UGA

By dcdawg

August 11, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

is the morning scrimmage already over? how did it go?

By Jim

August 11, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

Absolutely, He’s a ‘great’ coach. Only two other coaches have won more games in the past seven years. In the 90’s, I believe Spurrier said it first,,something to the effect of their only preseason goal was to win the SEC because that’s all they could control.

By gator the dog catcher

August 11, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

No national titles???? But Richt just got his 8th straight Preseason National Championship!!! Cancel the season quick so Richt can get the crystal trophy!

By UGA in 08

August 11, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this

As a DAWG fan…I would answer the question by saying you need to win the NC to be a GREAT coach. Great to me means a very limited group. I think CMR is a very good coach that will get his NC in the next few years. I also think how you look at it depends on the timing. What I mean is Joe Pa and Bobby Bowden are great coaches by this definition but I would not want either of them as a coach. Urban Cryier, SS, Phat Phil also won NC’s and I would not want them running our program (I would take TT who has not won a NC). I am a big fan of your work Chip but this subject is really worthless!

By Newrandyt

August 11, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this

I’m a Vol, and still I believe Richt is the best thing that has happened to GA since Herchel. He has taken what had been a team that was knee deep in mediocrity for almost two decades and made them into a major power in the SEC.

However, I do think that greatness that will be remembered is measured ultimately by only two things (unfairly, but it is what it is). Those two things are either winning the NC, or longevity long past the 7 years he has under his belt at the same high level of performance.

I’m not saying that is right, but that is the way it is.

By newsflash

August 11, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this

wait? UGA isnt as highly regarded outside of georgia? You mean you actually have to win a championship at some point o be considered the best? dont these people know that stafford threw for 55% completions last year?

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this

No! Not a great coach until he wins a national championship. National championships are what defines greatness. Until he wins a national championship, Richt can never claim to be on the level with Spurrier, Saban, Miles, Fulmer, Myer and even Tuberville who had an undefeated season. Richt is not even in the top half of coaches in the SEC right now. I’m

By Jim Donan & Ray Goff

August 11, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

Chip:

“Is Richt ‘great’ without national title?”

No. Bring us backback as quickly as possible.

How many national titles have you won in your profession? They’re a little hard to come by.

Stick with the Caleb King articles

By bob sacamano

August 11, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

You know what, maybe I got off on the wrong foot. Let me tell everyone a little bit more about myself. I am a 28 year old douche at ugay. My major is social science and history education. Since I am 28 and back in college for this, you might be able to infer that I was completely unable to make it in the real world, and now im living with my parents, and going back to school to learn to teach. You know the old saying, if you can’t do, teach. Thats me. You can email me at expert40@uga.edu at any time, and talk to me. I really like films, I even consider myself a film “buff”. So we can talk about all the homosexual porn that you want. I need people to talk to, im so lonely. On a side note, 93 people have now read my blog!!! YAY! Thats almost 100 people reading the garbage that I write! I sure am special. Please email me at expert40@uga.edu to let me know how special I am. Oh yeah, Im also stupid enough to put my information online, and then post a link to it, while talking trash, so that anyone can see it. expert40@uga.edu

Bob Sacamano

By PTC DAWG

August 11, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this

As long as a VOTE is involved with playing for the MNC, NO WAY would I have that in my criteria for being a great coach. I know LSU an UF recently got the chance to play for (and win) the MNC against a WEAK Big 11 just because underdog team x beat huge favorite team y on the last weekend of the year. UGA and AU didn’t get those same breaks in the last few years.

Like someone else mentioned, SEC Titles have to be the baseline, as they are EARNED.

By Buckhead Eagle

August 11, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

Agree with Newrandyt - even though he is a Vol fan.

If Richt stays at UGA for years to come - and keeps up his success - he will be considered a great coach - even if he does not win a NC.

Same standard for Tuberville.

Looking forward to AUBURN and TENNESSEE linking up this season - too bad we can’t play each other every year.

By Rich

August 11, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

Teams of great coaches don’t lead the nation in players under arrest.

By Jackson

August 11, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

Hmmmm, how ‘bout GREAT coach and GREAT human being!! Can you say that about Meyer(thin-skinned), Spurrier(snarky), Saban(liar), Fulmer(cheater)???? Coach Richt RULES!

By Georgia Fan

August 11, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

Is Richt ‘great’ without national title?

The answer is a definite YES. As long as the national title is decided by polls and computers you cannot judge a coach by this accomplishment alone. Case in point: Richt went 13-1 in 2002. An unbelievable record that is definitely worthy of a national title. Unfortunately, there were circumstances beyond Richt’s control that prevented Georgia from playing for it all. Ohio State and Miami were undefeated. Thus, they rightfully played in the BCS title game. Fast forward four years. Florida is 12-1. Fortunately for Urban Meyer, there were circumstances beyond his control that put his team in the BCS title game. UCLA upset USC and knocked them out of contention. In goes Florida. To say that this makes Meyer a better coach than Richt is absolutely absurd. Meyer has not done anything that Richt has done other than being in the right place at the right time. You simply aren’t being honest with yourself if you say otherwise.

72 wins in 7 seasons is great. Bottom line. The national title(s) will come. Its a matter of when, not if.

By Dan

August 11, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this

It took Spurrier 10 yrs to win a NC as a head coach, took Fulmer 7 yrs, took Saban 9 years. Give Richt time. He is already a great coach, and it won’t be long before he gets his NC.

By NCDawg

August 11, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this

With the truncated playoff system we have now, I don’t think you can penalize good coaches for not having won a national championship. I think of Tuberville’s team who went 11-0 a few years back and didn’t even get into the playoff.

By Georgia Fan

August 11, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this

By the way, I think Meyer is a great coach too. My comments were not intended to disparage him in any way. I was just making a comparison and destroying a myth. Good day.

By Tug

August 11, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this

I think you’d have to say Richt is well on his way to being a great coach. I think you have to let him get to 10 years first. And by then he may have joined the national championship club. Now, Nick Saban a great coach? Really? Other than one great year at LSU, he’s been about an 8-5 guy with a losing bowl record. What’s so great about that?

By Milton Jeff

August 11, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

BOB: who are you kidding here..we know you attend GT. I think CMR has been a fantastic coach for us so far and I do think a NC is in the near future. His #s since he’s been at UGA have been outstanding. But thats goes back to the question of what is considered a great coach? I mean in the NFL, Marino was one of the best QBs ever, but he never won a Super Bowl. Does that make him less of a QB?

By kauai dawg

August 11, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

The easy answer is a most assured yes! For his time as a head coach he demonstrates growth and learning from past mistakes etc.. the kids love him and so do we fans. He is already great and if we win a NC this year then all the better. Go Dawgs!

By jferg NC dawg

August 11, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this

Greatness in Character— I believe so.

Greatness in local success— No doubt

Greatness on the National scene— Not yet

Now….let’s get to the practice updates……….

By JB

August 11, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this

Wins are great. That’s why he was hired. But once in a while a guy comes along that’s different. Special. That is Mark Richt. The haters on here will boo hoo this, But he walks the walk. Morals and Character count and he has both. He’s a family man. If you hate the Dawgs, do a little research on this man and you may change your mind. He packed a Birmingham civic meeting earlier this year, and they weren’t TALKING FOOTBALL ! After a win, he gives the other team nothing but respect. Listen to Spurrier, Fulmer and Urban. Tubberville is OK.

By Moonlight Mile

August 11, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this

Until there is a playoff, SEC titles are all that matter and he’s got 2 of them. He is a great coach.

Fulmer is the only coach to guide an SEC team to an undefeated NC. UGA’s 1 and 2 loss teams of the past several years were extremely good but didn’t get the breaks to be one of the last 2 standing.

I just want to see the Dawgs in the Dome come SECC time. The NC game after a 5 week layoff against a team the media nominates doesn’t mean nearly as much.

By hop

August 11, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this

as usual this is a worthless question from chip.

how long did it take vince dooley to win a national championship? try 17 years,but he did win many sec championships.

the national championship in college football is an absolute joke, just ask auburn who went undefeated,but was not choosen for the national game.

it is a beauty contest by the national media! yes, coach richt is a great coach and so is tommy tuberville neither have won the beauty contest.

By Andy in Ohio

August 11, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this

I think Richt is an amazing coach and has brought our program back to where it was in the Dooley era. With that being said, when you win the national championship you are put into a different caliber of coaches, and whether you define it as great or special there is a difference. I think he’s just as good as the other coaches that have won national titles, it just hasn’t happened under his watch yet and hopefully with some luck he can get it this year.

I think the only difference between him being a good coach now and a great one when he wins the national championship is that national championships are remembered forever.

By Maryland Dawg

August 11, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

Is this a serious question, have we forgotten that sad moment in history called the Goff and Donnan era? We are lucky to have this man as our HC and we will see the crystal trophy before his tenure is done in A-town.

By Lane

August 11, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

Richt may be one of the best ever, based upon current record. Maybe more importantly is what has happened to FSU’s offense since MR’s departure - total collapse. MR’s influence on that program -dramatic.

MR’s decision making ability, was defined early on, by forcing Q Carter, out his senior year.

Compare the program to the Goff, Donnan era-no comparision.

MR, will be far superior to Dooley-by far-much more creative.

By Algonquin J. Calhoun

August 11, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

Richt is right up there with Ray Goof.

By Robert Guenther

August 11, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this

I AM A DAWG, WITH OUT OUT A NC MARK RICK IS A GREAT COACH AND PERSON ASK HIS PLAYERS! HE LOVES HIS TEAM AND ALL PLAYERS ARE LIKE HIS SONS.. THE NC WILL COME…WE GET BETTER AND STRONGER EVERY SEASON.IS THIS THE YEAR ? THE SCHEDULE IS BRUTAL I GUESS WE WILL KNOW AFTER THE COCKTAIL PARTY IS OVER..

By Larry

August 11, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this

Jim Donnan was underrated and underappreciated; Vince Dooley was way overrated.

Mark Richt is the best Georgia coach since Wally Butts and is certainly entitled to the “Great” sobriquet. Richt should move to the best of all Georgia coaches in short order.

By Tech fan 81

August 11, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this

I think CMR is a great CFB coach. Not even being a UGA fan I can still give credit were it is due. Unlike most UGA fans. CMR WILL have his NC this year!!!

By richtfan

August 11, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this

so, Dan Marino was not a great QB?

give me a break.

Jim Kelly was not a great QB?

same thing there.

greatness is not only determined by national championships or super bowls. You have to look at the entire body of work, not just championships.

In no way would I label Bob Stoops a great coach, but he has won a national championship, albeit it with someone else’s players.

Spurrier has won a national championship, but he hasn’t done anything in the last 12 years, and he’ll never accomplish anything at the second class USUCK. He WAS great at one time, but he’s not great now.

By OKCBULLDOG

August 11, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this

If a NC determines whether you are a great coach, then scratch Bo Schembechler off that great coaches list because he never won one at Michigan. Personally I don’t think that a coach or player’s career should be sumed up by the number of champion ships they’ve won (I know, sounds like something a person who never won a championship would say) because there are players who have multiple championship rings in certain sports and never had a significant role in their teams winning it all. Then there are players who do it all like; Barkley,Malone,Stockton,Ted Williams,Bonds,Griffey,Barry Sanders and never won it all. Are these guys not great? Same thing goes for coaches, Schembechler was 234-65-8 with 13 big ten championships and no NC, I still say he is a great coach. The numbers speak for themself. From Richt numbers right now he is a future great one even without a NC.

By jdog5681

August 11, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

even great coaches can’t control if his team wins or loses. great coaches makes his team better individuals. if they can’t win on the field they can still win in life.

By Fred G. Sanford

August 11, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

The “G” stands for Georgia, you big dummy!

Is Richt a great coach? All depends on your personal definition of great. As compared to Goff and Donnan, he’s great. The wins in his first 7 years rank him among the all time best. In my opinion he is a great coach. If championships are the defining measure of “greatness”, then one of my favorite baseball players, Ted Williams, was not a great player. I don’t use that as the sole measure of a person’s “greatness”. Just my opinion.

By Bigdawg606

August 11, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this

While I don’t think a NC is a prereq to be considered a “great” coach, I think MR’s teams have lost too many games that they should probably have won to be considered yet. (See Tennessee 2004 and WVU 2005) Until those go away, I think he remains only a very, very good coach. He could have taken that step last year. This year will tell the tale.

By 176mag

August 11, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

Urban Meyer has never won anything with the player he recuited.He plays with someonelses players and leaves.

