyed for the old days of, uh, four years ago. ...

            As of 12:30, ESPN's schedule shows 563 tickets remain for Troy at Duke. In football. Only 563? Are they playing in Cameron? ...

            Duck Dynasty and a golfer on the Gameday set for predictions. This November: Miley Cyrus and The Three Tenors. ...

            Am still waiting for actual evidence of Mark May's obsession with Georgia, which has one national championship and one Heisman winner in the modern era.

            Taking ESPN so seriously is pretty idiotic. ...

            The best shots of Saturday's are the aerial views of a campus, especially when it's sunny and blue-skied, like today. Couple shots of Athens are mighty nice. ...

            It's likely to be ugly at Mercer in the Pioneer Football League debut.

            The weather's nice, so no Southern advantage there. And finally, the Bears play somebody above NCAA Division III.

            Now that Mercer is playing on its level, the physicality will start making a difference the rest of the year. Instead of being just nicked up and a little sore after playing other startup programs - most of whom will be fairly regular opponents - the Bears will be sore throughout the week and players will miss practice.

            Then depth - an issue for century-old teams - comes into play, and Mercer doesn't have much.

            The Sagarin spread is about 30 points, and that's pretty reasonable.

            Mercer is the lowest-ranked PFL team, and next-to-last in Division I. The PFL has six of the bottom 10 teams. ...

            Today's picks, version II:

            I'm smelling the same thing that leads people to believe Ole Miss will give Alabama some trouble. The Tide aren't as good this year, but still No. 1. Let's not be surprised when they're humanized. Still, Alabama 27-21.

            The PFL gets its first automatic playoff bid this year. Drake is a contender. It won't take it easy on Mercer. Drake 47, Mercer 21.

            Again, Mettenberger's connections and history don't matter in the least. He's played in front of large crowds on the road. Players don't hear crap from fans or see signs. A fundamental play or two is the difference and there will be some ugly play.

            Georgia 38, LSU 35. ...

            High on the list after winning a lottery:

            Buying Chris Berman's contract out, and instilling a no-blathering-on-air clause for 800 months. Lou Holtz's contract is right after that. ...

            And the grief continues for Jacksonville's NFL entry, as per Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel:

            Texas Senator Ted Cruz spoke nonstop for 21 hours and 19 minutes in an effort to block Obamacare. This is believed to be the biggest waste of time since the last Jaguars game.