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Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > June > 12 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCurry’s big, but task is bigger
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Give Georgia State credit. Bill Curry is a Big Name, and for a school that doesn’t yet have an actual football team hiring a Big Name is a Big Deal.
Curry is hugely respected in this city and in 49 of the 50 states. (The one to our immediate west is the dim-witted exception.) He’s an impressive speaker and a passionate advocate, and he’ll raise a boatload of money for his newest cause. We media types will treat Georgia State football differently now that Curry is attached, and that’s another victory for any start-up.
That said …
This is still one monumental task.
A man who hasn’t coached a game since 1996 - and who hasn’t had a winning season since 1989 - is about to steer a program that has never played a game and isn’t sure how many people will care to watch to when it does. Georgia Southern flourished because of the force of Erk Russell’s personality, but that happened in rustic Statesboro. Will the weight of Curry’s charm sway anyone in a city not lacking for diversions?
I keep coming back to basketball. Georgia State made a similarly charismatic hire in Lefty Driesell, who turned the Panthers into a program capable of beating Georgia (twice!) and upsetting Wisconsin in Round 1 of the 2001 NCAA tournament. Alas, the walk-up gym remained unfilled, and Lefty, not two full years after his Panthers went 29-5, called it a day.
By hiring Curry, Georgia State has made the brightest start possible. The road ahead, I’m sorry to say, remains no less steep.
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Comments
By goober
June 12, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
The stone-faced, non-smiling, camera-glaring, non-photogenic Bill Curry will lead Jorgy State against Jorgy Tech in the first Urban Nerds Bowl, sponsored by the Geek Squad.
By Jared
June 12, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
Two hours after a fine artilce, and I am the first post? Is that a commentary on the interest level in Georgia State Sports? It is a commuter school with a strong base of international students and very little tradition. I wish them the best!
By eljewell
June 12, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
This is the perfect choice for our football program. We are looking to build, and Curry has the experience to guide us in the right direction. It is only fitting that a man with his credentials take our caddy out for its first spin. Great job McElroy. This Alum surely appreciates all of your efforts.
By Paddy
June 12, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
I hope the school is committed. They will need above avg facilities to get the players that are being recruited by other prominent 1 Double A teams. (just never going to say sub-division Double A or whatever they call it..stupid) And no one else does either. Good luck Bill and get some local players and lets see what happens. I believe most fans want you and the school to do well.
By GW
June 12, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this
GSU needed a big name for fundraising purposes. Their long term success will depend upon the support of their alumni. Will they be interested enough to give time and money? I say “no.”
By CarolinaJacket
June 12, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this
Good luck Bill. Wish you had stayed at Tech.
By GT is for Nancy Boys!
June 12, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this
Bill is a GTech man, so his character are already in question … and the PANTHERS will only be able to compete with losers like TECH and West GA, Valdosta, etc. No one will pay much attention, and Curry will scurry in just a few shorts years (character — quitter mentality)
By GT is for Nancy Boys!
June 12, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this
You Techies burn any “good books” lately?
By Vince for prez
June 12, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
Thank god we will not have to listen to him on TV anymore.
By GAKNight
June 12, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
Bill Curry???
You’ve got to be kidding. He was a lousy coach at Tech, at Ala, at Kentucky. He can’t coach. He was absolutely the worse Tech coach, ever!
They could have hired me. At least you wouldn’t have to pay me as much as they are paying Curry.
By Not the same thing
June 12, 2008 12:02 PM | Link to this
You’ve got to hand it to Ga. State for following a proven formula for success. But Erk was a much better coach than Curry. Still, I wish them success. It’s a long, steep, near impossible climb, as Lefty proved.
By Gampus
June 12, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this
Most people in the metropolitan area couldn’t find Georgia State if they were standing in the middle of it. It is a fine school. Bill Curry is a fine man, but it what is the point of all this?
By Gampus
June 12, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this
Most people in the metropolitan area couldn’t find Georgia State if they were standing in the middle of it. It is a fine school. Bill Curry is a fine man, but it what is the point of all this?
By No Technique
June 12, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this
I’ve never been a Curry fan, especially as an analyst, but he does give some credibilty to their efforts to start a football program at GSU. Good luck to the Panthers!
By tracecrossings
June 12, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this
Ok I am from the state to the west and here is just one small basic fact…Bill Curry CAN’T Coach!!! He talks a good game but he is not a good coach - if that matters he can’t possible be successful. And Mark Bradley - you are a total idiot with respect in 0 states!
