Friday morning buffet

Grab that plate and get your fill, folks.

  • Well done, young man – Drew Butler wins the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s best punter in his first season on the job.
  • If the Zooker can’t recruit, what’s the point to having him as your head coach?
  • It looks like the Outback Bowl folks knew what they were doing when they invited Auburn.  (And how many tickets to the ACCCG did Georgia Tech sell?)
  • This round of coaching musical chairs surprised me:  Florida’s Billy Gonzales is moving on to LSU.  (And make sure you read the comments in the second paragraph of the post.)  [UPDATE: Meyer’s already moved to hire a replacement for Gonzales.]
  • On the other hand, news of Florida juniors leaving early for the NFL draft doesn’t surprise me.
  • And at least Florida doesn’t have one recruiting advantage over Georgia right now.
  • James Carville commenting on Ari Fleischer’s role as BCS media flak is as amusing as you might expect.
  • Rex Robinson responds to the recent heated criticism he’s taken in response to a post at his blog.
  • The AJ-C‘s Tim Tucker blogged about this yesterday, but here’s the actual link to the posting of the open position for defensive coordinator at Georgia.  Yeah, the “Standing for long periods of time” qualification is pretty funny, but I’m disappointed that the field for ‘Closing Date’ reads “Open Until Filled”.  What, does that mean Richt won’t close the deal on Kirby Smart by the end of the day today?  This is just more proof that he’s letting the program slide!  (NOTE: Sarcasm alert, for those of you who are snark-impaired.)

24 Comments

Filed under BCS/Playoffs, Gators, Gators..., Georgia Football, It's Just Bidness, Recruiting, The Adventures of Zook, The Blogosphere, Urban Meyer Points and Stares

24 responses to “Friday morning buffet

  1. NCT

    I’m pretty sure the “standing” bit goes toward compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, since a prospective employer is allowed to discriminate based on a physical or mental disability if said disability prevents the performance of an essential function of the job. It’s prudent to identify the physical demands of essential functions off the bat.

    I wonder how many applicants will go through that particular application system?

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  2. Bulldog Bry

    “I’m am committed to Florida State and everything,” he told me, “but I just feel like maybe Georgia or Florida will have something a little bit more to offer me. That’s all. I’m just going to see what happens with everything.” – Telvin Smith

    This is what’s wrong with recruiting. Son, if you’re still looking around, you’re not “committed” to FSU.

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  3. The Realist

    It’s odd to hear the defending national champs in such disarray. Players are disgruntled, coaches are taking lateral moves, and Meyer is about to be without a coordinator on either side of the ball. They were one win away from playing in the BCS title game, and the team is seemingly in panic mode.

    Makes you wonder how underrated staff continuity and loyalty actually is by Georgia fans, including myself. Too, I wonder if Urban is rethinking shooing away that Brinks truck Notre Dame parked in front of his house.

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    • Makes you wonder how underrated staff continuity and loyalty actually is by Georgia fans, including myself.

      That was my first thought when I read that USA Today piece.

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    • Left to Right

      Is staff loyalty and continuity underrated, or overrated?

      (To beat the dead horse . . .) How many years has it taken Richt to acknowledge and finally BEGIN to ATTEMPT to correct the readily apparent coaching problems in his program?

      Contrast that with Meyer, who goes 12-0 and yet appears to be dissatisfied with the “direction the offense has taken” and the “attitudes of some on the staff.”

      As UGA fans, certainly we should be aware that it is better to get out in front of a problem than be years behind a problem and try to play catch up. Richt’s reluctance to confront problems over the last several years (justified by arguments in favor of continuity and loyalty) caused UGA in 2008 to waste the greatest collection of offense talent in UGA history. Meyer has he right attitude. Problems should be fixed immediately, not deferred.

      Ironically, had Richt forcefully and forthrightly addressed the problems in the program when they first became apparent, he may not have had to fire 3 coaches and might have been able to maintain the continuity he prefers in the coaching staff.

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  4. The Realist

    Oh, and I heart Drew Butler.

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  5. Rex Robinson

    Boogity boogity boogity! The Georgia program is in DISARRAY! I’ve got the INSIDE SCOOP! But I’m not actually going to TELL YOU ANYTHING!

    …that is, unless you VISIT MY BLOG EVERY DAY! Trust me, I KNOW EVERYTHING! And I’ll give it to you in microscopic NUGGETS! Without any SOURCES! But you’re gonna want to see my DEVASTATING TAKEDOWN of the FALTERING GEORGIA PROGRAM!

