"We're Going to Need a Bigger Goat": Colorado Buffaloes 29, Georgia Bulldogs 27
by T Kyle King on Oct 3, 2010 2:43 AM EDT
in Football
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PrintIt will surprise exactly no one who knows me to learn that, when I got back home from the First Annual Dawg Sports Sacrificial Goat Roast at about 12:45, I could not sleep, so I figured I would put my usual insomnia to productive use by assembling the thoughts that bounded around in my head during the long drive home.
Ere I get to the game itself, though, I must express my thanks to everyone who attended the get-together. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed getting to meet everyone and put faces with the names. I am especially indebted to MaconDawg for making it possible for us to use the festivities to aid a worthy cause by raising funds for the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, to oneloyaldawg for making it possible for us to say we not only had been there and done that but also had gotten the T-shirt (I am wearing mine right now, in fact), and, of course, to podunkdawg, who came up with the idea and put together what I hope will become an annual event.
That leaves us (alas) with the game itself, about which I will be relatively brief. From the time I beheaded a red velvet cake in the shape of a goat to the time of the Georgia Bulldogs’ final fatal fumble, I felt good about the visitors’ chances. Although the Red and Black came close to winning in each of their three previous losses, the setback in Boulder was the first game about which it fairly might be said that the ‘Dawgs should have won. When a team cobbles together 20 first downs, 27 points, and 409 yards of total offense under the guiding hand of a quarterback who throws for 221 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, that ought to be enough to allow that squad to card a victory.
As before, though, this team can’t quite put it all together. Georgia isn’t truly terrible at much of anything, but neither are the Red and Black reliably good at anything. What I thought was the safest bet in all of college football---a Blair Walsh field goal, about which I arrogantly remarked that I thought it was cute that the announcers referred to a chip-shot three-pointer as a "try"---was attempted without success. Everything about this team is like that.
A defense that looked great on first and second down couldn’t get off the field on third down. Vance Cuff epitomized the Georgia D by making stellar plays then following them up with awful ones. The offense was at once maddeningly consistent and maddeningly inconsistent: "maddeningly consistent" because of the predictability of Mike Bobo’s play calling; "maddeningly inconsistent" because Coach Bobo did not call a uniformly bad game---from the involvement of the tight ends to the use of sweeps to the genuine attempts to be creative without being overly cute, he made several good calls---but his efforts were streaky.
Players who were performing well would disappear from the field without apparent reason; the offensive coordinator went away from what was working inexplicably and without warning. The Bulldogs’ latest backbreaking fumble occurred on a play that was the correct call under the circumstances. Even Georgia’s good decisions are turning out badly.
The reality of four straight losses in a quartet of games that all were thoroughly winnable in the final period of play calls to mind certain truths about statistical probability. If you flip a coin a thousand times, you’ll probably get pretty close to 500 heads and 500 tails, but you won’t alternate between the two, with all the odd flips coming up heads and all the even flips coming up tails; instead, you’ll get a lot of runs of several heads in a row and several tails sequentially. The ‘Dawgs have come up tails for four straight Saturdays.
That is not to suggest that these results are random; it is no accident that well-coached, fundamentally sound, disciplined teams like Alabama put together lengthy winning streaks. Luck, as they say, is the intersection of preparation and opportunity. Game planning, adjustments, conditioning, discipline, blocking, tackling, and the like take much of the randomness out of football games, with the advantage going to the team that is better prepared to seize upon the random bounces that could go either way in contests between equals.
Georgia could and should have put this game away, but, because the Bulldogs could not do anything consistently well, they put themselves at the mercy of chance. When you allow every play to be a coin flip, you allow every game to be a coin flip, and that leads to losses, like this one, which never should have occurred.
A dozen little things stand between this team and its potential. That is encouraging, because the things are little, like assignment football, protecting the pigskin, and avoiding penalties. It also is discouraging, because, although each individual difficulty is tiny, the troubles are multiple, so many elements of the Bulldogs’ game must be improved if the Classic City Canines are to take matters out of the hands of cruel fate and take charge of their own destiny.
While Georgia’s win over Kentucky in 2008 was a much more pleasant experience than the Bulldogs’ loss to Kentucky in 2009, both contests were marred by slipshod play that allowed random bounces to decide the outcome. The problem isn’t that Georgia is losing; the losses merely highlight the problems. The problems were there even when the Bulldogs were winning; they were there in lackluster wins (Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Auburn in 2008; Arizona State in 2009) and there in shootout victories (LSU and Kentucky in 2008; South Carolina and Arkansas in 2009) every bit as much so as they were in disheartening losses (Alabama and Georgia Tech in 2008; Oklahoma State, LSU, Tennessee, Florida, and Kentucky in 2009; all four losses this year). Losing might actually be a blessing, if it serves as the wake-up call to those in a position to fix what ails us.
In the meantime, I haven’t read anything that’s been posted at the site since Saturday morning, although RedCrake went on-line shortly after the end of the game and gave us a report on the number of comments in the thread, both in toto and from the fourth quarter forward, so I have a pretty good idea that Bulldog Nation is bordering on a meltdown. I’ll review everything on Sunday afternoon and address anything that requires my attention at that time, but, for now, I’d just like to point out the following facts, which are submitted without comment:
- In his first 122 games as the Bulldogs’ head coach, Wally Butts went 84-33-5. At one time during his first 122 games at the helm at Georgia, Coach Butts endured a four-game losing streak during which the Red and Black’s worst loss was by 20 points.
