UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2007 > September > 05
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Is Spurrier or Richt the better coach?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Say this for Steve Spurrier: No matter what he does or where he goes, the man generates a lot of buzz. He is the ultimate polarizer. Generally, people either love him or hate him. Just look at the recent poll my newspaper conducted. Never mind the outcome in which he retained his title as most hated opposing coach by Georgia fans. Just look at the number of responses he generated and the passion of those responses.
That in and of itself is the best thing about Spurrier being at South Carolina. He brings that program increased visibility and respect. What he hasn’t brought the Gamecocks, however, is more victories. Not yet anyway.
South Carolina averaged five losses per season in Lou Holtz’s last five seasons as coach and it went 6-5 his last year there. It has lost five games in each of the last two seasons under Spurrier. Including his two NFL seasons with the Washington Redskins, with whom he went 12-20, Spurrier has lost 30 games in the four seasons since he returned to coaching from his post-Florida hiatus. Not exactly lighting it up.
Yet, when Philip Marshall of the Huntsville Times conducted a poll of sportswriters and asked them to rank the SEC coaches, Spurrier was the overwhelming pick as the league’s best. Took the top spot for offensive coordinator, too. Meanwhile, Georgia’s Mark Richt, who has won more games and more SEC titles than any of his SEC brethren the last five years, came in fifth behind Urban Meyer, Tommy Tuberville and Nick Saban. If I’m not mistaken I believe the Birmingham News did a similar poll and got similar results.
The question is, is Spurrier really the best coach in the league and he just hasn’t gotten all the players he needs yet to dominate the conference like he did at Florida? Has he lost something between his 1990s run with the Gators? Have teams figured out his once-vaunted offensive system? Or perhaps there’s only so much winning that can be done at South Carolina regardless of who’s coaching.
In the meantime, here’s the results of the Huntsville poll:
THE HEAD COACHES 12 points were awarded for a first-place vote, 11 for second, etc. First-place votes are in parentheses.
- Steve Spurrier (19), South Carolina, 229
- Urban Meyer (6), Florida, 205
- Tommy Tuberville (2), Auburn, 187
- Nick Saban, Alabama, 187
- Mark Richt, Georgia, 166
- Phillip Fulmer (2), Tennessee, 161
- Les Miles, LSU, 115
- Houston Nutt, Arkansas, 102
- Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt, 71
- Rich Brooks, Kentucky, 70
- Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State, 44
- Ed Orgeron, Ole Miss, 21
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