    Boogity boogity boogity!

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  6. JaxDawg

    Where on earth does Florida find these guys?

    Addazio? Azzanzi?

    Who’s next – Dizzanzzai?

    I heard these guys failed audition for “Jersey Shore”.

    Perfect names for cheesefuck U.

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    • Dog in Fla

      Is it because they have to make their selections from the group of candidates introduced to them by their consulting search ‘firm’ which ‘gave’ Florida a deal it couldn’t refuse in Jersey through the Miami Beach office,

      Once they find a suitable candidate, they close the deal with this music, the final nail in the coffin, to welcome them to Florida…

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  7. Scooter

    It’s just a hunch, but I don’t think Smart is going to Georgia. Why make a lateral move? Especially since he is now being viewed a the new “hot” assistant. I believe he will stay one more year at Alabama. After next year he’ll get a head coaching job.

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    • Dan A.

      How many times does this have to be answered? I think the reasons are pretty obvious.

      1. More autonomy – Smart gets out from under Saban and the notion that it is “Saban’s defense,” gets to hire his own defensive staff and prove that he is the man.

      2. More money – Bama is reportedly paying him around 360k. If Damon Evans is serious when he says money won’t be an issue, UGA can easily make a lucrative offer.

      3. Coming home – Don’t you think the opportunity to hold such a high profile position at your alma mater would be intriguing? Especially if they were willing to pay…

      Kirby Smart may be “the next hot assistant,” but there are still people questioning whether he is entirely responsible for the success of the Bama D, and if Saban is really the mastermind. He may get a head coaching offer next year, but I don’t think it would be from a high profile school. I think if he took the Georgia job and was successful, he could really reel in a big time offer. It’s not like he’s running out of time, he’s young (like 33?)

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    • Macallanlover

      I agree with Scooter here, Smart would have come to UGA two years ago but he is much too hot a property at this point, just too close to getting a HC job, imo (could even happen this winter.) I don’t doubt he looks forward to escaping from Saban, just not the right time. Hope this isn’t CMR’s primary plan as time would slip away. It seems more likely to me that KS is using all the attention to get a fat raise, but knows he is better off keeping his powder dry at this point.

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  8. Dan A.

    I love how Robinson’s blog only allows comments that agree with him or support his opinion.

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  9. drunk dawg

    Rex Robinson is an embarassment. I would tell him so on his own blog but A) I think he blocks comments that don’t praise him and B) I’m not giving him the benefit of my hits on his blog.

    I love how after waffling is source is now an internet message board. Oh you are really plugged in Sir!

    I also love how he readily admits he is clueless about X’s and O’s but as a kicker is very plugged into the motivation side of things! Hilarious!

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    • 69Dawg

      Gee and we all made fun of Urban for the way he handled his inside critic. Please, if you have been awake and semi-sober for the last 3 years you would have noticed that we wasted the best O talent UGA ever had and adopted the Atlanta Falcon sound system and dance team.

      We are an undisciplined team playing in a league were discipline is a requirement to compete. What Rex said was the truth live with it.

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  10. Tenn_Dawg

    Ahmad Black’s father does not sound too happy with Urban Meyer. I’m always cautious when hearing players parents complain about their kids playing time but it sounds like he knows that other kids are being treated the same way.

    It will be interesting how Florida fans, the football team and Meyer handle the adversity that will surely come following all the NFL departures and coaching changes. Can the Dawgs take advantage? Is FSU going to finally rise up and take control of the state again?

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    • HVL Dawg

      No FSU isn’t going to take control of the state- we are.

      In 2010 the gators will look alot more like the 2009 bulldogs than the 2009 gators. It is time for the dawgs to step up and take control.

      C’mon Arron Murray. Be the MAN!

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  11. Dog in Fla

    “If the Zooker can’t recruit, what’s the point to having him as your head coach?”

    It’s not because his offense knows how to put points on the scoreboard…

    http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/gameTrax?gameId=200912050026

    it’s because the Illni apparently having caught a strain of the Rose Bowl and Notre Dame fever in 2007 extended his contract through January 2013 and do not want to buy him out…

    http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/2007-10-17-illinois-zook_N.htm

    although this old boy is praying about it but not exactly for Ron staying on the job…

    http://www.news-gazette.com/news/opinions/letters/2009/12/11/praying_for_zooks_firing_as_ui_coach

    We miss Zook but the target-rich environment that we were blessed with by Lane will have surpassed all that Zook could ever have provided just as soon as Lane leads his players to a UT frat house to challenge the frat boys to a fight.

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