Roll Tide - can’t wait to kick UGA’s butt later in the year!
By Goomer
June 12, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this
The best thing about Bill Curry taking his “Total Person Program” to GA State is that his inane and biased comments will no longer be heard on ESPN!
By geekster
June 12, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this
You can bet that not many UGA fans will be paying to see Bill Curry coach the Panthers. Dan Reeves would have been a much better choice.
By CoolBreeze
June 12, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
Couldn’t we just let Ga. State have their first moment in the sun, and not turn this into a Curry/Tech bashing? Would I want my son to play for Mark Richt? Yes. Paul Johnson? Yes. Chan Gailey? Yes? Gene Stallings? Yes. Jackie Sherrill? No. John Jones? No. Get the idea? Curry is a fine selection, especially to start up a program. Congrats, GS and Bill Curry.
By 3 Rivers jacket
June 12, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
once again all the Georgia folks are still obsessed with Tech. Get over it Georgia. You say you have a good football program but it seems that GT is all that you think about.Is is that you have no class and hate anyone who does. Most of you are probably Democrats. Good luck with that first NC try this year.
By Steviejoe
June 12, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this
Bradley, tell me again how many national championships universities from Georgia have won playing football. Go west idiot, go west.
By reebok
June 12, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this
If this gets that blowhard Curry off of ESPN, then I love the hire.
By GT
June 12, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
They are alway making us like things that are unlikeable, toilets with less water, rice without the starch, 4 dollar gasoline. Curry is somewhere in all that. He is boring as wallpaper yet he was shoveled at us for years as entertainment on the sport cable channel. He was next to Lewis the worse coach in Tech history, insulted the school when he left by saying he was moving up in college football and his goals couldn’t be met at a nice place like Tech, never admitting he compromised his principles or what he said his principles were. He the kind of guy that ropeadopes you for 12 rounds then wants to be the winner without throwing a punch. And he is 65 years old, how old is Bill Fulmer. If you want an ex Tech coach there is one that might work, I think he beat Georgia once. I guess Fulmer didn’t buy the 1000 dollar suits and hang around the athletic departments with a tin cup, or have AJC spinning him like appearance matters more than substance. Maybe in the print world it does.
By College Sports Fan
June 12, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this
I remember one night when Bill Curry was the ESPN2 analyst for a Georgia football game. Curry snickered when the camera was turned on Uga and the dog turned his rear end to the camera. What Curry didn’t realize was that Uga was telling Bill Curry to kiss his Bulldog arse.
The only thing Bill Curry ever did was to hand Johnny Unitas the ball from between his legs. Curry is a pompous sanctimonious jerk and I can now take the mute off of ESPN2 telecasts.
By GT
June 12, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
Its Bill Fulcher my bad.
By The Monk
June 12, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this
I don’t know why so many people are so eager for Georgia State to fail. It’ll be a tough haul, but shut up and let ‘em try. There are enough good players in metro Atlanta heading off to 1-AA programs elsewhere to make for a respectable program.
As for Bill, I agree it will be nice not to have to hear his comments on TV. His “analyst comments” - never the best - have declined precipitously in quality the last several years.
By Mark Bradley
June 12, 2008 5:37 PM | Link to this
I believe the Total Person program at Georgia Tech was actually Homer Rice’s creation, not Bill Curry’s.
By Sports Fanatic
June 12, 2008 6:21 PM | Link to this
The “Bill Curry Error” has begun at Georgia State.
By YELLOWJACKETS REQUIRED
June 12, 2008 7:36 PM | Link to this
To “tracecrossings” - Curry CAN indeed coach.Bamas problem with him was that he wasn’t a student of the “BEAR”. Also, he never beat Auburn while at bama. Curry was 26 and 10 with the Tide. A slightly better percentage than your saviour you have now….and by the way, he can’t beat Auburn either!
Curry may have stayed at BAMA, but in his contract renewal the powers that be wanted to take away his power to hire and fire assistants. How BOGUS is that?
Oh! I know I’ll kick my self in the A$$ for saying this, but the dogs will “ride the tide” come Sept. 28th. Nick will be licking his wounds all the way back to Tuscalooserville.
BAMA Sucks! Sting ‘em Jackets.