- In his first 122 games as the Bulldogs’ head coach, Vince Dooley went 79-38-5. At one time during his first 122 games at the helm at Georgia, Coach Dooley endured a four-game losing streak during which the Red and Black’s worst loss was by 39 points.
- In his first 122 games as the Bulldogs’ head coach, Mark Richt went 91-31. At one time during his first 122 games at the helm at Georgia, Coach Richt endured a four-game losing streak during which the Red and Black’s worst loss was by twelve points.
Go ‘Dawgs!
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Yeah, well
Butts and Dooley didn’t coach in the 21th century, so.
Mark Richt is the only coach we've had in the 21st century.
If we’re arbitrarily going to use January 1, 2001, as the starting point for all relevant history, we’re going to have nothing to which to compare anything.
I believe a university that was chartered three years before the U.S. Constitution was ratified is going to exhibit a longer institutional memory than that. Others, of course, are free to believe that we should have fired Coach Butts after 1949 and Coach Dooley after 1974, the 1959, 1976, 1980, 1981, and 1982 SEC championships notwithstanding.
Had we done so, by the way, Mark Richt currently would be the winningest head coach in Georgia football history.
Go 'Dawgs!
If we’re arbitrarily going to use January 1, 2001, as the starting point for all relevant history, we’re going to have nothing to which to compare anything.
Sure we do. Other universities. Particularly the ones that are ruling the SEC right now.
I hate to hate, really, but if we’re bringing up Wally Butts in arguments concerning a coach in 2010, we’re already far, far, far in the weeds. The game as changed. Let us hope we’ll change with it.
D.N Nation
The game may have changed, but winning hasn’t. TKK is right. Wally Butts, Knute Rockne, Vince Lombardi, Vince Dooley, Paul “Bear” Bryant, Chuck Noll…winning is winning! The method may change, but the essence is the same!
If you're gonna do it, go ugly early.
such an arbitrary date as 2001 is absurd
as a Gator, we all know football’s starting point was 1990. Isn’t that what ya’ll have been muttering all these years?
by yourgatoroverlord on Oct 3, 2010 8:13 AM EDT up reply actions
It isn't what we've been muttering, . . .
. . . but it certainly seems to be what many members of your fan base assume.
Go 'Dawgs!
We're even...
…for 2006. Buffs should have won the 2006 game, UGA should have won 2010. We’re even, I’m putting away my voodoo doll.
FWIW, I think the Buffs are better than most of you (I read the entire game thread, all 1469 posts) think, and I think UGA will turn it around and make a bowl game.
Mercy me, let's see it.
Because we should be favored against Idaho State and maybe Vandy, and that’s pretty much it.
As a fan of Colorado...
My uncle attended Colorado, and I have family in Boulder. So I root for the Buffs. I remember staying up late to watch my VHS-taped game between Colorado and Michigan in 1994. Kordell Stewart’s hail mary is still one of my favorite college football moments. Recently, however, y’all have not been good. This frustrates me, and the entire Colorado fan-base more.
I say all this to say that on Saturday night, I saw a team that was fired-up, prepared and well-coached, mostly ;-). And it was not my Dawgs.
Congrats on the win, and I will be rooting for y’all to start your resurgence in the Pac-12.
"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones
I wouldn't say the Bulldogs weren't fired up, prepared, and well-coached last night.
They weren’t consistent, but they weren’t flat.
Go 'Dawgs!
I hate to be uncordial to a courteous visitor, BuffsFan99...
… and I want to specifically thank you for your civil demeanor and the class that you have shown in your comments. I’m not sure that I agree either in your assertion of how good the Buffs are or that Georgia will rebound and have a non-losing season, but I respect your opinion, and certainly time will tell on those issues.
Based on what my entire family experienced in Boulder on Saturday night, however, you are in the vast minority of Colorado fans. Just about the only other time I’ve endured such vile, classless, personally-directed taunting is at the hands of Florida fans… and we all know how insufferably arrogant Florida fans are.
For the first 2 1/2 quarters of the game, every single time a CU player made a big play, just as many taunts and jeers were directed our way (from multiple directions) as were cheers directed towards the field. After Georgia went up 24-14, they mostly shut up, and when they took the lead back, most of them seemed content to simply be thankful they were leading. Still, however… the treatment we endured was detestable.
Wow, I'm really sorry to hear about that behavior
I know there was an “F Georgia” chant going at one point, but I thought that was the worst of it – there’s no reason to make things personal towards you, your family, or any other UGA fan enjoying the game and behaving themselves.
I actually saw alot of pretty good camaraderie between the fan bases, especially at the tailgates, where I saw alot of beverages politely shared between the fan bases. I’m guessing you were near the CU student section, and we have our share of bad apples there. Boulder is also pretty sensitive to being swarmed by red (Nebraska invades our field), and UGA fans came in droves. But still no excuse – I’m embarrassed.
Comparing Richt to those ancient coaches is irrelevant and disingenuous.
Butts and Dooley didn’t get the equivalent of 2-3 FCS cupcakes every year.
Today’s game is not the game of the 50s or the 70s.
