AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2008 > March > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USLes Miles cashes in; Damon Evans counts his blessings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s a Monday morning, Georgia has just won the SEC basketball tournament, and the college football world never ceases to entertain us. Let us count the ways:
1. Who says there is no sense of humor in college football? Les Miles’ new contract says he must be no worse than the third highest-paid coach in college football. LSU officials decided to resolve the issue by making him the highest paid coach in the SEC by paying him exactly $1,000 more than Nick Saban’s $3.75 million at Alabama. So unless something changes, Miles will always make more than Saban as long as he’s at LSU. Given the obvious tension between those two men, that move was a clear poke in the ribs to Saban and had to make for a fun weekend in the football offices in Tuscaloosa.
2. Think Damon Evans is counting his blessings today? Last Thursday, the Georgia athletics director was preparing to look for a new men’s basketball coach. But four improbable victories wrapped around a tornado gave Georgia an SEC championship, an NCAA Tournament berth, and saves Evans the unpleasant task of firing Dennis Felton. Evans is also fortunate to have Mark Richt as his head football coach. Richt will never complain that the highest-paid coaches in the league make about a million more per season. But if this Georgia season turns out the way a lot of people hope, Evans needs to be ready to give Richt another bump.
3. Stop the presses: Terrelle Pryor will sign this week. Mr. Pryor, who has been hailed as the greatest quarterback in the history of organized football, will finally decide which school he will honor by signing this week. We must assume that he is going to have a press conference where he will trot out several different hats, create tension in the room, and then put one of the hats on. That’s entertainment.
Guys, I’m really not picking on Pryor. I’m making a point about the process. It’s silly to fawn over a high school athlete, no matter how talented he is, to this degree. It’s also not healthy for the kid. I hope Terrelle Pryor has a wonderful college career, no matter where he goes. I just get the uneasy feeling that after this much hype it is not going to turn out well. Hope I’m wrong.
4. No deadline for Joe Pa: Still no word on the future of Penn State coach Joe Paterno. The 81-year-old Paterno is entering the final year of his contract and Penn State has a decision to make. Either: a) give him a contract extension (not likely), b) say that this will be his final season and announce a succession plan, probably with assistant Tom Bradley, or c) announce that this will be Joe Pa’s last season and conduct a national search for his replacement. Penn State says there is no sense of urgency. Well, there actually is if the school wants to recruit in May.
5. Rich Rodriguez goes to court: On April 3 a judge will hear arguments in West Virginia’s lawsuit against former coach Rich Rodriguez. West Virginia says Rodriguez owes them $4 million, which was the buyout figure in his contract when he suddenly left for Michigan. Rodriguez says that West Virginia reneged on some verbal promises and therefore the buyout clause in the contract is not enforceable. Here is what the legal people I know tell me: The way the law is set up, the burden of proof will fall on Rodriguez to show that he does not owe the money. So he will have to prove that he did not damage West Virginia to the tune of $4 million when he left. To do that he will have to get complete access to all financial records of the private foundation that supports West Virginia athletics. No one wants to open that door. Expect the case to be settled.
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Comments
By azcat225
March 17, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this
An hour with no postings (at least according to the time tag at the top of the column)?? The weirdness of the weekend carries over…
By Spike
March 17, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
Tony, JoPa is a great guy and has been great to PSU. But this is really sad to see. He won’t leave on his own and they can’t force him to go.
By David-ATL14
March 17, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
The Pryor saga epitomozes what is wrong with Major college Football and Basketball.
An absolute travesty.
The recruiting cesspool needs to be addressed by the NCAA.
By KR
March 17, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
Leave it to Alabama and LSU to launch the “arms race” of coaching salaries. To be fair, Miles’ deal sounds like the one Saban had at LSU after winning the BCS trophy.
If UGA’s season turns out like all their fans think it will, Damon Evans better get out the checkbook (again).
Terelle Pryor - this year’s Jimmy Clausen.
JoePa - you’ve had a good run, but it’s time.