By Navigator

August 11, 2008 11:01 AM | Link to this

I like coach Richt and what he has done at Georgia, but let’s stop using the term great, because the meaning has too many definitions (almost a personal thing). Talk about the job he’s done, defined by excellence. If he’s remembered long after his coaching years by many, then call him legendary. But get off the word great, hell, I had a great weekend, get my drift.

By Mike

August 11, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this

Mark Richt is a awesome coach- when you use the word “great” let history judge that. There are very few coaches that fall into that catagory- you cant judge if a coach is “great” after 7, 8, 10, 12 years. Start looking at that after 20 or so years- The only coaches today that would fall into the “great” category are Bobby Bowden and Jo Pa. Proven over many years

By I-DOG

August 11, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this

Richt will go down as the greatest coach in UGA history. While a national title IS a prerequisite for greatness in coaching, it will happen for Richt in the near future.

Bowden, Osbourn, Paterno… none of them won national titles early in their careers…but nobody would argue they were all legends.

Richt has everything else, wins, SEC titles, lots of top 10 and top 5 finishes, and it takes luck and opportunity to win the national championship. Realistically, this is only his 2nd squad that has a shot at the national title (I wouldn’t count last years team) and when it all falls into place, he will be considered great by every reasonable measure

By Kevin

August 11, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

Mark Richt is the GREATEST coach in UGA history. The wins and SEC titles to prove it are still in progress.

Let’s face it, the “National Title” is still somewhat subjective. Until we do away with pre-season polls and institute a playoff system, college football will continue to provide ‘mythical” national champions. Thus, Richt and staff focus on things within their control (i.e., winning the East and the SEC).

By srcdawgrome

August 11, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this

I bet 10 of the top 20 teams in the country would like to have CMR. What a recruiter!!!

By BobDog

August 11, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this

Maybe with a long, long record of SEC championships and high win-loss record, he might be considered a great coach without the national championship. But we are a long way from that.

By uthpastor

August 11, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

i think i heard a coach once say that great can’t be determined by national titles because a national title in this day is based off of more than simply winning every game…you have to have everything go your way and simply hope other teams lose sometimes…auburn is a good example, should have won the title couple of years back…but i see the point from the media or overall standpoint of pointing to “great” coaches…this is just me, which doesn’t count much…but i would rather my son play for a CMR for what kind of man he is plus he fields a great team each year, than play for a coach who’s lifetsyle is not one I’d love for my son to be led by…that’s just my standards and i hope i won’t compromise once the day comes for my son to choose, IF he’s given that oppportunity. But i consider CMR a great coach, he’s done a great job!

By Bob Sacamano

August 11, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this

Urban Meyer is great? Urban Meyer won with Ron Zook’s guys running a vanilla offense and had a great defense, all with Ron Zook’s guys.

Urban Meyer with “his” guy at QB and his “his” recruits on defense? 9-4. Also, Urban Meyer’s winning percentage is puffed up from time spent in lower-tier conferences.

Urban Meyer is Urban Myth and very overrated.

Fat Phil has won exactly TWO SEC Championships in 16 years as a head coach. TWO. That’s embarrassing.

Steve Spurrier has proven that away from Florida, he’s just a fairly average coach.

Nick Saban is the real deal.

Les Miles? Jury is still out.

Mark Richt is the only one of these guys to coach his WHOLE career in the SEC, and not just the SEC, but the SEC as it is today: the best, toughest conference in America.

He turned around the fortunes of TWO teams when he came to Georgia. Turned our fortunes for the better, and well, we’ve seen what’s happened to FSU since he’s left.

He has the fourth best overall winning percentage of all head coaches right now in college football, and again, unlike Urban Liar, he’s done it all in the ultra-competitive SEC.

He has 5 double digit win seasons. He’s never finished outside of the top-25. Five top-10’s. Two top-5’s (No. 3 and No. 2).

Urban Liar and Nick Saban’s Mythical National Champion teams finished 13-1. Georgia finished 13-1 in 2002, and now that we see just how overrated OSU is every year, who doesn’t think that that Georgia team from 2002, with that defense would have crushed OSU?

ESPN rated the 2002 Georgia SEC Champions as BETTER teams than Urban Liar’s Mythical National Champions and Les Miles’ Mythical National Champions.

There’s a reason why it’s a MYTHICAL National Championship.

Because there’s no playoff, it takes a lot of luck, unlike in the NFL, to achieve a college national title. So it’s Mythical. Sometimes, we really don’t know who the best team really is, because the best team never gets its shot.

I don’t just believe Richt’s a great coach, I believe he has proven he’s top-5 in the country, no doubt.

Urban Liar as a coach of Florida in three years (2005 and 2007) already has equalled Richt’s two worst years in Georgia that took Richt six years to achieve (2001 and 2006). And Urban Liar inherited a far better situation than Richt did.

So I have to say, in the long and short, Richt is a great coach. The proof is in the pudding.

And to the Tech Fan who can’t seem to take a joke

Dude, I don’t care if you post my email address. If people want to email me, that’s cool. That’s why I have the email address up on my page at SportingNews.com.

But if you’re going to trash me, as least tell the truth when you trash. First of all, the 92 people signed up to read my blog are those who look want to be notified when I new blog post is up. That’s actually a pretty good number. Not as much as REIGNBLOOD’s, but pretty good in my own right. Second… a lot more than 92 people read my blog. You can check it out for yourself. Just type MWC in the “search for a specific topic” box when you click on the hot blogs link on the college football page of SportingNews.com.

In fact, the specific blog that has your panties in such a wad, the fairly SATIRICAL blog post about Daddies not letting their babies grow up to be Bug Fans, which again, anyone can see right here wasn’t even one of my more popular blogs.

As for me personally, again, if you want to bash me, the least you could do is use the truth and not half-truths or outright lies.

So what you could do, if you had the sack, is contact me at my email address, or send me a PM on SportingNews.com, and maybe we could have a conversation.

How about that, Tech Fan who has hijacked my name?

Do you have the sack to contact me, learn a little bit about me, and I you?

Or are you content to act like a douche bag? And yeah, I am calling you out a little here. I don’t really hide who I am. But you sure seem to like to hide you are. Why don’t you step into the light a little.

If you got the sack.

By PBR=America in a can

August 11, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this

If anyone doubts CMR’s greatness just think back to the Golf years (whoever had the ball last won) and the Donnon years (here comes the bubble screen…again) Anyone who thinks a guy that averages over 10 wins a season isn’t a great coach needs to wake up. I think the person who thinks he has to win a NC is the same guy that has a Tennessee, Florida, and an Ohio State shirt in their closet as well. I hate fair-weather fans almost as much as i hate Jorts and blaze orange. CMR will win a NC eventually but as far as im concerned he is one of Georgia’s greatest coaches.

By P Dawg

August 11, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this

Look, w/o a playoff, Richt has been every bit as good as the other guys. In fact—- better than most. Just less fortunate luck-wise. We’ve had a couple of one loss seasons under CMR and (wouldn’t you know) at least two other scools with far less difficult schedules get into the BCS Championship game. LSU had 2 losses last year and got in and the year befor uf had 1 loss and got in. Luck just hasn’t been on our side under the current (screwed up)system. To answer the question—-YES, CMR is as great a coach as anyone else in the country. I wouldn’t trade him for anyone else and I hope he stays here for a VERY long time. We are extremely lucky to have a guy like him on our sidelines! Thanks coach. Keep up the good work and the NC’s will come (as soon as USC, OU, OSU, etc…) start playing real schedules.

By dogfan

August 11, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this

You simply can’t use National Championships won as a measure of greatness for a coach. Too many things are beyond the coach’s control - not the least of which are the polls. Danny Ford won a national championship at Clemson - Howard Scnellenberger won one at Miami as did Dennis Erickson. Who really thinks these guys are “Great” coaches. As has already been said - Coach Richt is a great coach and an even greater human being.

By A.ellis

August 11, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this

How many SEC titles had georgia won before Richt got to Athens. Richt turn the program around after some mediocore seasons going 7-4, 7-5 every year. You better appreciate Richt or you will lose him. Richt suppose to played for a national title if the BCS WASN’T about pick who they like and espn wasn’t always hating the dawgz. Yes he has brought Georgia back to the National Spotlight like Dooley had us he has to be a great coach

By I-DOG

August 11, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this

Richtfan and OKCBULLDOG:

No question that Barkley in hoops, Marino and Kelley were great QB’s and Bo was a very good coach at Mich.

However, when these players and coaches are talked about year’s after their careers were over… there is always in asterik by their name for not having one a title. That doesn’t mean that Marino isn’t the best QB of all time, but Montana and Elway have the rings and that puts them in a different category, in my opinion.

I certainly wouldn’t say that Trent Dilfer is a better QB than Kelley just for having won a title…far from it, but to be considered one of the all time greats, I think you have to have a title.

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this

If championships are the defining measure of “greatness”, then one of my favorite baseball players, Ted Williams, was not a great player. I don’t use that as the sole measure of a person’s “greatness”.

Ted Williams didn’t pick the players and coaches he was surrounded by. Richt picks the players and coaches he is surrounded by. Ted Williams couldn’t help it if the people around him weren’t good enough. Richt’s primary job as a college football coach is to surround himself with the necessary talent through recruiting and with the proper coaches to coach the talent up. So that Ted Williams comparison failed miserably. Plus, Richt is measured by wins and losses. Ted Williams was measured by stats.

Myer, Fulmer, Saban, Miles, Spurrier and Tuberville all won a national championship or went undefeated within their first 7 years in the SEC. Richt didn’t. Richt is not a great coach. Just watch this year. The Dawgs will lose two or three games they shouldn’t have lost because Richt gets flat out outcoached. Count on it. Richt was outcoached last year in the South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Vanderbilt games.

UGA will never win a national championship with Richt as a head coach because he doesn’t have a killer instinct. He doesn’t go for the jugular. When he gets a decent lead, he’ll let the other team back into the game. He’ll always screw things up by making too many QBs or RBs happy instead of just playing the best one.

Richt is a great guy but not a great coach - just merely a good one - and that’s good enough for UGA because UGA has never been a college football powerhouse in the minds of anyone but UGA fans.

By Gene

August 11, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this

Great coaches maintain high standards behavior, discipline, and academic progress. They do not condone cheating or bad sportsmanship as Richt did against Florida and Auburn last year. Barry Switzer and Jackie Sherrell were not great coaches. Neither is Mark Richt.

By 3 Rivers jacket

August 11, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

You either have to win a NC or play for a few to be deemed a great coach most of the time. But if you keep up a record like Richt for another five years or so then even without a NC you would have to be considered a great coach.

By Dorsey Hill

August 11, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this

Rather than getting into subjective discussions about what defines “great” it seems to me that the question should be: Is there anyone else on the planet that we’d rather see coaching our football team? My answer, and I believe most UGA fans answer, would be absolutely not. What more needs to be said?

By Lowcountry Bulldawgs

August 11, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this

CMR is a very good football coach. He is probably got to be labeled with that saying, “The best football coach in College yet to win a NC.” Once CMR wins a NC he will have earned the label as being great.

GOOO DAWGS!!!

By newsflash

August 11, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

wait, so its ok to use ESPN opinions, such as that the 02 UGA team was better than the 06 florida team, when it supports your opinion, but at the end of last year everyone at ESPN was a total hack because they didnt support your half assed logic of putting the pups in the title game? classic UGA.

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this

Danny Ford won a national championship at Clemson - Howard Scnellenberger won one at Miami as did Dennis Erickson. Who really thinks these guys are “Great” coaches.

Are they great coaches? It’s debatable but you evidently don’t think they are ………………….. yet they won national championships…… something Richt continues to fail to accomplish.

So, according to you, bad coaches can win national championships. But your boy Richt has never even appeared in a national championship game. Thanks for proving the point that Richt is not a great coach.

Bad coaches can win national championships …………. but great coaches can’t get away with not winning national championships……………… without a national championship, a coach is not great

Since Richt has shown up in this conference, how many times has Richt’s name been tied to an NFL job? Petrino, Saban, Spurrier were all given their shot in the NFL. How many times has Richt’s name come up for an opening at another elite college football job? The man is not exactly in demand for other big time jobs. Those involved in the profession must not think too highly of Richt. IF they did, his name would be whispered about more than it has been.

If no one wants to screw your wife, chances are your wife ain’t that great of a catch. If no one wants to hire your coach away, chances are your coach ain’t that great of a catch either.