Beg to differ
Dooley played Florida and Vandy every year, A Tech team coached by Bill Curry, and teams like Richmond, Baylor, Temple, and Tulane.
Thanks, CraigT.
Georgia, like most teams, has always played a couple of cupcakes every year for a while.
Two of the Bulldogs’ eleven wins in 1942 were victories over Furman and Chattanooga.
Go 'Dawgs!
That’s nice, but its nothing compared to now – especially with the 12 game season and the wealth of joke bowls.
I'm not following your logic, Muckbeast.
You say it’s not fair to compare Mark Richt to Wally Butts because Wally Butts didn’t face the equivalent of two to three Division I-AA opponents a year.
I cited the example of one of Coach Butts’s most successful seasons and pointed out the fact that, in that season, the Bulldogs faced Furman and Chattanooga, two teams that currently compete in Division I-AA. Accordingly, I demonstrated through a factual example that Coach Butts actually did face the equivalent of two Division I-AA opponents a year.
You responded that it was “nothing compared to now,” even though I had addressed, and refuted, the specific point you made.
If your point was irrelevant, you shouldn’t have wasted your time and mine by making it. If your point was relevant, you can’t simply brush it aside as unimportant once I’ve refuted it. If beating two Division I-AA teams in one season is “nothing compared to now,” then why did you bother bringing up “get[ting] the equivalent of 2-3 FCS cupcakes every year”?
Go 'Dawgs!
I hope you were being sarcastic.
If not, I’m pretty sure the lack of comments between 4:15 and 6:15 has something to do with people being asleep.
If you were being sarcastic, and I missed it, I apologize.
Go 'Dawgs!
The whole reason we expect to be something this year is CMR!
A RS Freshman QB, with now 5 games of experience; a brand new DC with a brand new scheme and we, the fans, expect dominance? Why…because CMR has spoiled and teased us ; prior to CMR we had 0 SEC Championship Titles in the past 18 years; we had a 10 win season 0 times since 1982, until 2002.
Be careful, Dawg Nation, what you ask for. CMR is not ancient and this game hasn’t passed him by.
If you're gonna do it, go ugly early.
I'll keep asking, you keep making excuses for him
If you can’t see it’s time for a change right nw, then you’ll never see it…No one man is bigger than the program and that includes Richt…he can either make some drastic support staff changes and change his on demeanor and intensity, or hit the bricks…I’m tired of his song and dance
by UGARegimechange on Oct 3, 2010 8:49 AM EDT up reply actions
He needs to change his demeanor and intensity?
Have you watched the last few games? I ask that because I’ve seen him get pretty agitated on the sidelines for the last three weeks.
No one is suggesting that he’s larger than the program. We are suggesting that making a change of this magnitude requires some thought for what we have and for what we can get.
It also involves waiting until the end of the season. It’s not like Greg McGarity is Frank Broyles, for crying out loud!
Go 'Dawgs!
Agree on the intensity point
I wouldn’t want to be Vance Cuff this morning. Richt wasin his face after the retaliatory PF penalty (his 2nd offense in a matter of minutes.). Richt was in Murray’s grill a few times as well. I see a coach who has reached his bullshit threshold with a few players. If Richt is going to survive this dark period, he is going to have to adopt a new attitude. I don’t believe he has failed his players, but quite a few have failed him and if he suddenly becomes a bit more Sabanesque, that’s fine by me.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
by DavetheDawg on Oct 3, 2010 9:53 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Nobody is expecting dominance, however, we all would like to see competence,
and beating TERRIBLE Big 12 teams and the worst team in the SEC would qualify as competence.
CMR’s problems have nothing to do with being ancient. He clearly does not have his heart in winning championships anymore. He is not ancient, but the S&C methods that are being used and the recruiting strategy is not working.
Whose fault is it that the RS FR QB has 5 games of experience? He had the last 7 games of last year to practice in a season that was already lost, and instead, the coach chose to lose with a 5th year SR QB. Why is their a brand new DC? Because instead of going out and hiring a professional coach to replace the one that left in 2004, the job was given to a guy who was promoted internally without consideration on if he could handle the task.
The time for excuse making has long past. This is not a problem with fans’ expectations. Most reasonably people could accept the showings against Scu and Arkansas. Nobody in his right mind can accept losing to dregs like Miss St and Colorado. Do you honestly believe that this team will win against Ufk and Vandy?
Even the 2007 season, which people love to hail as a great season, was marked by a pathetic early season showing against a mediocre, at best, Scu team, in which we failed to recognize that our #24 was BY FAR the best player on the field. Later that season, we flat-out QUIT against a mediocre Ufk team.
We are so poorly coached and prepared in all phases of the game, and present such and attitude of weakness and surrender, that it is hard to imagine things ever getting better with this head coach. Once the kids have quit listening to the man in charge, it is impossible to demand respect again unless their are 105 new kids brought in. The Washaun Ealey incident should have been a harbinger of the season to come, because it showed that, without doubt, Mark Richt has lost the respect of the players within the program. They have simply stopped listening.
It is true that the next coach may be awful. But, this is Georgia. If the the first one is bad, we will hire another one until the right man is found. This season still may get a lot worse. The problems with the team run much, much, much deeper than the balls bouncing the wrong way.