Rich Rodriguez (or some organization on his behalf) will be breaking out the checkbook as well; but it won’t be $4M.
By reservoirDAWG
March 17, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this
All very good observations Tony.
By TDone
March 17, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this
And in Tech/ACC news…oops, I forgot this was the AJC.
By Jim Osterman
March 17, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this
Imagine the following scene:
In a high school auditorim there is a table set up with a microphone and the ballcaps from three or four major universities. An announcement has been sent out that at 10am the next big thing will announce where he will play college football.
Mr. Next Big Thing saunters in around 9:58 and sits down. Family and friends are giddy with anticipation. His coach is seated next to him. The principal does a mike check.
10am arrives, but there something missing. It’s the media. No one from a recruiting Web site. No ink-stained retch. No TV cameras.
Frantic calls are made and the answer is more or less the same every time — they’re tired of being used as an ego boost for some kid who hasn’t proven anything at the collegiate level. We’ll wait for the release from the university. And thanks.
Mr. Next Big Thing has learned his first lesson about major college football. Big-time football teams are stocked with guys who were once Mr. Next Big Thing. Some were. Most weren’t. The smart ones used the scholarship to get an education.
Others didn’t. Mentally they never moved on from that day in high school where they held their press conference. That was as good as it would ever get fot them.
Hope they at least kept the hat.
By scooter11
March 17, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this
The ajc did mention that gt baseball got swept by FSU this weekend. And talked about gt letting the Dawgs have the opportunity to cut down the nets at the titt. Otherwise not much LOCAL acc stuff to write about.
By DWG
March 17, 2008 11:01 AM | Link to this
This is a football blog. That’s why no mention of GT or the ACC.
By mcdawg
March 17, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
$3.75 million a year?? i believe things are getting just a bit out of hand
By bill
March 17, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this
Bobby Bowden is waiting for JoePa to retire.He will then know how many wins he has to have to keep the all-time record.
Then he can retire.
Question for you,Tony.What if Penn St shocks everyone and has a 10+ win season?Then what does the Nittany Lion administration do?
By Hoopie1
March 17, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this
I wish there was a way to structure a press boycott of the “hat picking ceremonies”. A boycott like that would require support from all CFB fans and would never happen. Many kids that are really grounded declare early, avoid the spectacle, go to school, produce and are succesful in life and even on the football field. The “hat pickers” typically end up as failures or huge football successes. I don’t care what happens to Pryor.
When will the SECFB arms race (salaries/facilities)end? When the TV revenues-tickets sales level off. I don’t see that any time soon.
Miles-$aban……..more SEC soap opera! Why not talk ACC/GT football? Because there is no passion. ACC HAS BBall passion. Folks will talk ACCBB and not SECBB.
By yellowblood
March 17, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this
Why do you never talk about GT. Is it because you have been denied access to our Tickle Piles.
By shane #1
March 17, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this
1-how childish,and we want the PLAYERS to act like adults.2-evans has done a good job.he is an effective buffer between adams and the coachs.imagine if miles and his ego were at uga and clashing with adams and HIS giant ego.3-the last qb that i remember with this much hype was vick when he was drafted by the falcons.i read somewhere that the success rate for qbs selected in the first round of the nfl draft is about 50%.so much for hype.i wish young pryor all the best,but he will probably not live up to his billing.the top two qbs recruited in 2006 were stafford and mustain,stafford has done ok,mustain will more than likely warm the bench at usc.in the meantime he single-handily almost destroyed the program at ark.tebow was rated third and has won the heisman!also,remember that clausen was supposed to return notre dame to greatness.4-joepa doesn’t need a deadline.so what if penn state has a couple of bad seasons,leave him alone.ditto for bowden.i would say the same thing if they coached at uga.5-from what i have read rich rod’s ego clashed with the egos of some of the brass hats at wv.see number 2.