Put it this way…………… if Richt never wins a national championship, will anyone remember who the hell he is 50 years from now? ……………….. NO! He’ll just be another name in the media guide who coached during those seasons……………. that right there tells you Richt ain’t great until he wins a national championship

Hopefully, for your Dawgies he won’t coach in Athens more than a decade ….. you don’t want to continue never winning a national championship because you have a wimpy jesus freak for a coach who is afraid of winning the whole darn thing, do ya?

By Chip Towers

August 11, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this

PRACTICE UPDATE

Georgia held a special teams-only scrimmage at Sanford Stadium Saturday morning. Coach Mark Richt won’t be available for interviews until after a full scrimmage this afternoon. But I was able to glean some pretty good information from players and assistant coaches… .

Not surprisingly true freshman Blair Walsh is your No. 1 guy on placement kicks but i learned he’s also the starter on kickoffs. Blair’s a confident kid as you can tell from his comments today:

“Today I had my best day in kickoffs yet,” Walsh said. “I hit one on the numbers to the goal line and that’s what they want. They don’t want it through the end zone. You have to kick it about five yards deep in the end zone, about 75 yards, for them to not return it. If [Coach Jon Fabris] wanted that I could to that for him but right now he wants it to the right and on the numbers. So that’s what I’m trying to do. That’s what I‘m shooting for… . I’m on the first team on the kickoffs. That’s where they have me. But all I can control is my performance and that’s what I’m focusing on.”

Walsh said his highlight of the preseason actually came this past Saturday. “We went live drill in the afternoon practice and they had live rush on,” he said. “They put me up at 47 yards with live rush and I made it. Then he put me five yards back to 52 and said the game was on the line I stepped up and hit it again even better. So that was my highlight for sure. The whole team jumped on me and all that kind of stuff.” …

Coach Tony Ball, who oversees kickoff returns, said Asher Allen remains his main man back deep. He’s also looking Remarcus Brown, Caleb King, Richard Samuel and Carlton Thomas. Georgia went to a single-safety set last year so it only needs one.

“Right now, until I can feel comfortable with someone else being able to field kicks – and that’s the first thing you’ve got to be able to do — Asher’s the guy,” Ball said… .

Ball also said this afternoon’s full-squad scrimmage is “very important” for King, Samuel and the other tailbacks behind Knowshon Moreno. “Who will be productive? Who we can trust?” Ball said. “Those five guys have to make a statement today.” …

Just out of curiosity, I asked quarterback Matthew Stafford what he does during a “special teams-only” scrimmage. “I ran a mile and a half and iced my arm,” he said, then added. “I’m also working at deep snapper.” He was kidding.

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

CMR is a very good football coach. He is probably got to be labeled with that saying, “The best football coach in College yet to win a NC.”

That’s something to be proud of right there. Our coach is the Sergio Garcia of college football.

By joe

August 11, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

Richt is class, while Urban is just a*…

By Michael

August 11, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

“Great” is so subjective…Would you say that: Mack Brown, Foolmer, Larry Cocker & Les Miles are great coaches just because they’ve won NC’s? I think Richt is just getting started what we saw last year were signs of growth as an HC. Some of the moves he made were brilliant motivationally, he’s always been good at X & O’s but now we’re seeing more of his personality. As UGA continues to be in the NC picture under him he’ll grow into greatness much like his mentor’s Howard Scnellinburger & Bobby Bowden did.

As far as the Dan Marino goes, he was a great QB but not a great teammate or leader. The O always had to be focused on him. John Elway realized he needed a running game to win a SB & allowed Shannhan to implement a running game. Being a Cowboys fan as well I’ve had the Emmitt Smith or Berry Sanders argument a million times. Same deal, my argument is 3 rings! End of story. Sure Barry was the better runner but was give me Emmitt’s heart, drive & determination is what helped wing those rings & allowed him to break Payton’s record. Meanwhile Sanders was enigma who retired rather than pursue the record or try to help the team rebuild to go after a SB. Talent is only part of the equation to be a true great you need to be a good & go after greatness, for your team first! Then the personal greatness will follow along with it!

By Florida Dawg

August 11, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this

Great coaches can score a touchdown, celebrate in the end zone, and “back it up” for the next 50 minutes. And “knowing” you’ll face the same team next year, who has the crying coach. I’d call that gutsy, confident and great coaching. Is Urban Crier still using Ron Zook players or is he on his own now?

By Missman

August 11, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this

Richt will be considered a “great coach” once he secures a national championship. Not close, but actually winning one. He ahs too much talent in his state to believe otherwise.

By Buford

August 11, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this

CMR is great.

Many dog fans are not.

By P Dawg

August 11, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this

Hey Sic of ‘em, CMR hasn’t been mentioned in any job opening scenarios because he says year after year that he wouldn’t consider it because he and his family love Athens and, in case you haven’t noticed, he’s paid very well. If you make plenty of money and you and your wife and kids love where you’re at—why consider leaving? The man has too much character to play the field every year (like Petrino) just to try and better deal the folks taking care of him. And as far as being remembered for championships, etc., they keep other records besides nc’s. He WILL go down in history as one of the all time greats—-with or w/o nc’s! I do honestly see him bringing us a nc because of what he’s been doing consistently (always in the hunt in the SEC East and his recruiting abilities). Bring on a playoff system and take the media’s popularity contest out of the equation and UGA’s in there probably three of the seven years he’s coached here.

By bayoubruce

August 11, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this

Great Guy….light on discipline….good coach…he has yet to win the big one…so he is not great…not with all of the talent uga supposedly has…

By GayTechFan

August 11, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this

By Sic of ‘em

August 11, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

CMR is a very good football coach. He is probably got to be labeled with that saying, “The best football coach in College yet to win a NC.”

I apologize for my boyfriend. He just has this tremendous fear that Richt will be undefeated by GT…forever.

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this

Would you say that: Mack Brown, Foolmer, Larry Cocker & Les Miles are great coaches just because they’ve won NC’s?

proving the point yet again …………… they have national championships and richt doesn’t. you can’t call someone a great coach when he doesn’t have something you believe even bad coaches can get

Being a Cowboys fan as well I’ve had the Emmitt Smith or Berry Sanders argument a million times. Same deal, my argument is 3 rings! End of story. Sure Barry was the better runner but was give me Emmitt’s heart, drive & determination is what helped wing those rings & allowed him to break Payton’s record.

It’s funny how you mentioned all of these factors for Smith but didn’t mention the most important factors: Emitt had the best friggin’ offensive line ever, had a Hall of Fame QB, a Hall of Fame WR, an All Pro TE and an All Pro FB.

It wasn’t heart, drive, determination ….. Emmitt just had better players …………….. and as for Emmitt hanging around to get some meaningless record that no one cares about ………… that was just Emmitt being Emmitt …………… worried about pulling his helmet off and mugging for the cameras and dancing with the stars and way too concerned about making a name for himself…………. Barry never cared about that crap ………………… barry just scored the TD and handed the ball to the ref like he’d been there before unlike emmitt who loved to rip his helmet off and grab every last ounce of attention he could get

emmitt might have the meaningless rushing record but barry will always be known as the vastly superior back to anyone who isn’t a Cowgirls or Gaytors fan

By Nick

August 11, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

I think there’s more to being a “great” coach than just a national title victory. I think there have been great coaches over the decades without that distinction. It would be great to add that to his resume (hopefully more than once!) but I think everybody sees what he’s done at UGA in the few years he’s been there and how far back FSU has fallen since his departure. I think the national title is only a matter of time for him. I think part of being considered Great at anything is what kind of person you are and with that in mind, yes he is a great coach, role model and person.

By 82DAWG

August 11, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this

I love having Coach Richt at UGA; I honestly believe he is best we have EVER had (including Wally Butts and Vince Dooley). However, until he brings home the National Championship, he is not in the “great” category.

By AltamahaDawg

August 11, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this

I don’t know why we even need to hang such a subjective tag on any coach? Or ponder the differences between very good and great. Suffice it to say he is the RIGHT coach for UGA at the time.

To think the difference between the 2 would hinge on the outcome of a game out in a completely different region,the week before season end is pretty silly. Or a vote here or there could overshadow real achievement and WP. As I have stated, I thought Urban Meyers did a tremendous job in 2006 with that schedule and restoring that program, But would he be less of a coach had USC not layed an egg that day? I doubt so. Was Miles defined in a WV meltdown? Appearantly in some people’s mind.

If coach Richt could go the distance this year, honestly I’m not sure it would even be as good of a coaching job as he did in 2006 keeping that season from total ruin in the end. Or last year taking a pretty average team to an almost unthinkable run at actually being mentioned as one of the best in the country. In fact wasnt it last year that he put UGA in this position they are in , now? THAT was GREAT coaching. A MNC is a set of circumstances.

I tell you what I would remember (in a hypothetical 2008 NC) is the halftime of 2007 Vandy game. I don’t know what he said in there, but it changed the direction of the team.

However, this old dawg is not unaware that a MNC is on the minds of everyone and certainly something I believe the man would appreciate. And as random as it might work out sometimes, would be a fitting tribute, well deserved.

What strikes me is why anyone would think of him any differently if he could win it all. The very next year, he would still have to do the exact same job, and as we have seen from a few of those coaches previously mentioned..its just as easy to lose 4 game the year after. Are you then suddenly NOT great?

It certainly would shut up about half the hater in here as this is their entire argument against the man, (and for that matter the state of the UGA program right now) in light of nothing more rational to say. So if he could win, he and UGA would be great? right hater.

By Dave (Charlotte, NC)

August 11, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this

Hmmm…”greats.” It’s interesting, because we have five coaches who’ve won national titles, but how many do we have who will wind up as true “greats”? Spurrier will, of course. After him, though, there’s a big drop-off. Fulmer? It’s possible, if his Tennessee teams don’t lose too many more games before he retires. Saban? He has to prove himself at Alabama, since he already flopped with the Dolphins. Urban Meyer can’t yet be considered a “great,” since he’s only been in the league a few years, has never stayed with one team long enough to build a program, has not had an undefeated season at Florida and won a national title with another coach’s players. Les Miles is certainly by no stretch of the imagination a great coach and never will be.

Mark Richt isn’t a ‘great’ yet because he hasn’t won the big one. Tommy Tuberville is on the way (witness 2004, not to mention what he did at Ole Miss), but needs a few more SEC titles first. But both Richt and Tuberville are far superior to two of the “greats” with national titles, Meyer and Miles. FAR superior.

By Brooks

August 11, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

Would anyone consider LES MILES a great coach. I would have to say NO! He has a national championship* but he is nothing but a lucky politician not a great coach. Walked into a great situation at LSU and now he looks like he is all that. I can’t stand to look at the guy and him jumping around on the sideline after his team got lucky again. Coach Richt is on his way to being a great legendary coach. Top talent will be flocking Athens from now on and he will win a National Title it’s just a matter of time. Any school would love to have him leading their program. GO DAWGS!!!

By Brooks

August 11, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

Would anyone consider LES MILES a great coach. I would have to say NO! He has a national championship* but he is nothing but a lucky politician not a great coach. Walked into a great situation at LSU and now he looks like he is all that. I can’t stand to look at the guy and him jumping around on the sideline after his team got lucky again. Coach Richt is on his way to being a great legendary coach. Top talent will be flocking Athens from now on and he will win a National Title it’s just a matter of time. Any school would love to have him leading their program. GO DAWGS!!!

By Mobile Dawg

August 11, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

The thing I like about Richt, he is still learning. From his beginning at UGA he set a pretty high standard. His best coaching IMO came the second half of last year. He found a way to give his struggling team an identity. He gave away some of the responsibility (old news), made Bobo the OC and it took just him a while to adjust to being a pure HC. This team hit rock bottom last year after embarassing losses to lesser talent, USC, UT, and near losing to Vandy. I go back and remember the team celebrating on Vandy’s logo as the low moment.

Once a program falls into mediocraty it takes time to rebuild it. Hate to say it but the program was already going there the last few Dooley years. Why do you think he got out? Goff inherited mediocraty and couldn’t turn it around. Same with Donnan. Richt has now turned the ship around.

He’s had some good teams, and is now reaping the rewards of his work, i.e. getting some really first class recruits, respect nationally, etc. Things should only continue to get better for he and his staff.

Being kinda pessimistic I have high expectations for the Dawgs this year, but, I’m not quite ready to annoint him great as a coach. I’ve disagreed with his game day decisions on a number of occasions, thrown a fit or two, and believe they cost us some tough close losses. In the SEC when your up in the 4th quarter you don’t throw 3 passes and out against AU, give them the ball back w/o taking time off the clock, etc. These are the kind of things I think he’s learned from.