Thank you Fred, well said
Couldn’t agree with you more…it is a cultural problem! Why does it seem Richt can’t identlify the problem?? Because he is the problem…
by UGARegimechange on Oct 3, 2010 8:53 AM EDT up reply actions
What are the excuses this week 'regulars' on this blog??
Every week I come out here and point out the ‘trends’ that have set in our program like a tick, and every week I am bashed being what some perceive as negative. So what are the excuses this week? It can’t be the inept coaching staff from the OC to the OL coach, or our new DC (giving him the benefit of the doubt with his new scheme), or our emotionless, uninspiring head coach (the golden boy) Mark Rict, could it?? The problems are rooted in the culture establised by our programs coaching staff. It’s not a player, it’s not because we are not watching film etc etc. this is a cultural problem that has been showing itself for the past 3 to 4 seasons and has now gone viral.
Sorry guys, you can shower Richt and his staff with kisses, huggs and praise, but it’s just a matter of time until he and his staff are told to hit tthe bricks. It won’t be this year for Richt, but if he doesn’t do anything less than an SEC championship and a BCS next year, he will be gone and so will the virus. Go Dawgs!
If some seem to perceive you as negative, UGARegimechange, . . .
. . . it may have something to do with your tone. We’re perfectly open to reasonable arguments for your position; what we’re not open to is your snide attitude.
This isn’t the DawgVent. If you can state your case reasonably, respectfully, and civilly, please do so, and we will respond in kind. If you can’t act like you were raised right, you can hit the bricks. I don’t mean to be blunt, but that seems to be your mode of communication.
Go 'Dawgs!
I don't recall making excuses...
… only calling for levelheadedness and patience, though I realize such qualities are in short supply in the midst of a 4-game losing streak.
If you truly read what most “regulars” are posting, you would see that most aren’t just making excuses. In fact, I have come out and flatly predicted a 2-10 season as a very strong possibility at this point… a prediction I still stand behind after the CU game.
Even if Georgia finishes 2-10 in 2010, however, I would not advocate firing Mark Richt. I would see the firing of Mark Richt in 2010 as a reactionary “knee-jerk” move, no matter what our final record is.
Knee Jerk?
How many years does it take for it not to be knee jerk?
The bad judgement began in 2005 with the hiring of Willie instead of a professional, elite DC.
The 2006, 2008, 2009, and now 2010 seasons were all disasters, and even 2007 was a sad waste of talent with those atrocious losses to SC and Tenn.
After 2008 and even after 2009 I was against the whole Richt on the hot seat stuff. But that was with the expectation that 2010 would be different. Its different in one way: its even worse.
After 5+ years of bad judgement and overall decline, it is not “knee jerk.”
Your ability to revise history and ignore the arguments refuting your claims is quite impressive.
Since you will likely just ignore another refutation of your revisionist claims, I will not make another attempt.
This board is starting to look like try outs for Alice and Wonderland.
But before we go “off with his head” and before those of you who only came of age during the very era you hope to end get to far removed from reality you need to look to some less historical examples, (Although I am starting to wonder if meaningful history exists for some past the last game.)
1. Anyone familiar with the wasteland Bama wandered around in after Stallings retired?
2. Anyone have a vague recollection of the time between Dooley and Richt when it seemed we would NEVER get to the SEC championship?
3. I laughed at the so true comment about UF football history starting in 1990.
4. For those of you who live in Georgia, there were actually many years you had to get up and go to work after losing to GT, not just once in a blue moon.
We replaced Martinez (good decision) but it is not waiving a magic wand and having a top tier defense. We could clean house and pick someone unproven work our way up to 9-3 eventually and give the guy who did nothing much more rope than they guy who won us 2 SEC championships and is one of the winningest coaches in the NCAA. CMR didn’t go from being brilliant to inept. We are in a lull. Things cycle. My coach that took us our first SEC championship will address the concerns and we will improve. And for those of you who live in the fantasy land that there is a better coach out there for the picking who can waive a magic wand and take us to the promised land. . . . . .well maybe you can have a chat with some of the UT fans who will be visiting next week.
And none of these are excuses, they are facts.
Do you think we have a chance against Ufk?
What makes you so certain it is going to get better? CMR is clearly not the coach he was when Brian Van Gorder was here.
I went to a lot of games in the Goff and Donnan years, and I have never seen a UGA team this poorly coached. It may be a “cycle” as you say, but how are we going to know when we are in the trough, because I am not sure we are there yet.
I honestly don't know who "Ufk" is.
Are you inserting an “f” in “UK” and referring to Kentucky or inserting a “k” in “UF” and referring to Florida? From your usage, it sounds like you’re referring to Tennessee, which makes no sense to me.
I’m not trying to be a jerk about it, but, again, this isn’t a message board. Can we please refer to our opponents by their actual names? Let’s not descend to the level of the Georgia Tech fans who trot out “georgie” and “U(sic)GA.”
Go 'Dawgs!
Ufk
is from the Dawgvent which stands for, The University of football@Knoxville.
Don’t exactly know who coined the term, but it goes back to the Fulmer days.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Personally, if I were going to engage in that kind of silliness (which I'm not)...
… i’d go for (F)UF. But then again, I hate Florida more than the average man.
(I hate Florida.)
It's too late for that.
Try searching for “NATS” in your comments and fan posts.