By shane #1
March 17, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
tdone,the ajc is a newspaper,that means they print news!tech lost to duke,it was reported but there was no reason to discuss it on the general blogs.duke had beaten 26 other teams,they beat tech too,but it was not”news”.unc beat clemson for the acc title,unc is the #1 team in the country.again,defeating clemson wasn’t exactly news.a tornado hitting the ga dome was news.a coach saving his job was news.a team that had 4 wins all year winning their conference tourny on their in-state rivals home court was news.the oldest and one of the most respected coachs in college football is in danger of being shoved aside,that is news.salaries for college coachs reaching outlandish amounts is news.just what tech or acc”news”did you want to see discussed?
By PHIL
March 17, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this
It just blows my feeble mind that anyone with any sense at all would want to fire Dennis Felton for what President/CEO/Commandant/Czar/ His Majesty the Rear Admiral Michael Adams has created.
By Dawg Fud
March 17, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this
Also, a big thank you from this Georgia Bulldog to the Georgia Tech Athletic Department and University Administration for accommodating the SEC, its member schools and fans after the tornado. I certainly appreciate it.
By Pat
March 17, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this
High school principals should not allow their schools to be used for studios when the Pryors of the world sign. Let them do it in private or at home.
By tennille dawg
March 17, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
I agree Tony. And if the Gridrion Dawgs achieve all that is already expected of them this coming season, Damon can just roll out the bank for CMR!
By dawgeers
March 17, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this
(5) WVU could have settled this long ago and whomever is giving you advice is wrong. WVU does not have to prove damage of $4 million. WVU learned that lesson in Beilein breaking his contract, rr’s buyout is worded differently but if you looked into this at all you could have read various media reports on this subject. The only way WVU settles for less is because not all monies are owed now, just half. Michigan would have given rr the $4 million long ago but he refused. rr has a lot of dirty laundry and WVU is just fine in taking this to court.
By scooter11
March 17, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
And, Hoopie, plenty of folks are talking SECBB right about now, including the national press and the selection committee. Not just about the Dawgs’ championship, but the fact that 6 SEC teams made it to the Dance vs. only 4 from the acc.
By KneeJerk
March 17, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
scooter- nothing better illustrates the strength of SEC basketball than a 4-12 conference team wining the tourney and being a #14 seed in the NCAAs. Will ANY SEC teams make it through the first weekend?
By techie
March 17, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this
i just rolled a 3 on my 20 sided dice, does that mean my level 14 paladin dies or survives??
By DawgieStyle
March 17, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this
All rewards aren’t spelled “give me more money”
By timthebrave
March 17, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this
By Lawyers Having Strokes
March 17, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this
“burden of proof will fall on Rodriguez to show that he does not owe the money”
This is not legal advice; if you want legal advice, get a lawyer; don’t rely on anything I am saying.
You need the original contract and you need to know what the State of WV is suing for!!! If it is suing for breach of contract, then you need to look at what the contract says. Most likely the $4 million is a stipulated amount. You can’t have an amount that is solely a penalty, but remember the Coach is getting sued in a state court and nobody likes him any more. The judge can easily rule that “a deal is a deal”, and with football salaries and hiring costs rapidly escalating, the judge could easily rule that the amount is clearly reasonable. (I am assuming that the issue of if the $4MM is a penalty or not is a legal issue to be decided by a judge - but either way, a judge or a jury is likely to rule against the Coach.) If the Coach argues that the University breached verbal agreements, then you look to State law - without checking, West Virginia almost certainly has a statute that says contracts for a value over $500 must be in writing. The State may not want to settle because its lawyers may be the state Attorney General (and his or her assistants), who get paid whether or not they sue the Coach. It’s a political issue for these guys and they can trumpet “I saved the State $4MM by refusing to settle” whether true or not. You may well have a bunch of alumni attorneys who will do the suit pro bono. Also, don’t forget that it is an emotional issue - the Coach dumped the team/State with no notice, and this suit is payback.