All this BS said, this could be the year that defines Mark Richt as a “Great Coach”. IMO, if he can keep the fire lit under these guys this year, allow them to keep the swagger and confidence they played with last year, yet maintain that touch of class they can run the table and win the MNC. That’s a tough job in todays environment, requiring a certain amount of luck, few key injuries, and a good sales job to the media.

By Steve

August 11, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this

The term “great coach” may be defined by National Championships, but I think Mark Richt can be called a great coach even if he never wins a NC.

It was stated that on the cover of the article was Phil Fulmer. Phil Fulmer a great coach? Come on now, yes he won a NC, but what else has he done since? Maybe a SEC East title or two, but nothing near that time. So is he still a great coach just for that one time year when the planets and stars aligned just right? I think not.

I am pleased with Mark Richt’s job at Georgia and the direction he has our program going. In my book Richt is already a great coach.

By Dave In Tampa

August 11, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

CMR is a very good coach, but the measuring stick with any coach is how many Titles have you won. It has only been 7 years and he has done an outstanding job getting UGA back to the elite of College Football. To average 10+ wins per year is elite. However, the great coach will come not only when he wins a NC, but how he maintains being in contention every year for NC’s.

Just opinion. All I know is that I’m thankful to have him as our coach!

By ut sucks

August 11, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this

Coach Richt is a great coach and a great person, which is more than I can say for these other “great coaches” who have won a National Title in the SEC. Would you say that Archie Manning was not a great QB because he never won a super bowl? Is Dan Marino not great because he didn’t win the whole thing? Also, he has only been a head coach for 8 years people and not only that he has to do it in the SEC which makes winning a National Championship even harder. I believe it is a great accomplishment to win 2 SEC titles in his tenure and I believe that at some point he will be holding the National Championship. Oh and by the way there is a real easy solution to having to put up with all this UGA talk. GO BACK to where you came from. We sure as hell don’t want you around.

By Richard

August 11, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this

Not only a great coach but also a great person! The only other coach or I might put in Mark’s league is Tuberville. As far as coaching goes, Fulmer going to wish he had Cutcliff back. He will be blaming someone else for HIS failures this year. Meyer and Miles needs to win with their own players. I don’t think they can. Saban needs to learn to control his emotions on the field. Mark has something these other guys don’t……..CHARACTER!

Win or lose, Mark is a good man! A good person! A good Christian!

Go DAWGS!

By crs

August 11, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this

Mark Richt has turned into a great man which I value far more than whether he is now or ever will be a great coach. UGA is very lucky to have him. I dread the day that after a lackluster season or two that people make the mistake of running him off.

The reality is head coaches are really only as great as their players.

By Michael

August 11, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

Same ole crap I always here! Emmitt was a great back at all levels. The OL he ran behind was good but the two combined helped make them both great. That team wasn’t the same when he was hurt or holding out. You watch or read anything about those teams all the players will tell you that he was the MAN on that them that took them to another level & without him they wouldn’t have those SB’s. If Barry would have a better team around him would he have been in more playoff games? Probably so, but he still probably wouldn’t have a ring unless there were great leaders around him. The biggest indictment on him is in goal line situations they’d take him out! Furthermore it wasn’t for a great short yardage back just his normal backup. Like I said as a pure runner there’s no argument Barry was better. However the all around back that could & would do whatever you asked or needed was Emmitt. On top of that he was a leader who was surrounded by good\great players & leaders which led them to greatness! CMR has built that type of team talent wise & it looks like that talent is going to keep on coming. The question is will leaders emerge this season to take them to the next level? I agree that the off season off the field nonsense needs to stop, CMR knows that & will find a way to get it under control.

By dawgs win

August 11, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

Cmr has done a great job since coming to Athens. After being here 25 years and winning a couple of national championships he will then be considered a great coach.

By Gen Neyland

August 11, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

Character is a good place to start with any man…The rest is icing, win or lose.

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this

Would you say that Archie Manning was not a great QB because he never won a super bowl? Is Dan Marino not great because he didn’t win the whole thing?

Bad analogy. Archie Manning and Dan Marino didn’t pick the players and coaches they were surrounded by. Richt is wholly responsible for the players and coaches he is surrounded by.

By gatorman770

August 11, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this

Lying-Richt was a great assistant coach on NC teams at FSphew and has been a great head coach at UGAly. Eventually the “luck” that put the Gators in NCS game in 1996 and 2006 will smile on LCMR - BUT not this year!

GO GATORS!

By AltamahaDawg

August 11, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this

Mobiledawg, agree with all of that except the Vandy game being a low point. Vandy lead that at halftime, on some fluky plays and the Dawgs never let them score again, while controling the ball, clock, and scored 3 times. I call that winning, Not almost losing. And BTW, I think its widely accepted now that the logo thing was a misunderstanding.

By mike

August 11, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

there is so much luck in winning a national championship. I mean, the Great urban meyer had to depend on UCLA beating USC in the last regular season week to even have a shot at the BCS game. By the way, CMR went 13-1 his second year but he was not as lucky as Urban. Nobody beat OSU or UM on the last game of the season. LSU had 10 years worth of luck last year.

By P Dawg

August 11, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

Emmitt Smith isn’t a pimple on Terrell Davis’ butt! If he’d remained healthy, nobody would have touched him. Why all the talk about Emmitt and Barry anyway? Isn’t this a UGA blog. If you want to get off topic and talk about pro RB’s, let’s at least talk about TD and all the other great UGA RB’s.

P.S. Did TD ever lose a SB? I didn’t think so.

By Mikey in Sav

August 11, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this

I really don’t care what Coach Richt is labeled. To me he is and will always be the best thing to ever happen to my beloved Dawgs and I am grateful he is here.

Mikey

By MoDawg

August 11, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

Mark Richt is a Great Man, and an excellent coach, but not a Great coach. I tend to reserve the term Great for coaches such as Bear Bryant, Vince Dooley, Joe Paterno and the like. These men pioneered modern college football as we know it today. The only coach in the SEC right now that might be considered Great would be (as much as it pains me) Steve Spurrier. This has much to do with his first stint in college football with the Gators and how dominant they were. The next in line would have to be (gulp)Fulmer and then MAYBE Saban, except Saban gets some demerits for his “reliability” and trustworthiness. Richt is an excellent coach and next in line for greatness, but I would hold on the Great label until he wins a National Championship AND a couple more SEC titles. He is a great human being, and as a diehard UGA man, I am extremely proud to have him associated with the UGA program. I hope Mark Richt is the coach at UGA until his name comes up as being close to winning more games than Paterno or Bowden. Les Miles and Urban Meyer are good coaches, but they each have glaring weaknesses that would keep them out of the “great” debate, at least for now. They should do less whining and more coaching, in my opinion. Great man - YES, great coach - Not yet.

By crs

August 11, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

gatorman770, I’m guessing the 770 was your SAT score!

By Jeff Patton

August 11, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

Mark Richt = Sold out seats at Georgia, and a number 1# ranking.

Paul Johnson= less tickets sold than last year, but Hey, Georgia doesn’t play there this year.

By UGA95

August 11, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

You can call CMR great, or you can call him good. But I wouldn’t trade him for any two of those other so called great coaches!!

Go Dawgs!!

By Fan

August 11, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

I am not a UGA fan but you have to give the man credit. He has done an outstanding job I don’t think his team has been in trouble with the NCAA like many others. This is what his record looks like,

He is one of only nine head coaches in Division I-A history to record 60 or more wins in his first six seasons and 70 or more wins in his first seven seasons. Richt is one of only six coaches in history to win two SEC championships (2002, 2005) in his first five years, and one of only five head coaches in SEC history to record four straight 10-win seasons (2002-05)..

By tiltman

August 11, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this

Greatness is defined by conference titles, in my opinion; championships have been mythical and have never truly been decided on the field ever — not in 1-A at least. Pre-BCS era you could play an 8-3 team for the NC. By the end of his carrer, CMR will be one of the greats … and ol’ lady luck shines on all the greats, eventually, and CMR will get his MNC, too.

By crs

August 11, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

Agree Mike, the NC means very little as a lot depends on where you start in the rankings and luck. Ohio St. had no buisness in last years NC game. They have been embarrassed two years in a row but because of a soft schedule thye may very well get back again. Even with a loss to USC they may still get in assuming they run the table in a WEAK Big Ten. Ohio St. would be the equivalent of an Arkansas if they played an SEC schedule.

By tim

August 11, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this

Chip, how did the tailbacks, in particular Richard Samuel look in the scrimmage? Does Richard really have chance to beat out Caleb?

By MrWrestling#2

August 11, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this

Did Bobby Bowden become a “great coach” in 1993? Did Joe Pa become a “great coach” in 82? Was Bo never a great coach. Jim Donnan won a NC was a great coach. NCs do not mean one is a great coach.

By Mobile Dawg

August 11, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this

Altamaha, read your comment earlier on the Vandy game. I posted last year that after that game Richt did some soul searching and there had to be some team meetings because that did seem to be the turning point. Could have been halftime, but watching Richt manhandling his players after the game showed me an angry and frustrated coach, emotions we had never seen from CMR. We will never know for sure. Enjoy reading your posts and your insights. Looking forward to another great year however it turns out.

Agree with the posters saying we are fortunate to have Richt here.

By To many if's

August 11, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this

For all the IF’S

I agree with the crap about the national championship so lets look at it this way. Who won the SEC championship game???? You have to win it to go on to the next step. So with all that out the way UGA didn’t win it because they were not good enough to go to it. That was last year get over it and look towards this year PAPER #1 team.. You can say luck, cheated or what ever the hell you want it will not change anything, so When you go to Baton Rouge this year you may want to stop in and see what the NC Crystal ball looks like they have two of them and no other team does. And if I remember they beat the dog’s twice in the same year to get the first one. There’s an old saying if a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his butt when he jumps. Way to many if if if if if if if if. GET OVER LAST YEAR PLEASE

By P Dawg

August 11, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Amen crs, I’ve said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again. osu sucks! They get WAAAAAY too much love from the media that drives the bs bcs. Same goes for USC, OU< and all the rest of the so-called big boys of the weak conferences. They run up impressive stats on weaker programs and dance right into the bcsncg! Why in the world the rest of the world doesn’t see it I’ll never know. SEC IS FOOTBALL AT IT’S BEST. The true champ is the SEC champ!!! End of story. I’m just glad that we’ve actually had SEC teams prove it the past two seasons! Should have been more. Let em’ put osu’s overrated butts in there against us this year and we’ll see more of the same. GO DAWGS!!!

By ugafann

August 11, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this

Lets all understand winning a National Championship takes alot of luck, and good fortune. I think the pedigree of a great coach should be conference record and conference championships. The evil genius has proven he’s great, Fulmer as well. Meyer and Miles did it with Saban and Zook’s recruits. Based on record, recruiting, and wins CMR is defintely an outstanding coach. Just not great, YET!!! Let ‘em go out and earn a NC. I’ll take CMR over any of the previous metioned. I’ll take SEC championships year after year, the NC will be sure to follow. As the saying goes, “Just win baby”.

By Steven

August 11, 2008 1:27 PM | Link to this

yes he is a great coach because hes already won 2 sec titles and two BCS bowl games and averages over ten wins a season in his first seven years after taking over an average program at the time. He should be considered a great coach but it does need to be said that he hasn’t won a NC. Just like Phil Mickelson was considered a great golfer even though he hadn’t won a major. Kind of like an asterisk but he will win one at UGA before he stops coaching. Possibly this year.

By TruthHurts

August 11, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this

I love penis. Especially CMR penis. Lets go ahead and make excuses about how a NC is all about luck…and not about the 2 losses we will have by Halloween this year.

By Ken

August 11, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this

I would not trade Coach Richt for any other coach in the country. If he continues to recruit as well as he has the past couple of years, a NC is just a matter of time and luck. IMO, he is the best football coach Georgia has ever had. My first year at UGA coincided with Vince’s first year in Athens. He was a good coach,but he did not have the consistently good years that MR has had.

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

Name one great coach who doesn’t have a national championship. Can’t name one, can you? Exactly! Richt ain’t great.

By Lowcountry Bulldawgs

August 11, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

Sic of ‘em,

Bad analogy of Sergio. Never has Sergio gone into a Major and have the media predicting him to win it. This year CMR is predicted to win it all,by several publications.

Also CMR has said on multiple times that when he made the move to UGA it was the ONLY job he planned on EVER taking. CMR will never bounce around (i.e. Meyer and Petrino). CMR whether you agree or not has values and is a man of integrity.