Except that "North Avenue Trade School" has an actual historical pedigree.
Y’all even sell shirts that say that in your campus bookstore.
Please note that I am referring to the example of a specific subset of Georgia Tech fans, not to all Georgia Tech fans.
Please also note that, in response to constructive criticisms offered by you, I have backed off from making references to “nerds.” I think you will find my references to Georgia Tech use the name of the institution, with proper spelling and capitalization, or to a nickname or mascot that is both historical and unobjectionable (Yellow Jackets, Ramblin’ Wreck, Golden Tornado, Engineers). I would like to think I deserve a bit of credit for that, particularly when my reference to a specific subset of Georgia Tech fans was by way of example and was not the central thrust of my point.
Go 'Dawgs!
The only historic pedigree of North Avenue Trade School
is that it has long been an insult from Athens. That never was the name of the school.
Yes, many Tech fans have adopted its use, as many groups have with insults from others, but the term began, and is still used, as an insult by Georgia fans, and it is no less insulting than “U(sic)GA” (which has at least thirty years history behind it): each imply that the school is less than a university.
The use of “Georgie” is an homage to Bobby Dodd, who pronounced the name of your school that way, although he never seemed to have a problem with “Georgia Tech”. I think that qualifies as an historical pedigree.
While you may have backed off on the use of “nerds”, I don’t think you’ll be keeping your comments clear of it. It’s been used very often on your blog by both you and in your comments. The search function isn’t working now, so I can’t pull find the last time you used it.
In addition, you left “insects” off the list of terms you commonly use.
Unless I am missing something, the central thrust of your point, as you put it, was that you and those who leave comments here are above such remarks (“Let’s not descend to the level…”).
There’s no difference in altitude from which to descend. Dawgsports is already at that level. And there’s nothing wrong with that level. This is college football we are talking about.
(Two weeks ago at Yellowstone National Park I was wearing my North Avenue Trade School shirt when a young couple walked by. The woman said, “Look, that’s a Georgia Tech shirt!” I said, “It is! What’s the Good Word?” and got the appropriate response. I don’t think NFL fans do things like that.)
FWIW, and my apologies for furthering the digression
The “[sic]” thing doesn’t bother me that much, but I think there’s a difference between implying that a rival school does not provide an education and implying that a rival school provides a particular kind of education. The University of Georgia undeniably is a university. The Georgia Institute of Technology undeniably is a school where one learns a trade, even if the trade is a very high-level one. (I do think it’s a bit awkward for someone with a BBA in accounting (for example) to use “trade school” as an insult, by the way.) I like using North Avenue Trade School, but I also took a consistent position at UGA when I was pursuing a bachelor of arts degree vis à vis my friends who were majoring in management or marketing. Our father and I attended trade schools within the University (the J school, the business school, the law school). I elected to get an education before I got my vocational training. I’m old-fashioned.
“Georgie” doesn’t bother me that much, but probably because I have hillbilly roots just like Tech’s coaching hero does, and I value regional variations in pronunciation. (That Dodd reserved the pronunciation as an insult for the rival school suggests a bit of self-hatred or shame, though.) “Pups” and “mutts”? Not offensive (same with bugs and insects). “Ugag” and “Ugay”? Offensive because they simply are not clever and, well, “Ugay” is intrinsically offensive in a way that reaches far beyond college rivalries.
by NCT on Oct 3, 2010 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Certainly "ugag" and "ugay" are offensive
for their lack of creativity, if for no other reason. I’m sure there are similar stupid nicknames in the AJC comments the other way, but I don’t read those.
I do like Clarke County Country Club, or CCCC, but it seems to have faded.
In that case, CraigT, I'm done attempting to meet you halfway.
If my efforts to be reasonable and respectful have fallen on such deaf ears, there’s no use in my trying any longer.
Go 'Dawgs!
Now you've lost me
I don’t think I’ve complained about the use of “North Avenue Trade School” or even “nerds”. I think it’s part of being college football fans.
What I’ve complained about is the claim that using “Georgie” or “U(sic)GA” marks someone as inferior to (or at a lower level than) people who use “NATS” or “nerds”. It doesn’t, and it’s not a low level.
(I once commented on the irony of people here calling Tech fans nerds for not sitting at a computer during a football game, but that wasn’t a complaint. I was just pointing it out.)
CraigT, this is not the first time
you have thread jacked a UGA thread, about a recent UGA issue, win, problem or just something funny, and twisted it to be about you and GT. I think T Kyle was trying to be cordial, if it was my blog I would have told you to stop it.
You have your fun, UGA sucks horribly this year. 95% or more of the posters here dont say anything other than beat tech. Start a new fan post about names we call schools, this is not the one.
Maybe start it on your blog.
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
Why are you so obsessed with Georgia Tech, tankertoad?
Gosh, you guys are so obsessed with Tech, you’ll even argue with the Techies in a postgame thread from a game that didn’t even involve them!
You guys need to wake up and realize that you really do hate Georgia Tech as much as they hate you. Come on… come on! HATE US. (Please?)
I apologize if I misunderstood you, CraigT.
It just disturbs me that I have made an effort not to use terms like that, in a concerted attempt to set a high bar, and that my efforts seem not to have come across as such.
I understand that you are all right with both sets of insults as being within bounds, and I respect that view. The fact that I have tried to set a higher standard, and have been unsuccessful in persuading you that I made the attempt, is what troubles me.