The burden of proof is on the plaintiff. The State much show that there was a Contract (easy) and that there was a breach (easy). If damages are stipulated, you almost always just do what the Contract says. The State should meet its burden, and then the Coach offers his defenses (if any). His defense is “they lied so I should get out of my contract”. (See note above about unwritten contracts; also one-sided promises, written or not, are generally not enforceable either.) Remember, Coach has the possibility of running up tens of thousands in legal bills and then having to pay $4MM. Coach’s lawyers, if they are honest, are probably telling him things look bad and he should drag this thing out for as long as possible and try to settle for as little as possible. QUITTERS NEVER WIN.
By dawgs3
March 17, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this
I really think the SEC did not do the student athletes justly, in allowing Georgia to play two games in 1 day. I hope that Damon Evans will try to correct. You can see that he had no power against the basketball gurus of Kentucky and the remainder of schools..dawgs3
By junior
March 17, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this
Wouldn’t you just love to see Dennis Felton take the SEC Championship trophy to Damon Evans and tell him to stick it where the sun don’t shine?
By DoubleDawg
March 17, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this
Wouldn’t it be great if, unbeknownst to each other, four different universities signed contracts agreeing that their coaches would be no worse than the third-highest paid in the country?
By scooter11
March 17, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this
See, KneeJERK, you’re talking about SECBB, too. Thanks. Your team didn’t make it either, did it?
By 3 Rivers jacket
March 17, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
Tony why are you picking on Pryor- you said you were not but how many times has a Georgia recruit done this sort of thing and all you dogs think it is so cool. Is it that Pryor is not considering an SEC school. Come on Tony this is not a big deal even though it is tired I will agree. But not as tired as you and the dog nation wanting to give Richt another raise before the contract is signed on the old one. This is ego only and Georgia fans as good as their program is at least in their minds cannot accpet that it is the 5th best in the SEc in status and coahcing salaries. Georgia fans need to just take care of themselves and they will be fine because they have a good thing going. Enjoy it. It does not last long.
By Macon Countyline
March 17, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this
Saban, Miles and Paterno are all jerkwads who should burn in heck.
By GMAN
March 17, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this
It was great that UGA won the SEC Title but none of this excuses the fact that Felton has done a p** poor job at UGA. The players he let go before the season started were recruited by him and he knew where they stood academically long before the season started. Had he not won the SEC tourney, he deserved to be gone. But since he did he should keep his job one more year. If they don’t improve significantly, can him!
By APIgeezer
March 17, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this
Good post by Joe O about the unattended announcement ceremony, especially the reference to reporters as ink-stained retches. LOL
By Smitty
March 17, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
I really hope we win the whole NCAA Tournament like we did in the SEC. That would be awesome….Sausage!!!!GO DAWGS!!!!
By JY
March 17, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this
So? Felton has to win the SEC tournament next year to keep his job then? He has set a high mark that will be difficult to optain. Go dawgs?
By Dawg Fan from TN
March 17, 2008 5:03 PM | Link to this
Greetings All,
**THANK YOU GA TECH!!! LOVE THE FIERCE RIVALRY WITH YOU….LOVE TO HATE YOUR TEAMS…BUT DEFINATELY A CLASS ACT INSTITUTION.
LSU/AL…. can’t wait until football starts!!! How bout TN/AUB, GA/LSU this year.
Glad Felton is staying…..I know a lot of folks wanted Felton to be gone…i had mixed feelings - but this guy is doing the right thing by insisting that these young men be a part of a team and be accountable. This guy has integrity and character…and will not give into the spoiled athletes antics to get a win. He is exactly what UGA needs….especially after the Harrick mess.
Hope Evans has to open the UGA checkbook again next year!!!
Stealing from a post last week **What do you think about letting ARK go to B12 - Iowa State to B10 - and adding GA Tech back into the SEC?
I would love it!!!
By Dawg Fan from TN
March 17, 2008 5:13 PM | Link to this
Dawg3 - I am totally opposite to your thinking - the SEC put competition above finances….and had to get the tournament finished by a certain time of Sunday.
They did an incredible job of moving the venue - getting TV recheduled, and figuring out that they needed to give back money for the tickets due to the circumstances.