You have to take emotion and the rose colored glasses off for many of you to understand what I just posted.

Most of you just want to use this as form to talk about penis and how stupid UGA fans are for being excited about being “Preseason” #1. How are we supposed to act? A little common sense? Thats right on blogs all rational thinking is checked at the post button.

I for one am proud to have him as our coach!

GOOO DAWGS!!!

By AltamahaDawg

August 11, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this

You are very correct in that post vandy interview was an extremely frustrated coach. I agree that he mishandled his players, even if the motives were good, and from that standpoint you may be correct in stating that was a low point in his mood. (not player intentions to disrespect anyone) I don’t think he even realized at that moment that a preverbial corner had been turned.

UGA did play a great second half however that few give them credit for. I watched it not long ago on replay, And honestly the drama would have never been there except for about 4 plays in the first half, and about 2 good play on Vandy’s last drive. Clearly the ball was not bouncing our way, (and some miscues) and to survive that was a pretty big time gut check.

I particularly enjoyed your comment on the growing and learning thing. Mark Richt has been a head coach all of what, 7 yrs now. I always shake my head when our rivals think they are insulting the man, because he has not won a NC in that short of a period of a time. Because they clearly think he is capable. Nothing short of a glowing compliment.

By Michael

August 11, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this

Terrell Davis was the first back in the Shannhan “system” (west coast O using zone blocking for the running game) other almost all of the decent backs the Broncos have had racked up yards. So an argument can be made the Davis was a system back. It still amazes me that he didn’t do more at UGA. He’s a good back & another case of a leader on a team that helped take them to the Promised Land. Just like we have LT now & there was another back in the day…if you want to talk about a running back Back being called “TD” how about: Tony Dorset! Yet another SB champion!

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this

Also CMR has said on multiple times that when he made the move to UGA it was the ONLY job he planned on EVER taking. CMR will never bounce around (i.e. Meyer and Petrino). CMR whether you agree or not has values and is a man of integrity.

Does he really? If that FSU job opens up, will he take it? It’s easy to pretend to be a man of integrity when no other team is offering you their head coaching job just like it is easy to pretend to be a husband of integrity when your wife is the only woman in the world who wants you. At this point, he may never take the FSU job because he has you all fooled and feels comfortable but if and when he chokes this year and that FSU job opens up, watch out. Saint Mark just may be leaving ……

By Phat Phil's belly

August 11, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this

Bear Bryant, Steve Spurrier, Vince Dooley, , Phil Fulmer, Nick Saban, Urban Myer, Les Miles………all won National Championships while playing in the SEC. It wasn’t to hard to win for them. Only those who can’t do it, claim its to hard or blame bad luck. Its funny how UGAY fans are the only ones claiming that, while having the “greatest coach in college football history.”

GREAT COACHES DON’T LOSE TO VANDERBILT AND KENTUCKY IN THE SAME YEAR!

By Ed from Roswell

August 11, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this

When a national championship and then Richt will be cosidered a great coach which by the way, will not happen this year. I predict a disappointing and sad year for the Dog Nation. The team needs another multi personality psycho like H Walker in order to compete with Florida. Three or four losses for the pups this year. Bank on it.

By Ed

August 11, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this

I can’t think of a worse measuring stick to determine the greatness of a college coach than the mythical national championship. By that measuring stick, Richt isn’t great despite his 13-1 ‘02 season, Tuberville isn’t great despite his perfect 13-0 season in ‘04, but LES MILES is great because his 2-loss season last year somehow resulted in a title. I don’t know how Pitt upsetting West Va. in a game Miles wasn’t involved in could help propel him to greatness. Also, you’d have to consider Johnny Majors a great coach for winning it all at Pitt in ‘76, even though he didn’t accomplish much else, but not consider Bo Schembecler a great coach despite all the conference titles, the high winning percentage, and Rose Bowl trips.

The best measuring stick for Richt is his won-loss record, conference titles, and the fortunes of the program before he took over. By those standards (80% wins, 2 conf. titles after none the previous 20 yrs.), he’s a heck of a coach. I think we should keep him around for awhile.

By Lowcountry Bulldawgs

August 11, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this

Jimbo Fischer is the next xoach at FSU. He has already signed the paperwork. Sorry to bust your bubble. Any other ridiculous commetns you care to make?

GOOO DAWGS!!!

By AJCcritic

August 11, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

Great coach, yes. Great blog, no. Stop ripping off stuff from the Birmingham paper and the Macon Tel and come up with something original. Or let that Jenna do it. She can write.

By gator the dog catcher

August 11, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

Phat Phil’s belly - its also to hard nowadays to win the Heisman Trophy while playing in the SEC!

By Mr. & Ms Dishinger

August 11, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this

Milton Jeff,

Maybe you could save some of this sports knowledge for trivia. You won’t though. I bet my reputation on it!

By MDawg

August 11, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this

OMG! Stop with the Richt going to FSU stuff! It’s DOA! Richt’s whole family is in or will be in Athens. Brad Johnson’s retirement house is there! Why would his extended family relocate there if he was leaving? Jimbo Fisher is contractually obligated to take over for Bowden! So if they suck this year again then he’ll take over & should get at least one recruiting class of his own so even if he flops he’ll still be there 3 or 4 years. So in 4 or 5 years my guess is CMR contact will be extended with an even tougher out close that he has now. I think if FSU wanted him next year it would take about 8 million to buy out his contract. (Chip would have to confirm the exact dollar amount but it’s something like 2 mill per year remaining on it.) It’s just not happening! His Alma Marta Miami doesn’t have the $ support or facilities UGA does. It used to worry me if Carroll left USC but there probably heading to probation plus all the other factors mentioned above I just don’t see CMR going anywhere. Plus you know if Adams & Evans didn’t match or exceed any offer made they’d be burnt at the stake. UGA may not win it all this year if so I think all of the powers that be, alumni & fans realize CMR is the right man for the UGA job! So once again CMR is not going anywhere so just stop even mentioning it!

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this

Jimbo Fischer is the next xoach at FSU. He has already signed the paperwork.

Just like Holtz’s son was going to replace Lou and just like Oneill was going to replace Lute Olson. They’ll buy Jimbo out. $2.5 million ain’t nuthin’ but a chicken wing to a booster who wants Richt instead of Fischer. Don’t be so naive.

That Fischer thing was done to trick recruits into coming to FSU. They were losing their recruiting edge because people were whispering to recruits that Bowden isnt long for the job and you have no idea who will replace him……

so while they are stuck with Bowden for the time being, they need to pretend they have a long term vision for the program. So they throw Jimbo out there as his eventual replacement but the only tie in is a $2.5 million dollar thing they will easily buy out if the boosters care enough to get someone else…… and they will …………

there is no way they will stick with an unproven coach who has not exactly reversed their fortunes down there ………….

Naming Jimbo was just a way to trick recruits into coming to FSU ………………… only a fool or stupid teenaged recruit would buy Jimbo as their actual long term plan

By STephen

August 11, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this

CHIP

based on the interviews, the times i have heard him speak, the way his PEERS view him, and the job he has done on AND off the field.

his values, the way he goes about his life, and the difference he has made in the players he coaches LIVES…

YES CMR IS A GREAT COACH

By Michael

August 11, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this

CMR has slowly built UGA to be in a position to where FSU was so why would he leave to go start over! USC comes calling that’s a different ballgame that probably ends with him getting a bigger contact to stay put.

By nola dawg

August 11, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this

Roswell Ed - go away. It must be killing you how much hype UGA is getting this year. You know how you get this pre-season pub? You win 10+ games…You win SEC and division titles. How has Auburn done in the past 5-10 years? Oh yeah, that’s right just 1 SEC title.

Oh and the other way you get the pre-season love is crush your rival (like Auburn) by 20+ points 2 years in a row.

WDE that busta.

By Obnoxious Georgia Fan

August 11, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

This would have been a decent blog topic about 5 months ago when there is nothing else to talk about. Its now three weeks before the season starts. There are better things to talk about. I am convinced that Chip Towers knows very little about the game of football. He refuses to write about it.

By fansince66

August 11, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

Fran Tarkenton was a great quarterback - 4 super bowls, 0 championships. Bart Starr was a very good quarterback with two superbowl championships. Nuff said.

By Clint

August 11, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this

I, for one, don’t think championships define a “great” coach. I mean, Larry Coker and Lloyd Carr have a National Championship. I don’t think anybody considers them “great” coaches. The same goes for Saban. He’s a great recruiter, but his teams at LSU largely underachived. Sure they won the BCS, but I could have coached that team to it.

By Obnoxious Georgia Fan

August 11, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

Oh, and anybody who thinks Richt is going to FSU is a total dimwit. It would basically be a rebuilding job. He is raking in top 5 recruiting classes at UGA with relative ease. And any amount FSU puts on the table will be swiftly matched or exceeded but UGA. Money wouldn’t be an object. He isn’t going anywhere.

By Michael

August 11, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this

Proven coach huh how about mentioning some coaches with lack of character & history of job hopping! Sabin, Petrino or Dennis Erickson! FSU would be perceived as a step up for the last two. The pressure at AL might be too much for even Slick Nick or a probation investigation might be enough to get him to leave quickly.

By Good Grief

August 11, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this

What a shock, this blog is inundated with GT, UF, & UT fans.

Look, there isn’t a single D1AA team that has EVER won a legitimate National Championship because the NCAA does not award such a trophy. So the idea that you should judge a coach based on a fabricated mythical championship not sanctioned by, oh I don’t know, the SANCTIONING body of the sport, is borderline laughable. All we have is some overhyped popularity contest that pits two random teams that may or may not be the best teams in the country. And even if they were, it’s still not awarded by the NCAA. The SECC on the other hand is awarded by it’s governing body. Just like every other sane and reasonable sport on the planet. And it’s also won on the field. The ONLY way to judge a coach in my opinion is based on Wins, Conference Titles, and what said coach does reletive to where that program is positioned amongst it’s contemporaries.

And to Sic of Em’, I would suggest if you’r sic of em’, STOP POSTING ON A UGA blog. If you live in Georgia, and you don’t care for the State’s flagship team, Delta is ready when you are. If you happen to be a GA native and a GT fan, throw your time, efforts, and $$$ into helping them be better than an afterthought on UGA’s schedule.

UGA is right there among the ten winningest programs of all time. They have the third most SEC titles, and are number 6 nationally in bowl wins AND bowl appearances. They have won ALL of the major bowls, have multiple heisman trophy winners, multiple “mythical” national championships, have had multiple all americans, have a winning record verses EVERY major conference, have two, soon to be three coaches inducted into the college football hall of fame, finished last season as arguably one of the best teams in the land and are projected to be so again this year. UGA is a powerhouse program and always has been. Further, considering they were just last year the most profitable athletic department in America, play in a 93K seat stadium, have a monster recruiting budget and are the only game in the fourth best recruiting state in America, I don’t expect any radical change. If I were you I’d get some dramamine for your nausea, cause UGA isn’t going anywhere.

By BullDawg Rick

August 11, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

The AJC is downsizing due to dwindling sales. No one reads this crap anymore. Tony Barnhardt is no longer with the paper. Therefore, we are stuck with morons like Chip Towers and Orlando Ledbedder.

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this

Plus you know if Adams & Evans didn’t match or exceed any offer made they’d be burnt at the stake.

Do you think Adams cares one iota about being burnt at the stake? Did he care when he was toasted like a marshmallow by everyone and their grandmother for how he treated Vince Dooley? Adams is about as good at putting out fires as Jim Carrey when he was playing Fire Marshall Bill on In Living Color

By SEC the Best

August 11, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this

I would say Richt is on the verge of being a great coach, he needs more than 7 years as a head coach to qualify as great. The article also did not give much love to Tubbs @ Auburn. His record since 2001 is similar to Richt’s. Richt is 4-3 against Tubbs, although last year’s drubbing should count for 2 wins. But Tubbs has gone undefeated, something that Miles, Saban, and Meyer cannot say. Until there is a playoff system I don’t think that you can use national championships as a measure for “greatness.”

By Mountain Jim

August 11, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this

Richt has done a good job of recruiting the negroes in south ga which once was fertile ground for Bobby Bowden. With a state wide negro population of about 27%, more than double the national average, UGA should always be able to find athletically gifted negroes.

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this

Oh, and anybody who thinks Richt is going to FSU is a total dimwit. It would basically be a rebuilding job. He is raking in top 5 recruiting classes at UGA with relative ease.

Top 5 recruiting classes but no national championships. At some point, UGA fans will wise up and stop celebrating recruiting classes and realize what is the point of top recruiting classes if their coach never wins the only thing that matters with those so called top recruits: national championships?