Go 'Dawgs!
Really?
University of Football at Knoxville? I thought that was how most who remember the ’90’s and the huge pile of negative karma that Fulmer and Co. accrued during that time referred to Tennessee.
I guess it does not make sense to call them that anymore, since the primary offender in aquiring that moniker has been on staff in Athens for the last 10+ years(the last 4 of which it could be argued whether he has been “working” or simply drawing a paycheck), and because they have had 2 different head coaches since Phil Fulmer left.
FWIW, I have also always called South Carolina Scu, because there is only one USC, and they are located in Los Angeles. I consider it a mockery to use the initials of one of the 5 greatest programs in history to refer to a program which ranks in the bottom 30 schools of all time college football history.
I also refer to Georgia Tech at GTU, because one of their all-time great basketball players called the school GTU upon signing there, and also because many in the media refer to the Institute that way.
I will respect the rules of your blog going forward.
I'm not trying to impose a hard and fast rule, Fred.
SCU" and “GTU” at least are fairly obvious with respect to the teams to which those terms refer; “UFK” is tougher to suss out for those of us who don’t know the term. Frankly, I assumed the “F” stood for something a lot less family-friendly than "football.
Go 'Dawgs!
I don't know if we have a chance to beat them or not, I didn't say that
but they can’t be happy at the “next level” they have landed at. There are coaches who will embarrass your program. They hired one. Now they will have to rebound from it. There was no express train to the promised land when they got rid of Fulmer. I like Derek Dooley and maybe it will all work out. But in all honesty they may end up exactly where they would have if Fulmer had stayed. Two seasons later what have they accomplished but “off with his head.”
Change is inevitible. All Change is not for the better. I hate what I see on the football field and what I read in the paper happens off the football field. I believe the odds of getting a worse coach - not " results" but coach—- are way higher than the odds of getting a better coach. Therefore I do not think regime change is the best path to a better team and a program we can be proud of.
by hbtd on Oct 3, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
4 years
These problems did not start occurring THIS season, if it had then I would also have your mentailty that this is cyclical, but there not. Same problems this year are the same problems from 09 08 07…you keep drinking your Richt kool-aid until you are bent over a toilet praying to the porcelian Gods and I’ll stay objective.
by UGARegimechange on Oct 3, 2010 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Detach yourself from the Richt breast milk and be objective
As a fan of the program, be objective and stop with the excuses. These are not surface problems that are corrected with drills in practice, these prob’s go much deeper thanthat
by UGARegimechange on Oct 3, 2010 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Dude
That’s disgusting.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
by DavetheDawg on Oct 3, 2010 9:58 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I haven't had any butter...
since week 1.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
As a UT fan, I'll give you an amen on the
“Beware of what you wish for” feeling. I think most UT fans will agree that Dooley has UT on the right track, but enduring 3 coaches in a span of 16 months breeds a certain skepti-cynicism among even the most fervent fans.
If Richt was fired at Georgia, I don’t think the AD would have as much problem filling the position as UT’s AD did. The timing of Kiffen’s departure had a lot to do with it, but it was still a very embarassing time as a long-time UT fan.
Lastly, as a UT fan, I’ve seen a story similar to what UGA is going through right now. Long-tenured, talented coach who is a great man. Very loyal to his assistants. Highly ranked recruiting classes that don’t pan out related to the number of stars next to the kids’ names. Issues with arrests and the dismissing of players. A fanbase growing weary of all the above. All this topped off by losing to teams with inferior talent.
That said, just be careful what you wish for. My midset is UT 3-4 years away from competing with the top SEC programs. Here’s hoping for a hard fought game this weekend between two storied SEC programs.
Assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit
by pound the rock on Oct 4, 2010 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Dooley's 4 straight losses were to
a Shug Jordan coached Auburn team that went 8-3 that seasonn, a mediocre Georgia Tech team that we lost 6-0, a Bob Devaney coached Nebraska team that went 9-2, was Big 8 Champion and would go on to win the NATIONAL TITLE the following 2 seasons, going 24-0-1 in their next 25 games. The Tulane team that capped off the 4 game streak went 8-4 in that ’70 season.
Wally Butts’ 4 gamer came in his 1st season after taking over from Joel Hunt. The final loss in that run was to a team called New York(NYU?) at Yankee Stadium. Certainly, seeing the 4th straight loss in Old Yankee Stadium would have been better than seeing it at a 3/4 full, middling Big 12 stadium, no?
Yes, it was NYU, but I don't know what difference it makes that the road trip . . .
. . . in question was to New York rather than Colorado.
My point was simply that these things happen even to good coaches. Let’s revisit this at the end of the season, when we find out how well or poorly South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Colorado have fared.
Go 'Dawgs!
It doesn't really make a difference, except to point out that we were playing NYU in football
at Yankee Stadium and to illustrate that we are in a vastly different era in the sport. It’s also notable that Butts’ 4 in-a-row were in his FIRST season on the job, not 10 years into it.
I thought it was also notable that the 39 point loss that Dooley took was to a team that was about to go on one of the great runs in college football history. Again, it was obviously a much different time in college football when that Nebraska team was playing in the Sun Bowl.