The only alternative to having KY/GA play two was to have the two semi’s back to back early Sunday - with a Championship game Sat. afternoon at 3:30PM.
The problem with this solution is the second Semi game winner would have had only 3 hours to rest before the championship game. With the early Semi game winner 5 hours.
They made the best of the situation….and UGA won it all.
By Buckhead Eagle
March 17, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this
Dawg from TN,
Good Post…I like the idea of adding Ga Tech back to the SEC.
Auburn and GT game is always a good -one and very easy to travel. GT also had excellent rivalries againts TN, FL and Bama back in the day.
I would also consider sending S. Carolina to the ACC (which would be easier to do than Ark to B12 and Iowa State to B10 - although that makes sense geographically as well).
By Bama Stan
March 17, 2008 5:37 PM | Link to this
I agree - GT back in the SEC. Not sure who to get rid of. GT and Bama just hated each other (back to Bear and Dodd days). Bear screwed Dodd on a vote on scholarships after Dodd said GT would leave the conference if his idea was not accepted. Dodd later regretted that He made GT leave the SEC.
Fist pick would be the Pigs - B12 makes sense..Big rivalry with Texas…and sending Iowas State to B10 also makes sense to give then 12 teams so they can have a conference title game. Notre Dame…let them stay independent..they have been offered the B10 but are arrogant bunch….hope they continue to suck.
S. Carolina to ACC - easy to do and swop with GT. They have history and would have excellent rivalry North Carolina….battle between the Carolinas as well as NC State, etc.
By the way…thanks GT for what you did to help salvage our tournament.
By Dawgy Pride
March 17, 2008 5:40 PM | Link to this
Let that bugs back….but if Pigs leave - need to have another current SEC East Team go to West to keep GA/GT rivalry alive. How bout KY to SEC West. They have a good rivalry with TN - but they also have developed a good rivalry with LSU and Bama (both shared the Bear).
By API geezer
March 17, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this
Y’all are posting some good thoughts about conference realignments. While we’re fantasizing, how about the SEC giving up both Arkansas and South Carolina and replacing them with Tech and FSU? Then move Vanderbilt from East to West?
By USMCdawg
March 17, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this
3 Rivers Jacket, Your an idiot. 5’th best in the SEC!? Do you realize that UGA was won more than any other team in the SEC since 1998! Are you just butt hurt that GT hasn’t seen a conference title since New Kids on the Block were cool? Get real.
By JJ the Jet Plane
March 17, 2008 7:52 PM | Link to this
Coach Felton, I don’t care for basketball, but I admire the way you have conducted your team this year. You and Richt are “Top Drawer”. Now, if we could get an A.D. who is not a lap dawg for Michael Adams. I know Dooley groomed Darmon for the job, I just wish he had some GONADS.
By shane #1
March 17, 2008 7:54 PM | Link to this
tony,back to#1,are you including bonus money in your statement about miles?urban meyer’s latest contract may be the sweetest deal of all.when meyer signed the deal last may he got a 750,000 bonus.he got another 250,000 in feb.he gets 3.25 mill a year plus a 750,000 bonus if he stays through 2008.in 2009 the bonus will drop to 250,000 through 2012.there are added bonuses for winning a bcs bowl,bcs championship,and etc.the sweetest part is the buyouts,if meyer is fired uf will owe him 2 mill per year.meyer will have the option to leave uf between dec 1 and jan 1,or seven days after a gators bowl game,paying a 500,000 buyout to uf.
By JimDawg
March 17, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this
Plain and simple. I wouldn’t trade Mark Richt for ANY coach in the country. He’s a “CLASS ACT” and has shown he is one of the best coaches in the country. His record and his character have spoken for itself. WE WILL WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP’S under his leadership and we are BLESSED to have him and his family as a part of the “BULLDOG NATION!”