If Richt is such a great recruiter with his top 5 recruiting classes, how come he never wins the national championship with them? Could it be because he is not a great recruiter? Or could it be because he is not a good coach once he gets the top recruits on campus? It’s one or the other folks. You can’t have it both ways. Decide which it is with Richt: great recruiter and poor coach or poor recruiter and great coach.

Come on, UGA fans, you have got to do better than this….. every excuse you guys make being Richt apologists just further highlights why he is not a great coach

But please, by all means, don’t do better …… just keep celebrating Coach Mediocrity Richt. If you don’t ever demand anything out of him other than top recruting classes, he’ll never leave ….. thereby leaving national championships for other more demanding schools to win. That works out just fine for the rest of us ……. and if you don’t demand better, he’ll never leave ………. who would leave a job where everyone excuses away your failure to win what really matters?

By Milton Jeff

August 11, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this

By Mr. & Ms Dishinger August 11, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this Milton Jeff, Maybe you could save some of this sports knowledge for trivia. You won’t though. I bet my reputation on it!

Way to step it up there. Seems like everyone else on this blog was making comments about it. I posted that comment @ 1030am. Was not trivia there dipsh*t.

By lamar

August 11, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this

HEY CHIP, you did a article that showed GA’S average in all aspects of the game nationally from last year. WHERE DID YOU GET THESE FROM?? I would love to look at Floridas and see how bad they were. Thanks.

By Odell ThUGAman

August 11, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this

his values, the way he goes about his life, and the difference he has made in the players he coaches LIVES…

What you talking about Willis?

By MIke

August 11, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this

Mark Richt is a fine man and coach. The greatest compliment I can give him is to say that he the type of person I would want my son to play for. Is he truly great? I think he is heading in the right direction, but hasn’t served long enough for the “true” distinction. A national championship would speed the process. There are a lot of “great” coaches who coached a lifetime and never won a national championship. It is part luck, part personnel, part assistant coaches, part favorable schedule and part coaching ability. It’s hard to have all of those things come together at the same time and at the right moment. I know one thing - I would not trade Coach Richt for anybody in the business.

By Lowcountry Bulldawgs

August 11, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

Sic (and tired),

You are a funny, funny guy.

No way do you believe half of the jive you are spewing on here. I will give you an A for effort in your venom against UGA and Mark Richt.

Really good effort, but you gotta have a better case. 10 win seasons, SEC titles, BCS victories. The only thing missing is the NC and this is the year most knowledgeable (SANE) people expect UGA to compete. Notice the word COMPETE.

So go ahead and keep poking out little zingers. It makes for a good laugh.

GOOO DAWGS!!!!

By A little advice from an old UGA Grad

August 11, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

Obnoxious Georgia Fan

Just remember that many LSU fans thought Saban wasn’t going anywhere and LSU put a lot of money in front of him. All I want to say is you don’t know where CMR’s head is. He might be saying he doesn’t want to leave but FSU might throw a good situation at him. Just don’t start making absolute statements about someone eles’ personal life.

By Chip Towers

August 11, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this

tim: No tailback work this morning b/c it was special teams practice… . But Coach Ball said this afternoon’s full-squad scrimmage was very important for the TBs… .

lamar: I did do a blog earlier about Georgia’s offensive stats from last season being very unimpressive. I don’t have time to go fetch Florida’s for you but here’s a link so you can check yourself. …

Sorry I’m not up to par for you AJCcritic and BulldawgRick. Just doing the best I can… .

UPDATES FROM AFTERNOON SCRIMMAGE COMING LATER!

By shane #1

August 11, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

I differ from the today’s norm in My opinion of what makes a great coach. There are very few coaches in college football history that I consider “great”. The SEC is full of good coaches, give Them ten more years and We will see if a couple of them become great. Had Papa Bowden and Joe Pa retired five years ago then They would have been under consideration, but IMO, hanging on too long has tarnished Their image. Bear knew when to quit, so did Bo and Ara. Bear and Bo are definately greats, and Ara was damned close. You notice that last names are not necessary, one of the measures of greatness. For instance, “Knute”. Also, great coaches become the face of one institution, I will never consider a coach that hops from one job to job “great”. Stay in one place through the good years and bad and win consistantly and You can become great. Of today’s coaches Pete Carroll probably comes closest to being a great coach. He has caracter and longevity. He is the face of SC football, and He wins. Richt has only been a head coach for seven years, He is a very good coach, the next seven years will tell if he is a great coach or not. Jim Grobe is one of the best coaches I have ever seen. He will never be considered great by football pundits because He is perfectly happy coaching at Wake Forest. A small school without a snowball’s chance in hell of winning it all. He has limited funds, a very small fan base, and limited talent. Yet He consistantly wins games. Maybe We fans need to adjust Our thinking when We call coaches “great”.

By mcdawg

August 11, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this

the more i read phil steele-the more worried i get about the south carolina game-hopefully our O-Line will have found its identity by then-can’t understand how we can be ranked ahead of Ohio State-our depth on D is untested as well-i think there are going to be some gut check moments early and often this season

By nola dawg

August 11, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

Ya’ll need to get of Chip’s back… what else do you want?

He gets access to the players and practice in limited chunks of time, and I think he is sending us great nuggets.

Chip the story about Walsh and his quotes above were great. Personally, that is the stuff I read this blog for. And also reading the daily updates and bracing myself for no more injury updates.

Don’t let those guys bother you Chip…

By REGAN

August 11, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

Why did you mute SOULJA BOY it is the kind of crap all your players listen to, wait I forgot you are white like all UGA fans and Black Things are only for playing sports and making money for UGA. The most DIVERSE college in the south UGA, go dogs.

By The General Feeling

August 11, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

Ya’ll are funny. Most of you clowns could coach UGA to 10 wins. Mark Richt is NOT a great coach. He simply hasn’t done enough. I would have given greatness to Steve Spurrier not now that he has failed the past several years. Greatness is only given to a few: Bear Bryant, Robert Neyland, and Bobby Dodd do come to mind.

By I-DOG

August 11, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

Bayou Bruce:

How is Richt light on discipline? Three guys got in trouble for serious things this year and all three were kicked off the team. What else can a head coach do besides kick the guys who do bad things off the team.

This is the same coach who suspended a starter for a game against OK state. consuming alchol outdoors and the player was over 21 during the Summer? Would you kick a guy off the team at LSU for drinking outside? especially if he is over 21? That was a rhetorical question… at LSU the player might have to run windprints at most.

By Randy

August 11, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this

Wally Butts was a great coach and had the greatest offensive mind ever displayed on a football field. If Mark Richt has one fourth of his offensive talent then UGA will win a National Championship this year, however, I do not feel that Mark has that offensive mindset. When Wally Butts was coach there were only four major bowls (Rose, Cotton, Sugar, and Orange) and Wally took UGA to all of them and won!

UGA has not been to the Rose or Orange bowl since Wally left UGA in 1960. Fran Tarkenton was a product of Wally Butts and UGA has never had another great quarterback in all the years since. What a shame!

By Roswell Ed

August 11, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this

Nola dawg, get your head out of Chips butt or at least give him a reach around

By dcdawg

August 11, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this

Chip— great job, dont change a thing. these people are getting stupid. its ok though, in 19 days everyone can shut and just watch football.

By Clete

August 11, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this

I could care less what you call him…great, good, mediocre…..whatever. I KNOW its been fun watching Ga. the past seven yrs. and I wouldn’t trade CMR for any of the other five coaches mentioned in the Birmingham News.

By You're kidding me

August 11, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this

Urban Meyer and Les Miles great coaches. Not even close. Let’s revisit this in % years and, MAYBE there’s a debate. These guys have a LONG way to go to greatness and, honestly, Miles isn’t even a good coach right now. He’s a lucky SOB but, that’s about it.

By Chip Towers

August 11, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this

AFTERNOON SCRIMMAGE UPDATE

Keep in mind, we were inside the stadium only for the warm-up portion of the scrimmage. So basically we got a good look at what they’ll look like getting ready before the game. That said, I was slow enough in leaving to be able to get a chance to see the No. 1 offense run on the field and execute the first play. Some interesting information came forth just from that brief sighting… .

True freshman A.J. Green was in at split end… .

True freshman Cordy Glenn was playing first-strong right guard, which corroborated the way he warmed up before the scrimmage. Other observations from that: Clint Boling was running No. 2 right tackle, Tanner Strickland was running No. 2 center and Ben Jones was running No. 2 guard… .

Perhaps most telling was **true freshman Richard Samuel going in as first-team tailback. No, he hasn’t unseated Knowshon Moreno. Moreno remains in a green jersey and off limits to contact and this was a full-contact scrimmage. It says rather clearly that Samuel, today at least, is the No. 2 tailback. FWIW, he took a handoff at left tackle on a lead pay and ripped off a pretty good gain, about 6-8 yards. By then I was ushered into the tunnel and out of the stadium… .

No new injury news. Same guys out. DE Rod Battle is still out and not moving around too good with the aggravated hernia thing and that doesn’t bode too well… .

NEXT UPDATE WITH COMMENTS FROM RICHT AFTER PRACTICE.

By hypocrites

August 11, 2008 5:06 PM | Link to this

I am a Gator fan and I think Richt IS a great coach.

It’s funny however to hear foolish folks here try and downplay Urban Meyer saying he won with someone else’s players and in the same breath talk about the 2002 UGA team just being unlucky to not get to play for it all. Well if the 2002 UGA team had gotten similar breaks and DID win it all then wouldn’t Richt have won with someone else’s players? You can’t have it both ways.

Besides the whole “he won with someone else’s players” arguement is silly and only designed to imply said coach can’t recruit. Urban Meyer has certainly proven he can recruit.

Also to one other point in this argument I dont think there is a chance in he!! Richt will ever go to FSU. He has too good of a thing at UGA and I think he will be there a very long time. If that is the case then Im sure a title will come at some point.

FYI UGA has NEVER been to the SEC title game without relying on another team to beat UF for them….

By Bama Dog

August 11, 2008 5:24 PM | Link to this

Hey Sic of ‘em, We’re Sic of You!

By Uncle Johnny

August 11, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this

Oh, give me strength. Richt inherited the first five years of players and this bunch this year is no where in the class of the others.

You ever notice Richt has a bad habit of sticking his tongue in the ear of his QB?

As long as Georgia can follow the pattern set by Dooley, Georgia will schedule enough layups to have a good season.

Now read my lips, Georgia will not be National Champion.

If you ever come to Las Vegas, look me up.

By bill_in_atl

August 11, 2008 5:33 PM | Link to this

Ask yourself this one question. Would you trade CMR for any other coach today? Straight up they will give you Saban, SOS, Fulmer, Urban, Miles, Rodriguez, Carroll, Brown, Stoops, Tressel or any other coach. Would you take them in an even trade with no strings attached?

The main guy with better numbers is Pete Carroll but look at the level of competition and his advantage built in with his literal pick of ANY player West of the Rio Grande (and a good shot at any East of it). The only other is maybe Tressel but get real. Can you imagine the difference in numbers if CMR and Tressel had to switch schedules?

MNCs are impossible to control. Just ask Tubby who has the best season in the SEC in 10 years. Richt is already great.

By Stephen

August 11, 2008 5:44 PM | Link to this

WEBSTER’s DEIFINITION OF GREATNESS

markedly superior in character or quality

Viva Coach RIcht, and GO DAWGS

By DisneyDawg

August 11, 2008 5:45 PM | Link to this

I think his record speaks for itself. He’s had tremendous success at UGA and acquitted himself quite well at FSU. In fact, I would submit that he is a huge reason, along with Van Halanger (sp?) that FSU’s program is in such a dismal state. I don’t think there’s any coincidence between UGA’s ascendance and FSU’s fall- it seems to be simple cause and effect. And yet Coach Richt is overlooked when the premier college coaching names get thrown around. If he’s okay with it I am, too. It means he’s here to stay, and that is great.

Along those FSU lines, I read an apologetic piece for the Seminole’s recent mediocrity in the Orlando Sentinel. I’ve repeatedly heard this excuse as they have stunk up the state the last few years: their recruiting has not been up to par recently. I looked on a few sites to check on this and, alas, they have consistently recruited concensus top 10 classes since 2002. They are my easy #1 for most overrated team of the decade. Michigan is #2. Year in, year out, these guys have been afforded ranking based on…what? Like they said about Michigan, you can’t spell Lloyd (Carr, the former Coach) without two “L’s”.

