I recognize the possibility that this post is going to be misconstrued, but this Dennis Dodd cheap shot pisses me off so much that I really don’t care.
I’m not condoning driving under the influence by any means, but his blurring of Evans’ arrest and the tragic death of Jordan Griner is shoddy, hypocritical, shrill rubbish. Evans displayed a pathetic lack of judgment, but he didn’t kill anybody. If we’re going to go down the road of equating the two situations, there are a host of other conditions which impair drivers. Where’s the hue and cry to test older drivers rigorously and the demand that the potential deaths they risk while driving are sufficient cause for them to be criminalized and stigmatized accordingly? Or the call to rid cars of any driver distractions like music players and car phones?
And don’t forget items like road conditions or vehicle design and maintenance, which are contributing factors to vehicular deaths at significant levels as well. We as a society tolerate fatalities caused by road collisions in the tens of thousands every year, yet there are very few areas where we make much of an effort to criminalize behavior that contributes to those. So Dennis Dodd can spare me the hand wringing. Especially when he has the gall to paint others with Damon Evans’ brush:
It is not the state university of Georgia’s best day, but don’t cry for the Bulldogs. Your pity and prayers are better directed to the Griner and Scott families. The only damage done, in this case, was to the school’s reputation.
The school’s reputation? Damn, why not blame the school for the George Zinkhan murders? After all, he was an employee at the time the crime was committed. That crime didn’t involve hypothetical deaths, either.
I don’t think it’s any secret that I’m not the biggest fan of Michael Adams. But it’s hard to fault him or the University for how he handled the situation after Evans’ arrest became public news. Would it reflect badly on the school if Evans remained employed by it? Sure. But that’s not how things played out.
So shove the hyperbole.
And while I’m on my soapbox, I’ve had about enough of this, too.
Despite being a holiday weekend, still lots of good stuff going on in the college football world.
Monday July 5, 2010 3:00 mmurschel
Damon Evans out as AD at Georgia… not really a surprise there.
Monday July 5, 2010 3:01 mmurschel
no, i am eager to hear what fans think about that one
Monday July 5, 2010 3:01 Andrea Adelson
i am going to write about how this potentially affects Mark Richt on www.orlandosentinel.com/collegegridiron365 tomorrow morning so be sure to check that out.
Monday July 5, 2010 3:01 Andrea Adelson
Sounds good. A new AD could really affect Richt.
Monday July 5, 2010 3:02 mmurschel
definitely. evans was a huge supporter. it’s interesting because mark bradley of the AJC thinks this is a good thing for richt.
Ooh, yeah, Damon Evans out at Georgia – “good stuff”. And this Evans out = bad news for Mark Richt? Meaningless. Evans didn’t hire Richt. He wasn’t invested in Richt. He was lower in the pecking order at Georgia than Mark Richt. And, as Matt Hinton rightly asks,
What was Evans supposed to be protecting Richt from? Criticism of his pace to become the winningest coach in Georgia history? Antsy boosters looking to grill him over four straight top-10 finishes, or two SEC championships in four years after a 20-year drought since Herschel Walker’s final season? The unlikely late-season run to No. 2 in the final polls in 2007?
It’s not a new AD that Richt has to worry about placating. It’s the people making the decision on the AD hire. There’s absolutely no sign of a problem on that front.
Besides, if we’re supposed to believe that the school has suffered an enormous black eye as a consequence of Evans’ actions, how much sense would it make to dismiss the most visible member of the athletic department whose personal behavior has been beyond reproach? Unless, of course, we’re going to admit that wins and losses matter more than arrest reports and red panties.
If that happens, I’m sure Dodd and Adelson will be more than willing to shake their fingers at us about that, too.
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UPDATE: I suspect the new AD will be familiar with this chart.
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UPDATE #2: Sanity from Chris Low, who writes in part,
Ultimately, I still say there’s a better chance Richt wins an SEC championship in the next two or three years than there is that he loses his job.
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UPDATE #3: Groo gets there before I do on the Jordan Love arrest.
Get The Picture 
I guess it’s good that you can muster up some outrage over Adelson, because after “#64 Georgia” I can’t really take her seriously.
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All these places/people are scared. They are hoping that some crap AD will get hired and run down the program. That is the only way Richt will be affected is if some new AD tries to micromanage Richt too much. But hell that would be the case with any AD at any school.
At the end of the day this is not that big of a deal for the football team as long as we get a decent hire that does not suck. The AD has little to no interaction with players, unless said players are in trouble with the law/school.
This is not going to hurt UGAs rep. Simply because it is just more proof that we do not take people skrewing around lightly. We drop the hammer when it needs to be dropped and we do not play the “favorites” game that many schools do in unfavorable situations. After a new hire and a few weeks for all the UGA haters to take their shots it will all be fine.
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In the long run, you’re right. But in the short run, it just adds fuel to the negative recruiting fire.
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“The negative recruiting fire” is the great common thread for the Richt Hotseat meme.
It’s not coming from within the family especially after putting a sock in Fish Fry Johnson’s mouth and finishing out the year strong along with what appears to be some great new blood on the staff and a potentially fabulous class in the wings.