By Bird-Dawg
March 17, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this
I agree with JJ the JetPlane and JimDawg, however lets ponder on this. How ‘bout bringing Ga Tech back into the SEC? They are TRYING so hard to be a FOOTBALL school and shake the label of kind of a basketball school in a basketball conference. They made a good start in hiring Paul Johnson. I think they need to come back to the SEC and get their stinger asses kicked regularly by real football schools. They get a bloated record playing in an inferior conference, then wonder why they go to the Humanitarian Bowl. Play somebody! VPSU and BC are the only bonafide football schools left in the ACC. Oh yeah, thanks for letting the SEC use the “T**” to finish off the tournament this weekend. I still think they call y’all the North Avenue Trade School for a reason…YOU SUCK!
By SNOBALLS
March 17, 2008 8:22 PM | Link to this
RE: #2. Is Damon counting his blessings? No doubt about it. Damon is still thanking God for letting him make the Ga Football team in the first place. Coach Dooley took a liking to Damon and realized that when he (Dooley) retired, UGA could make history in having the first BLACK AD in the SEC, possibly the nation. so Vince took Damon under his considerable wing. Damon was a marginal athlete at best when he played. 20 some odd years later he is still “marginal”. If it weren’t for his handlers he would be sunk. Greg McGarity would have been a wiser, more profitable choice for the Dawgs, but I understand PC. I’m glad he didn’t fire coach Felton because Dennis is the consumate professional. Damon should follow his and Richts lead. When he is forced to fire a coach, don’t worry, King Adams will be there to guide him along in the hiring process.
By BrianMcMurry
March 17, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
Georgia plays basketball to keep the cheerleaders ready for fall.
By frumundacheeze
March 17, 2008 8:43 PM | Link to this
Hey yellowblood - I’ll tell you why there is NO PASSION for SECBB, because its a filler until football starts back. The ONLY reason there is a PASSION for ACCBB, is that y’all can’t play football….PERIOD!The good coaches that Tech gets are either hairlips or liars and even they won’t stay. Tech could have saved face about 6 years ago and just dropped its football program, but no, you had to continue your losing ways. And what of your hotdog (not to be mistaken for HOT DAWG) quarterbacks who were supposed to take you to the promised land (beating Georgia), it aint happening. Paul Johnson is a very capable coach at the Div I AA level, and face it thats all Navy really is. He hasn’t seen anything yet. He’ll end up with a Hobnailed Boot or two up his posterior before its over. He’ll wish he was back in Statesboro sipping coffee at Snookies with Erk. Georgia Tech needs to do one of two things: 1. DISBAND THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM.This is a permanent solution to what appears to be a permanent problem…Losing. 2. Join the SEC and compete. Get your graduates to spend some of that dot com money to hire a REAL football coach (not a Div I AA). Number one will be the best for your school and fans. Hey, they can be Dawg fans then
By Air-Dawg
March 17, 2008 9:01 PM | Link to this
Mr. Barnhart seems to know the subjects that will generate discussion and divisiveness among fans. I think it’s great. Since most of us blogging here are either students or graduates of one of the many fine institutions mentioned here, think about this: We are all very fortunate. We talk about the Big Money that the players and coaches get, but it’s because of us that they get it. If we didn’t donate to our respective schools and follow the sports we love, these guys would be coaching PE or doing custodial work somewhere. We are all very blessed to be able to do the things we ENJOY here in the land of the free. We really do live in the greatest nation on Gods earth. We have cars, hd tv’s, food on the table, loving families, warm homes. Now think about what you see on the news on a nightly basis of Iraq, Cuba, N. Korea, ect. We are truly Blessed by God. Even though I think Georgia Tech Sucks, I’m just talking about the sports programs, I really like some of the graduates that went there. But I too think they need to give up their football program and just concentrate on basketball and LaCrosse.
By Buzz-ard
March 17, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this
To Shane #1. What color underwear does Urban Meyer wear? Dude, get a life! You probably know more about his contract particulars than his agent does. I’ll bet you are a diehard Gator fan. You have your head so far up his anal canal he can probably taste your hair gel.