By nola dawg

August 11, 2008 5:46 PM | Link to this

Chip - really good stuff on the 1st string O. I think we need to consider Cordy Glenn in the same vein as AJG, Walsh, etc… That dude is going to play, maybe start game 1.

Did you get any info on how Walsh kicked this am? I wonder if they had any of those, “you miss this kick and the team runs” situations put on him.

keep up the good work (and screw was Roswell Ed says, dude’s a loser)

By Pitbull

August 11, 2008 5:49 PM | Link to this

Any coach that averages 10 wins a year in the SEC is great. How many coaches in any conference are currently averaging 10 wins a season?

By Stephen

August 11, 2008 5:49 PM | Link to this

Uncle Johnny,

I’ll be in my seats in sanford stadium on august 30th…i wont put my tongue in your earhole, but i’ll let you guess where i will put my foot.

By tim

August 11, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this

Chip, thanks for updates about Samuel. Please keep us posted…

By dogfan

August 11, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this

Hey Sic of “em;

Richt may or may not be a great coach. Time will tell. But it’s obvious you’re not mental giant. First, I simply said that winning a national championship should not be a measure of greatness and offered some examples of coaches who have won national championships but who few (probably none except may YOU) would consider a great. Then you - you mental midget you - make the argument that coaching at more than one school means a coach is in demand and thereby may be a “great” coach. Well, Ford, Schnellenger, and Erickson have all coached at several schools and NOT ONE OF THEM IS A GREAT COACH - Good, maybe but not GREAT. Oh yea, I never said they were bad coaches - you said that! Anyway, you’re obviously a world class jerk (or would you prefer (a GREAT jerk) who apparently gets enjoyment by trying to put down others. Have a nice day, Jacka$$!

By tim

August 11, 2008 5:57 PM | Link to this

Chip, thanks for the updates on everything, especially Samuel. Please keep them coming.

By Stephen

August 11, 2008 6:38 PM | Link to this

COME ON!!!….where are the updates???

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 6:38 PM | Link to this

then you - you mental midget you - make the argument that coaching at more than one school means a coach is in demand and thereby may be a “great” coach.

I never said that you have to coach at more than one school to be a great coach. I did say that to be a great coach maybe more than one team should be sniffing around to make you a coach. Not once since Richt arrived in Athens has any NFL or elite college program tried to steal Richt away from Georgia. That right there tells you of a lack of respect for his coaching ability within the profession.

By The Sage

August 11, 2008 6:41 PM | Link to this

Mark Richt is a GREAT man and will be judged as such by the only one who matters…His Heavenly Father. He’s also excellent in his chosen profession.

By Bryan G.

August 11, 2008 6:44 PM | Link to this

ANY UPDATE ON TRINTON STURDIVANT???

Dawgvent is saying he got hurt at practice.

By Denver Dawg

August 11, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this

Great in the way that it is meant in this article means being the best, and at some point that means a caoch MUST win a National Championship. I think about all the years the Braves kept winning the division and couldn’t win a World Series - what that says to people is a manager (coach) AND players can’t finish the drill. When they do, and that coach gets at least one NC, and that Nc is added to a solid winning career, then he is great. If CMR never wins a NC he will be good, but not great.

By The Scale

August 11, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this

Speaking of “GREAT BIG” men (emphasis on BIG), I nominate Fullip Fillmer. I understand he took a mission trip this summer also. To the “Feeding Frenzy All U Can Eat Buffet and Oil Change”, “just” outside Noxville. WEIGHT! This just in…the Buffet has now been restocked! If only he wore a green hat with that orange belly….pure pumpkin with stem!

By Sic of 'em

August 11, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this

Not once since Richt arrived in Athens has any NFL or elite college program tried to steal Richt away from Georgia. That right there tells you of a lack of respect for his coaching ability within the profession.

After all, just look at the pro success of Steve Spurrier, Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, et al. When you can put up those kinds of records theeeennn come talk to me.

By Palmetto State Dawg

August 11, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this

Hey Chip, how does the O -Line look? Any of the guys jump out at you as far as getting bigger since last year? How about Corvey Irvin…how is he doing? Thanks!

By The Scale

August 11, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this

Speaking of “GREAT BIG” men (emphasis on BIG), I nominate Fullip Fillmer. I understand he took a mission trip this summer also. To the “Feeding Frenzy All U Can Eat Buffet and Oil Change”, “just” outside Noxville. WEIGHT! This just in…the Buffet has now been restocked! If only he wore a green hat with that orange belly….pure pumpkin with stem!

By Chip Towers

August 11, 2008 6:51 PM | Link to this

BryanG: I would never put anything like that up unless I had direct confirmation from the coach.

By Fred G. Sanford

August 11, 2008 6:52 PM | Link to this

The “G” stands for Georgia, you big dummy.

Not once since Richt arrived in Athens has any NFL or elite college program tried to steal Richt away from Georgia. That right there tells you of a lack of respect for his coaching ability within the profession.

What a load of crap. LMAO!!

By Atlanta Gator

August 11, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this

To my way of thinking, you are not a “great coach” until you have demonstrated consistent wining ways over a decade or more, AND you have either won the Big One at least once OR you have dominated your serious conference competition and rivals.

So, is Richt a great coach by my standard? Well, I’ll let you Dawgs be the judge. I will say this: in my estimation, coaches Meyer, Miles, Saban and Tuberville are not yet great coaches, but could be. Paul Bryant, Pete Carroll, Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, and Joe Paterno were great coaches. By these high standards, even the Evil Genius,, in his 1990s Gator prime, would only qualify for “near great” status, IMHO.

Let’s not hand out the highest accolades until they’re fully earned. There’s no shame in being “very good.”

By Bryan G.

August 11, 2008 6:58 PM | Link to this

Thanks Chip

By PBRMAKESGATORGIRLSLOOKBETTER

August 11, 2008 7:12 PM | Link to this

I think that CMR is on his way to being a great coach. I also think that all the Gator fans need to head on over the Gator sites and fill them with all the bs that seems to be permiating. Gator the dog catcher? To bad you were not on the field last year, maybe if you were the Gators would not have been thrown all over the place and slapped around.

By animaldr

August 11, 2008 7:35 PM | Link to this

R&B reports T. Sturdivant hurt knee/ very swollen- Chip- have you heard that?

By joseph

August 11, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this

Yes i think CMR does need to win an mnc to be considered a great coach. But it wont happen because no proven wr’s and he will prabaly get out coached by spurrier and lose. It makes me sick that we always play down to there level.

By Hunk Erdown

August 11, 2008 7:41 PM | Link to this

I think a word like greatness needs to be reserved for the hall of fame voters at a time when the man’s whole career can be evaluated. Greatness takes on the embodiment of the entire work. A coach could come in and work for one or two years and possibly win a nc. Should he be rightly compared with someone who builds an entire program and begins a tradition of continually winning and constantly being figured into the whole picture of the top 10 programs that set the pace and shape the race?

There are men that are doing a great job but can’t be considered “great” until they finish. For a long time Woody Hayes was great. Is Paul Johnson great? Jim Donnan?

Its not even a fair question until the man is done with his work.

By Curious George

August 11, 2008 7:48 PM | Link to this

How did the Red & Black beat the AJC to posting a story on #77 getting hurt?

By Alex

August 11, 2008 7:51 PM | Link to this

Chip/Brian G.,

Both Rivals.com and the Red and Black website say Sturdivant hurt his knee in practice. According to Richt it was swelling and he went to the hospital to x-rays.

No mention about the extent of the injury or the time he might miss; Richt did not want speculation or rumors.

By Chip Towers

August 11, 2008 8:05 PM | Link to this

Worse news possible on Sturdivant’s knee. Full report should be on UGA page shortly. Thanks.

By Matt Foley, motivational speaker

August 11, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this

Say it isn’t so……are they going to re-name Sanford Stadium Prison Yard??

The Warden (aka Coach Richt) would be mighty proud!

By mountain fan

August 11, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this

As a coach, he is great at getting top five classes each year…and look what that has produced.

ps, Butts greatest off….wow!

By Josh

August 11, 2008 8:09 PM | Link to this

Chris Low on ESPN.com also posted news of Sturdivants injury. He said he was being taken to the hospital for an MRI. I think he is at AU today. How is it that he has this info on ESPN before it is posted here?

By Alpha G8R

August 11, 2008 8:20 PM | Link to this

Funny how all you UGAlee dog fans think Mark Richt is a “great” coach now. If you remember, this is the same Mark Richt you were all ready to run out of town on a rail after you got spanked by the Vowels last year.

And you’ll be ready to get rid of him again after you lose your first game this year.

By william cranman

August 11, 2008 8:20 PM | Link to this

Chip, I seem to be in the minority here, but why in the world would we put our best corner (Asher Allen) in the game to return kickoffs? It makes no sense. I realize he would probably excel at this, but the risk of injury is too great. A lockdown corner is much more difficult to find. The fact that he is even being considered for this is just baffling. What are your thoughts Chip?

By uga95

August 11, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this

The news about Sturdivant is really not good for the Dawgs. I am really concerned.

By uga95

August 11, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this

The news about Sturdivant is really not good for the Dawgs. I am really concerned. Searels is going to have to earn his pay again this year!

By BobDog

August 11, 2008 8:23 PM | Link to this

Nola Dog, Chip posted earlier about the kicker. He did well. You can find it above.

Josh, Chip said he wouldn’t post anything like an injury until confirmed by a coach.

By Bob

August 11, 2008 8:29 PM | Link to this

A “devastating blow” Chip? Can you cut out the editorializing and just report the facts dude? Its bad news no doubt, but good grief man. The games haven’t even started yet. You have no idea what is going to happen.

By G8TR

August 11, 2008 8:35 PM | Link to this

Another hilarious example of Bulldog inferiority thinking, which is matched only by the annual pre-season air of superiority at UGA (until the usual SEC East losses begin). There was practically no end to last year’s whining about UGA not backing into the NC game. Yet everyone is fast to dismiss all the other teams that get to the BCS title game and win it. Of course, if Richt ever was to make it to the championship via any means, he’d magically become “great” too.

Always remember that CMR is just a ‘Cane-playing, ‘Nole-coach dressed in Dawg clothes. Noble assistant coach of the ‘91 team that SI dubbed the “Tainted Title” squad.

Stay delusional, though. It’s highly entertaining for the rest of us.

By Cuz

August 11, 2008 8:50 PM | Link to this

Is Coach Richt great, well that depends on the depends on the meaning of the word is.

How about this, I would not feel great if Coach Richt was not head coach. To me it is semantics. It is all about opinion. Is my opinion better than yours, of course not, all are entitled to an opinion. My opinion is he does not need an MNC to be a great coach. If Dooley had not won the MNC in 1980, in Athens, and in my home, he would still be considered great. And that is all I have got to say about that.

Our prayers are with Sturdivant. Chip when you have solid info, let us know.

By Carmela LeMacola

August 11, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this

Question for anyone that attended the Roast & Toast of Vince Dooley……Did anyone mention 4.16 or tease him about the many probations he landed UGa on or the Tranz Am he gave Herschel’s #1 personality? Thanks. I’ll hang up and listen.

By uga's favorite tick

August 11, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this

If sturdivant is gone for a while - even the whole season - it’s not good. But we still have a lot of talent. It’s all “young,” but there is so much promise. Our new left tackle will just have to grow up fast, like Sturdivant did. Boling may be the one, or Kiante Tripp. But whoever it is, I still like our OL. A lot of talent there. We have 10 (well, now nine, maybe) who can play.

By Florida=JOKE

August 11, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this

G8TR, I think dancing in your endzone after the first touchdown is much more humorous. Probably not as humorous as scoring 35 more points afterward though. Funny how Florida fans always talk about higher standards, yet they seem to have no problem with last year’s mediocre 9-4 finish. How does that work?

By john

August 11, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this

You bulldogs have won a lot of game in the last 8 years; you have not won a SEC championship. Florida lost and Georgia was next in line. For such a great coach only two SEC championships, I am glad Georgia has him. 2 wins and 6 loses against the Gators.

By lamar

August 11, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this

HEY CHIP, THANKS FOR THE LINK TO LOOK AT THE NATIONAL RANKINGS FOR LAST YEAR TEAMS!! YOU ARE THE BEST!! IF WE LOSE STURDIVANT WE ARE IN TROUBLE!!! THEY SAY NOW FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR!!! DANG!!!!

By Cuz

August 11, 2008 9:10 PM | Link to this

Carmela, hate to break it to you but this is not radio. You can read and not write and that would probably satisfy alot of us.