I'm Conflicted
T. Kyle is a defender of history and statistics. While he listed facts above regarding Wally Butts and Vince Dooley having four game losing streaks that included more lopsided losses at least once in their first 122 games without comment, the implied comment is that perspective is warranted.
Except that the historical rules no longer apply. Coaches do not and, one might argue, should not be given the leeway provided historically to Coach Butts and Coach Dooley. Que talk about the business of the game and how everyone else does it and the fact that the constituency and recruits can and do more easily jump on the bandwagons for other schools if you let a program slide.
I, like T. Kyle, also love history and tradition. I want the old ways to still apply in many cases. Nevertheless, perspective requires not only understanding facts, including historical facts, but also putting them into a present-day context. The current state of the game is much less tolerant of this kind of losing streak and I can no longer fault those who call for Richt’s head — even if I still disagree. Their arguments, well-articulated or not, do possess legs as much as Georgia’s team does not.
Even so, firing a coach without a losing season always struck me as wrong. I love Richt, but I felt Donnan didn’t deserve to be fired (even if it worked out to benefit Georgia in hindsight). I believe Richt still deserves at least one more season.
But I am troubled. The coaching is a problem. I see positive changes on defense, but offense is sliding backwards. Why is our offensive line so bad? Last night we shifted around some linemen during the second quarter and started moving the ball. At the half we shifted the line that had worked once again so we could put in Ben Jones. Why? It was working before.
Why are our running backs fumbling the ball? Why are our receivers having such a hard time getting separation?
Why do we run up the gut with our smallest back on a third and long play? Why can we not seem to score in the red zone?
The blame for these problems lays squarely at the feet of the coaches. I like Bobo, but I am so disenchanted right now. Consider me on the Fire Mike Bobo bus — token bought and paid. I also would not mind seeing our O-Line coach go.
I don’t know who you’d replace Richt with. Best guess I have is the TCU coach. Maybe the Boise coach. I dunno. Maybe the Utah coach? Still, doesn’t seem like there are great candidates out there. Ask Notre Dame how well the coaching carousel has worked for them.
But still, something needs to be done. Georgia looks awful. They play awful. They miss tackles. They can’t run block. They can’t get separation. They don’t look enthusiastic for games. They don’t look prepared.
It’s going to be a long year.
I understand your frustration, Jwnelson...
… and I definitely share it.
We might just have to agree to disagree on the “giving a long-term successful coach a grace period” idea. I think Mark Richt’s track record from 2001-2008 merits a grace period during the current down cycle in 2009 and 2010. You (and others here) disagree, and that’s fine. I can only hope that Greg McGarity agrees with my side of the argument.
And though you didn’t say this (or even imply it), just to clarify, I don’t think Richt deserves and indefinite grace period. Until such time as Georgia is competing for an SEC title again, Richt needs to show significant improvement on the field from one year to the next from here on out.
by vineyarddawg on Oct 3, 2010 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
My god. How many “one more seasons” do we need?
2005 Sugar Bowl – disgrace
2006 utter fail. Lost to UK and Vandy for chrissakes.
2007 we got super lucky to play an overrated Hawaii so we didn’t get West Virginia’d again. Yet we still choked gruesomely to Tennessee.
2008 – We had first round draft picks at QB, RB, and WR, and lost 3 games. FAIL.
2009 – Horrible fail.
2010 – Apocalyptic fail.
Just Guessing here but -
anything less than a perfect record is not good enough for you is it?
I can bake like a demon.
Next Game
It is obvious that this season is a total disapointment. You dont have to, nor possibly should you support the coaches; but, you have to support the players. Next Saturday we play a huge rival in that of Tennessee. I hope that the stadium is packed and louder than ever. We have nothing to loose and everything to gain from here on out.
by sbm10 on Oct 3, 2010 9:43 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Sittingon a balcony in Boulder and not having read any comments to this post, Kyle,
I would ask you to compare one other statistic to your comparison of Butts, Dooley, and Richt: the three year record of the coach who preceeded each, just to see what kind of talent each took over. Alas, Vineyard, there I go being fair__oops, negative__again. My comment after the CU kicker missed his last FG attempt__that does it, UGA will lose__eon’t play for a touchdown.
They Aren't Even As Bad As All These "The Sky Is Falling" Mofos Claim
They barely lose every game. And Auburn barely wins every game. Well, except against Monroe – I think they managed to win that one quite handily. Maybe Georgia should schedule Monroe :) So the records are indeed extremely deceiving. My maid came by here last night to pick up two lamps I gave her and stated, “Look like Georgia might accidently (sic) win one!”. Oh well, you have to admit it was funny watching them celebrate as if they had won the NC! My Colorado. I just hope Georgia doesn’t “accidentally” win against Auburn, but I won’t lose any sleep over it if they do.
Give us a break for charging the field
Our friggin team has been cursed for four years, we don’t play SEC teams very often, so it was a quality win for a program that needs it. Consider it a compliment, CU doesn’t do it often.
BuffsFan99...
you’re responding to an Auburn fan, so your compliment might be a little bit lost, I’m afraid, although I appreciate it although it’s really difficult to agree with the “quality” of the win. But, such is the state of my beloved program at this particular moment in time.