By Bird Dawg
June 12, 2008 7:47 PM | Link to this
I’m excited for Ga. State in their effort to bring in more revenue, but BILL CURRY? “Old age crazy trying to prove he still can?” He never could in the first place. He was an average coach at best.
Who knows, he may have better luck in 2A.
What I think is funny is that all this blurb appears on the Georgia Tech site. Techies have nothing more newsworthy than to talk about a former player, has been coach taking over a “LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM”. Funny!
As always, T E C H S U C K S!!!!!!
By michaelgee
June 12, 2008 8:52 PM | Link to this
GSU is Georgia Southern University.
Georgia State needs to develop their “own” identity before they try to mimic someone elses identity.
If there was a Lackawanna State University it would be so lame to use LSU as their “new” name.
Good luck to BC, sorry but he is no Erk Russell.
By tracecrossings
June 12, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
georgia state is so irrelavant and always will be - why are we even commenting about a terrible football coach and a commuter shool. Bill Curry should thank the heavens that Bama (Joab Thomas) made him rich.
Tech people are not even real football fans (they probably focus on European soccer) and UGA people are so pompous. The Tide will arrive soon to take care of Clemson and then UGA. Roll Tide
By circular
June 13, 2008 12:14 AM | Link to this
You are correct about Homer Rice, Mark. As for Bird Dawg: what does it say about you that you are posting a) on the Tech site and b) regarding Georgia State? Pathetic.
By sljackson
June 13, 2008 1:15 AM | Link to this
Mr. Bradley- I read so many articles of yours. I curse you, I laugh at you, yet most times like today, I sadly accept that there isn’t much better from this publication. Your objectivity is a breath of fresh air. I miss Atlanta! i would go to a gsu game…
By Haywood Jablowme
June 13, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this
PFFFFT…..Tracecrossings,the Tide couldn’t take care of a circle jerk right now. They will lose both of the above mentioned games when they venture into Georgia, and Coach Tubbs is going to run out of fingers to hold up soon….I wonder if it would make anyone angry for Tubbs to whip out a big ol bone when the streak reaches 11 games?
By Realist
June 13, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
Bill Curry is a charlatan. He’s great on the cocktail circuit. All Style, no substance. I will be unable to pull for Ga. St. with this sanctimonious snake oil salesman at the helm….The tide should schedule Ga. St. That would be their only chance of victory on Georgia soil/turf.
By Joe
June 13, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
He is “hugely respected”?? By who and for what? Yes, he turned Tech around, from a fair program to a pathetic one. We are still feeling the effects. The only place he did well was at Alabama, only becuase he inherited a decent team and didn’t destroy it like he did Tech. He left both Tech and Bama before the axe fell. He wasn’t smart enough to do that at Kentucky so they had to fire him. Still, maybe he will redeem himself.
By Mark Bradley
June 13, 2008 12:02 PM | Link to this
The axe wasn’t going to fall on Curry at Tech: He’d gone 6-4-1, 9-2-1 and 5-5-1 in his final three seasons there, beating Alabama, Clemson and Georgia (twice). And he left Alabama after going 10-2 in 1989 and winning an SEC championship.
By GT is for Nancy Boys!
June 13, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this
Mark Bradley, no matter how highly you may think of yourself, you cannot tell the future — even when it is in the past. To say Curry would not have gotten the axe is incorrect, he made more enemies than allies at both GT & Bama.
As for STATE, at least there are no expectations, so he really only can achieve — nothing to compare.
And, at the very least, we can all rejoice in the fact that there WILL BE FOOTBALL in the DOME, it has been without a Football Team for far to long, minus the annual Bowl Games, it has been devoid of football.
By EasyCharlie
June 14, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this
Bill Curry is not the worst coach that GT ever had. But he’s maybe the 2nd or 3rd worst. He talks a better game than he shows. His character is suspect. One week he was telling faithful Tech Alums how deeply he felt about the Tech “family,” and the next week he’d quit and was telling the Tide boosters how great it was to be part of the Alabama “family.” The guy is a phony. I won’t even get into his alledged Christian faith.
By BoogerPhil
June 14, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
Nevermind where BC coached before, ask where the hired hi from, his latest “job?” He was “head” of a leadership course at a podunk prep school in Tennessee, of all places. Lots of luck Ga State.
By RLZeigler
October 21, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this
AHEM. Now what was all that posted above about Bama losing twice this season in the state of Georgia? What’s that? I guess it’s hard for you to answer with a mouth full of CROW!!!!