I recall Herschel Walker’s Dad saying he worked two shifts to get Herschel that, correct spelling, Trans Am. Now I don’t know where you come from, but I am from the same part of the state as Herschel and you don’t go around here calling somebody’s Daddy a liar unless you got proof. Got a copy of the pink slip babe? Thought not, go back to your irrelevnce.

EARN IT!!

By Zeb

August 11, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this

Cuz, you are right on my friend. What’s great to me may not be great to you. Let me ask you astute college fans a question, how do you measure greatness? Is your focus on wins and losses? Is it on morals and character? Just what makes a great man? A great coach? As a dawg fan, of course I want another MNC, but I love a great season. I love guys who play lights out every down even if they come up short. If your personal goal was to become a millionaire, but you continued to help people on your quest and never made it, does that make you less than great? I think Chip could’ve worded this article a little differently. Like Cuz said, it’s semantics. Greatness is measured differently in each of our minds. And getting inside the mind of a college football fan is, well, scary as hell. It’s like when your wife asks you, “What are you thinking”? Ohhhhhh, you REALLY don’t want to know.

By Nola Dawg

August 11, 2008 9:30 PM | Link to this

serious dawg fans - what is the REAL word about Knowshon’s shoulder? I am starting to think it is more serious than the coaches are letting on. And is it just me, but every year we seem to lose a lot of guys in camp. I guess I am glad CMR runs a hard, physcial camp, but we always seem to lose key players.

And Gator fans, shut your mouth and start working about your boy Percy. His wheels ain’t right either… so be careful about talking smack…karma can be a bi*ch.

Any inside scoop on Knowshon’s shoulder let us know…

By Ben

August 11, 2008 9:37 PM | Link to this

Is CMR a ‘great’ coach? Is golf really a sport? These types of conversations are pointless. Please more practice input and less sports philosophy.

By AltamahaDawg

August 11, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this

HunkErdown nailed it. Its a silly meaningless debate until you look at a man’s career. Had some random event happened out west one saturday afternoon, Coach Richt could have very well played in a MNC game in only his second year Head Coaching. Would that have made him “great”, had he hung it up before his third year? MNC is but one of the line items on a coach’s resume, who may or may not be great. It’s not the definition of great.

And Alpha, just making up a lie to have an insult to hurl would be the mark of a man low on intelligence and self esteem. You’re not embarassed to come across that way? A spineless liar.

By AltamahaDawg

August 11, 2008 10:00 PM | Link to this

Oh, ESPN might televise next years G-day game IF, IF the dawgs do well this year. Isn’t 9-4 the standard for getting that honor?

By Chip Towers

August 11, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this

Guys, it’s the AJC’s policy for us to not break news on the blogs. That’s why you did not see a mention of it here until later, after it had been posted separately on our UGA page and the main page. I can post information almost instantly in this forum, but it’s not as quick when I file an actual story or “news burst” as we call it for online. I have to send a word document remotely and it gets checked in and edited before it is posted on the website. It took a little while but ended up being going online about 8… .

So for future reference, know that when news is breaking to check our UGA page instead of here on the blog.

By REGAN

August 11, 2008 10:53 PM | Link to this

JUST HIRE BLACKS to do more than RUN, CATCH, HIT, or CUT GRASS then you can be a UNIVERSITY. Blacks are second class in your hearts and minds unless they WIN for UGA. BE REAL DAWGS.

By uga95

August 11, 2008 11:51 PM | Link to this

Regan

What in the f-ing hell are you talking about?

By Cuz

August 12, 2008 12:39 AM | Link to this

The Mandingo faction has been heard, and is well represented. How would you like to be Vice President of my organization here in the Bible belt, NAMBLA South. We have neetings for moral support oncea month, as its just becoming a “Chic” movement, as theGay movement took years to form and be totally accepted. We are sponsoring our next event for later this month, Dawgs -4NAMBLA, we will have a rally in September at Morris Hall, and so far, at least 32 members from this site have signed up.

By REGAN

August 12, 2008 12:43 AM | Link to this

Great cause, Cuz, I have two adult sons in the movement. Anything I can do, dont hesitate to ask.

By UGAFan

August 12, 2008 1:17 AM | Link to this

Chip Towers, Great job man covering the Dawgs. You continue to provide great coverage. Thanks very much.

By TybeeDawg

August 12, 2008 1:19 AM | Link to this

Chip,

Define breaking news. It seems like you have broken news on the blog before.

PROVE IT!!

By Eric C.

August 12, 2008 2:55 AM | Link to this

Son of a gun…take it easy D! Bob, that injury IS devastating…good call Chip.

By shane #1

August 12, 2008 5:36 AM | Link to this

Cuz, I am off these blogs for a while brother. That poser is back on the previous blog. Posing doesn’t realy bother Me that much. I draw the line at insulting Veterans however. Such garbage has no business on a football blog. Cuz, You can nuke the blogs, You can nuke the AJC offices for all I care, I am done! Zeb, Samoan, Hunk, and all You guys, it has been great getting to know you. Gen, War Eagle, Atlanta Gator, Carolina Jacket, and all of You that root for other teams but still show respect for Us Dawgs, it has been a pleasure getting to know You too. Hopefully We can meet at a game sometimes. Chip, thanks for doing such a good job. I look foward to reading Your articles, but I will neither read nor post comments. Whatever you see posted in my name will be a poser. It is a shame that one or two jerks can ruin a good thing for everybody.

By FLA DAWG

August 12, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this

I’m getting damn tired of preseason moderate and “out for the season” injuries. Sturdivant may be the best O lineman we have - now he’s out for the year.

I am well aware full contact is required before the season begins but it begins too soon. These guys need to warm up another week or two before full contact.

This is not just a UGA phenomenon. It happens all over the country this time of year. The guys are just too tight, it’s too soon to go wide open throttle.

One man out like Sturdivant is enough to make a huge difference. The O line is the foundation of any winning team. Ours just took a big hit.

By John

August 12, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

Without a doubt, Richt is the man. With or without a championship.

By REGAN

August 12, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

REGAN made the GET Black Students that don’t play sports or work cutting Grass VENT. The second regan ain’t me. The Statement is TRUE just walk the Hall of UGA and how many African American students do you see? How many do not play a sport? Truth. UGA where white kids go to school to be with white kids and cheer for black kids playing with a ball of some sort.

By Cuz

August 12, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

Looks like my poser is back. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not espouse racial, bigoted or homophobic comment. Not my thing dude. You are going to have to do better than that if you want to immitate me. I am not saying I am great. I am saying I am better than you because I don’t hide behind someone else’s name.

Shane, I understand the frustration, but I have your e-mail address, we will correspond.

EARN IT!!

By Ed

August 12, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this

I have finally come around and seen the wisdom of those who say you have to win a national title to be a great coach. Richt has had 7 years to win a title at a premier SEC program, and has failed. Don’t point to his 13-1 record in ‘02 - he had no business losing one game and it’s his fault that neither Ohio State or Miami lost a game that season. If Georgia had remained undefeated, one of those teams would have felt more pressure and lost a regular season game, no doubt.

I say we draft a petition to get Richt fired ASAP and immediately offer the UGA head coaching position to the first of the following GREAT national championship winning coaches who accept the job:

1. Larry Coker (Miami just doesn’t get his greatness, apparently)
2. Lloyd Carr (can’t beat OSU, but grandfathered into greatness because of ‘97)
3. Danny Ford (1981 - ‘nuff said)
4. Bobby Ross (1990 split title)
5. Johnny Majors (73 yrs. old, but still spry)
6. Les Miles (we could use some of that two-loss championship magic)
7. Nick Saban (hey, if you can endure the all too frequent five-loss season, he’s your man. A “genius” based on one two-loss season at Mich. St. and a split national title with LSU in ‘03)
8. Phil Fulmer (he’s been on the hot seat for two years and hasn’t won the conf. in 10 yrs., but ‘98 title has given him great-coach-for-life status).

Anyone with me?

By Carmela LeMacola

August 12, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this

Cuz, I am from the part of the state where we don’t refer to our fathers as “daddy” after about the age of 8. And we certainly don’t use the word “babe” on a sports blog, you sissy a$$. It’s fairly common knowledge that Herschel’s (7th personality) father didn’t pay for any Trans Am for him. It was from the Teflon Prince.

By Cuz

August 12, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

Carmela, thank God I don’t live in your part of the state. My girls still call me Daddy or Dad. What do you call your Dad, Father dearest? Jealousy will get you nowhere, now if your Daddy had just got you that pony when you were 8, maybe things would have worked out differently. Have a nice day sweetie.

By ht

August 12, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

Richt has to prove to the nation he can win the big one and he will do so this year. Fulmer, Saban, Miles, Spurrier, and Meyer have done so.

By mark

August 13, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this

Too much luck is involved. They were like 12-1 and stomped Arkansas in the SEC championship game and ended up playing FSU in the Sugar Bowl. I think USC played OSU that year for the NC (could be wrong though). Regardless, you go 12-1 and win the SEC you’ve pretty much done all you can do to put yourself in position to play for the NC. You can’t ask your team to go undefeated in this conference to get that opportunity. Ask TT how he feels about that!! The fact that USC and OSU didn’t lose a game that year is not Richt’s fault.

Isn’t Marino considered a great QB eventhough he never won a Super Bowl?

By dawgfacedboy

August 13, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this

Ed- i’m picking up some sarcasm, and I love it! I completely agree with you! People can argue about this as much as they want but the facts you stated are undeniable.

By Ed

August 13, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this

dawgfacedboy, I’m glad you (and hopefully others) picked up on my sarcasm, because I layed it on pretty thick. I kind of expected to get ripped by folks who thought I was really calling for Richt to get fired. But when you look at the roster of NC coaches and the roster of coaches who have none or maybe only one title after a long career, you realize that a mythical national nitle is not the best indicator of coaching greatness.

We’re lucky to have Richt, especially since he seems dedicated to UGA and isn’t constantly eyeing other jobs like so many in the profession. I still can’t get over a bad feeling about this year, though. The schedule, injuries and super high expectations can be a bad mix. This could be a redo of Auburn ‘03-‘04. AU had lots of hype going into ‘03 and a disappointing season followed by less expectations and a perfect ‘04 seasons. Something tells me we’ll take some lumps this year but everything will come together in ‘09. I hope I’m right about ‘09 but wrong about ‘08. I’ll be pulling like hell for the Dawgs either way.

By Ed

August 13, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this

Following up on yesterday’s comments, I should add that “great” coaches can cause other teams that aren’t on their schedules to lose games, just by the force of their will.

For instance, Steve Spurrier (who actually was a great offensive coach at one time) used the force of his mind to cause 1/3 of the ‘96 Nebraska team to come down with the flu before the Big XII Championship game. The Huskers loss to an average Texas team put Florida in the title game.

Not to be outdone by a former Florida coach, Urban Meyer used the force of his mind to motivate UCLA to upset a far superior USC team in ‘06, putting the Gators in the championship game against OSU.

And most recently, Les Miles, who somehow couldn’t will his team to victory against Ark. and Kentucky, regained his form in time to cause Pitt’s shocking upset of West Va. and several other upsets before that, putting his 2-loss LSU team in the title game.

Now that’s coaching greatness! Richt needs to get with the program or get out. There’s no excuse for letting Ohio State and Miami go undefeated in ‘02. And don’t get me started on Tommy Tuberville - 13-0 in ‘04 and no title? He sucks! Les Miles could show him a trick or two.

By Carmela LeMacola

August 13, 2008 5:30 PM | Link to this

Cuz, the irony. Your girls call me Daddy too.

By T

August 13, 2008 7:33 PM | Link to this

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL .. Are you serious??? LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

By red and black

August 13, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this

Ed the only force meyer used was him forcing snott out of his nose after crying his team was better than michigan and should be playing ohio.The same michigan the next year waxwd his a** on espn.The same mich.team kept giving uf the ball in their own territory,only to blow each and every chance to show the country they were the better team.Michigan was in the game for revenge and boy did they run up and down the field,…The bear/spurrier/dooley/ and mark belong to the 10/7 club.10+wins in 7 yrs.Sorry but urban crier/zook/hall arent even cut from the same mold.

By red and black

August 13, 2008 7:59 PM | Link to this

Ed-Tony Dungy while at the bucks was near the top every year,then won the super bowl 3 yrs later for the colts.If you are in the top 5 or 10 almost every year,you start getting recognition from every high school coach.Then quality players stand in line to play for your team.Georgia,miami and ohio have the most players in the nfl,that in itself brings guys who are looking to go pro.