Anyway, congrats on your win. Hopefully it is a springboard to more success down the road as you join the Pac 10 Pac 12 Pac 14 Pac _ (How many are y’all up to now?) Drop by anytime. This is a pretty good blog and we welcome the perspectives of our rivals and occasional opponents.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Don't worry about Stephen1980...
… he’s a troll. He’s somehow managed to walk a fine line between merely normal trolling and trolling that gets you banned, however, so he still sticks his head up to say FIERY DAMN CHICKEN from time to time.
I think of him
more like a Village Idiot who keeps wandering into the wrong village.
"If we score, we may win. If they never score, we'll never lose."
-Erk Russell
Last night was my fault, so I'll take the blame for the team...
I switched away from MaconDawg’s Green Punch sometime about halfway through the game and the dawg’s subsequently fell apart. I was too slow to make the connection that my change in beverages was the cause of sending AJ to the locker room.
Joking aside though, if we had just taken a knee, run out the clock, kicked a field goal, and pulled this whole thing off. I could have honestly said that there was no way we would have won without AJ Green, so maybe he did cost us one or more of the others. I don’t really understand how as soon as he goes to the locker room with a cramp, the whole team starts playing like they were the last few games.
I personally believe that what this team is missing more than anything else (including anything to do with coaches), is for a player (besides AJ), to step up and be a leader on the field.
Boss Bailey
said basically the exact same thing Friday night.
I don't know if it's anywhere on the net
Maybe if you go to the WNGC website they might have the whole “Bulldog Friday Night” show from this past weekend. That’s where I heard it was driving down the road.
I think you are right.
You did cost us the game! (just kidding)
But about leadership and stepping up, no one seems to be willing to do it. Don’t know much about those kids. It may not happen. But no doubt it would make a huge difference.
I feel like they have not "gelled"
they just haven’t become a cohesive team at this point. I think that has a whole lot to do with new this, new that sorts of things. We have some stellarness to our play at times, which I think are hints of the future, but it’s just not there yet. I don’t know.
I can bake like a demon.
by podunkdawg on Oct 3, 2010 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
A few thoughts...
What is frustrating to me is trying to reconcile the fact that I also want Richt to hang around, but I just can’t figure out some of this play calling. Yes, Bobo is the OC, but don’t they talk about this stuff – doesn’t Richt ultimately give the green light to play X or play Y in a critical situation?
Case in point: For the last four games, all we do with our run game is run uninspired running backs past an uninspired OL into a waiting pile of LB for half the game. Run for 3 yards, miss a bomb, get a penalty, run on 3rd and 17, punt.
Last night, we’re 2nd and goal on the 2, RB King is in a rhythm, we have a scrappy running QB in Murray, and we PASS two downs in a row? We never do anything creative, then when it’s TIME to do the obvious, we figure we’ll do a couple of snappy passes.
To make it worse, we’re in a tight game – I think at that point it’s 29 – 24, right? It is now 4th and goal on the two yard line. We need some spark. We can’t be sure we’ll get this good of a chance for a TD again – FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, SHOW SOME MOXIE AND GO FOR IT!!
Part of the reason I’m having a hard time defending Richt is not the terrible losing record, it’s the WAY we’re losing. It’s not like this looks like a recipe for success if we can just figure out how to execute better – some of these play calls are just downright weird.
Personally, I would prefer to have slightly less athletic kids out there whose minds are in the game and who are duking it out on every down than the authors of some of the knucklehead mistakes we’ve been seeing.
And of course – just what does get you benched – or kicked off this team? Ben Jones’ personal foul against the Mississippi State kid WAS thuggish, and an embarrassment to the squad. A half game benched is all he gets for that? Really? That shows a loss of control, to me.
Final thought – I want Richt to get control of / inspire these kids not even so we’ll win another game, but so we can be proud of them whether they win or not. I am rooting for them, and I’m sure they’re a decent bunch, but their sloppy play is not good for them either, is it?
by Actual Box of Cornflakes on Oct 3, 2010 6:35 PM EDT reply actions
apparently uninspired running backs
they may be playing their guts out for all I know.
by Actual Box of Cornflakes on Oct 3, 2010 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions
This is a very decent way to say what I have been saying - some of it just doesnt make sense.
Part of the reason I’m having a hard time defending Richt is not the terrible losing record, it’s the WAY we’re losing. It’s not like this looks like a recipe for success if we can just figure out how to execute better – some of these play calls are just downright weird.
I like this very much as well.
Final thought – I want Richt to get control of / inspire these kids not even so we’ll win another game, but so we can be proud of them whether they win or not. I am rooting for them, and I’m sure they’re a decent bunch, but their sloppy play is not good for them either, is it?
"One thing I will never do as long as I’m at Georgia is lose to Florida." - Herschel Walker
My thought here
(and i’m not expressing it well at present) is that the sloppy play is indicative of an ungelled team (if ungelled is a word, but whatever.) It is the sense that they just don’t have it all together as a whole. That AJ has it together goes without saying, but that one or two individuals “has it together” and sometimes they do have it together as a whole, but that has been a hit or miss sort of thing rather than the constant I think it needs to be. They just don’t seem to all be on the same page all the time. If they (players & coaches) were all together in the same rhythm – then I believe we’d be seeing much different on-field results. I don’t know how you fix that other than repetitions. I suspect that is what CMR has been trying to tell us, although not quite so directly.
I can bake like a demon.
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