By shane #1
March 17, 2008 9:10 PM | Link to this
you guys need to back off damon.he is handling things pretty well.uga is the number 1 school in football profits while many schools lose money on their program.as an added bonus,adams hasn’t hired a coach since evans has been there.”stand up to adams”?yeah right!what happened to the last ad that stood up to adams?if adams will cut an icon like dooley loose and take all that heat do you think he would hesitate a second to fire evans?speaking of adams,a chattanooga paper{his home town},has quoted him lamenting the”arms race”in college football,both in coach’s salaries and facilities.excuse me doc,but aren’t we in the middle of another building program and didn’t we just give our football coach an $800,000 raise?it reminds me of how he spoke up for a playoff system that so many of us have wanted all these years,after he had been on record as opposing playoffs.do us a favor doc,quit talking out of both sides of your mouth and just shut up!
By P Dawg
March 17, 2008 9:12 PM | Link to this
Good Lord people. Not hearing much positive buzz at all for Adams. He may be a control freak but he obviously wants what’s best for UGA. I don’t like the whole Adams/Dooley conflict but you can’t condemn everything the man does for that and that alone. Our basketball team is usually mediocre so I’m fine with Felton because this weekend alone was the most exciting thing for the basketball program since Tubby was here. FOOTBALL PAYS THE BILLS and Adams was instrumental in getting CMR! Period! Love Vince but he wanted to give Donnan another year. No CMR, no telling where we would be right now. Probably still trying to beat UF and UT. GOOOO DAWGS!!!
By shane #1
March 17, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
p dawg,adams wants what’s best for adams.be it a buckhead condo or property in central america,bought with taxpayer money of course.he should have been fired when it was discovered that funds were being misused.he may have been instrumental in firing donnan,but richt talked to dooley first,not adams,as he should have.remember too that adams pushed for the herrick hiring,over dooley’s objections.i really don’t care about that,i just wish the man would shut up.the timing of his comments after lsu had won the bcscg looked like sour grapes.especially since he had opposed playoffs before uga was left out of the picture.his remarks about spending in college athletics in the midst of spending additional millions is hypocritical.he will be at uga untill he retires,i accept that,but he should let the pr people do his talking.every time he has opened his mouth lately he has made us look bad.
By hop
March 18, 2008 6:39 AM | Link to this
damon evans has failed in his handling of the mark richt recent raise by not locking him up to a long term contract. the total mishandling of coach felton situation,with rumors coming from his department of a possible change,coach felton deserved far better treatment.
By Jackets in SEC?
March 18, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
Hearing you SEC people talk about having Tech in the SEC is hilarious. You assume that Tech would be interested in being in the SEC again. Tech is a better fit in the ACC. The ACC generally consists of smaller, academically elite institutions, like Tech. For this reason, as a Tech grad, I would be mortified to be associated with the SEC and SEC culture. If there is any ACC / SEC swap it should be Vanderbilt for either Clemson or Florida State. The SEC could also take VT if it wants them.
By sam
March 18, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
Dear Snoball, you are an ignorant a*. Evans was not a great football player, but being a good AD does not require one to be a great football player. If you look at the trend, you will see that Evans fits the current trend. Evans earned an MBA and seems to be a good administrator. My one bone was his house cleaning of some long time employees when he took over.
Evans oversees one of the largest athletic budgets in the country and is doing a great job.
The only measure he is missing is hiring coaches since he has not hired a major coach yet (that I can think of). He was close to being tested with Felton and will be tested when he has to replace Yoculan. (Unless they have already decided to promote an assistant). Yoculan is the most successful coach in UGA history (Magill might be close and Diaz is just behind, but Diaz inherited a success whereas Yoculan built a program) so replacing her will be a big deal.
By Scott
March 18, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this
Question:
I like Coach Dooley, and I have heard extensively about how he has to ‘stay busy’, but talk about overkill. Between the radio ads, radio shows, and billboards……chill out coach and don’t become a radio hack. Thoughts?