In actuality what we have is columnists and radio personalities outside the state who have latched on to Schultz and Bradley’s “I’ll say anything to get a web hit” columns, as well as trying to advance the agendas of their instate schools.
Finebaum is a Bama shill. The Nashville Tennessean and Orlando Sentinel are Vol and Gator driven. Those schools want to recruit Georgia and a strong stable UGA makes it difficult to pull the top kids from our state.
So when we hear this endless drivel from the outside it is being driven by two things:
1) It’s summer and offseason so there isn’t much to write about so let’s just stir the pot with whatever we can. “Oh look, let’s tie Damon Evans to Mark Richt”
2) If I say or write something that hurts UGA then maybe my instate team will have a better shot at picking off some recruits plus I’ll get some listeners or web hits from an irritated UGA fanbase that help my ratings.
Columnists and radio personalities are not journalists. They don’t have to prove anything they say. They just need readers and listeners anyway they can get them. No audience, no job.
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Amen brother, amen.
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I hadn’t seen that. Why are the UT, UF and Bama media so willing (or compliant) in pushing memes beneficial to the schools they cover and harmful to competitors? Why isn’t the “local” media in Georgia like that concerning UGA?
Instead, Georgia fans get treated to the likes of Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz spending two weeks tag-teaming on how Kirby Smart’s failure to accept the DC position means that Richt has lost control of the program or something. I keep waiting for a sports columnist or reporter in Georgia to write the ” Good grief, what about Derek Dooley’s record made UT think he’ll be successful” column, or for an article pointing out just how truly bizzare Urban Myers behavior has been over the past year, or something on how Nick Saban is a serial job changer. Instead we get stuff like Bradley and Schultz beatdown, not to mention that idiot in Dalton. Even the late, beloved David Hale could be sharp in his criticisms of the coaching staff and players.
Maybe the problem is that no one in the media fears the UGA athletic department. To the contrary, UGA has a reputation for being one of the most accomodating athletic departments in the country. Saban, Myer, even Dooley, have come down with an iron fist on the local media in their respective states. As a consequence, their media seems a bit gun-shy about going after any perceived issues with those programs.
Perhaps the new AD will be willing to take a more ruthless stance towards the press, and at a minimum push back against these over the top attacks against Georgia athletics.
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The AJC fancies itself a legit paper and thus they are willing to send “inquiring minds” into a fray. Not so with your average small town rag.
This is part of the territory of being the Empire of the New South. We are richer and larger than the other states of the deep south, but our institutions take themselves more seriously.
Look at it this way, if Bear had been in Athens winning Natties, Furman Bisher and/or others would’ve brought him down for some reason as coaching in those days was a rough and tumble bidness. Instead, it was Wally Butts that was knifed.
The other side of that coin is that if Robert Woodruff, Ivan Allen, Bill Harsfield and a few other early city fathers had been natives of Jackson, Mississippi, Atlanta would now be under a million souls and the Dawgs would be a perennial also ran while the Ole Misses were at the top of powerful recruiting hotbed of Mississippi and its 10 million residents.
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“Saban, Myer, even Dooley, have come down with an iron fist on the local media in their respective states. As a consequence, their media seems a bit gun-shy about going after any perceived issues with those programs.”
While there is certainly nothing wrong with cowing the local media into licking the designated salt-block, sometimes that just leaves the really important issues to the national media without the local flava. Kind of like this:
Saban screams http://img2.allvoices.com/thumbs/people/480/385/26287386-university-alabama.jpg and wonders whether this guy http://voteturnipseed.com/ just fell off of the watermelon truck when he could have been spending more time worrying about an accurate portrayal of the statue hair rather than running for office http://espn.go.com/blog/sportscenter/post/_/id/63014/nick-sabans-statue-postponed-due-to-hair-and-face-complications
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An outsider and I’ve grown sick of the “Richt hot seat” meme. Its almost purely media driven from folks with zero connection to the school or fanbase.
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Oh, they have connection all right… media outlets conveniently located within snuggling distance of rival schools. It’s shameless. Seriously, the AJC isn’t even that disingenuous.
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The most dangerous thing about firing Evans is that Adams will be doing the hiring.
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But if we’ve learned anything about Mike and the way he operates, it’s that Damon was HIS hand picked choice, not Dooley’s. Across campus as many prominent positions have come open Mike has either reshuffled some of his henchmen or found a “kiss the ring” lackey.
I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if he promotes someone from North Campus with no background in Athletics
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“I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if he promotes someone from North Campus with no background in Athletics”
If so, I nominate English professor Hubert McAlexander for AD. The man does not suffer fools or foolishness and he’s a native southerner, so he “gets” college football. Plus, he has a way of getting to the nub of an issue.
http://www.redandblack.com/2001/08/30/the-truth-behind-southern-gentlemen/
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Some enemy correspondents think it will be routine and by the ‘Red Book’:
“if we didn’t think Adams…actually thought in Maoist political terms about everything.”
http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2010/7/6/1554446/the-curious-index-7-6-2010#storyjump
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Senator, I appreciate your tone and outrage. You sir are spot on.
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If our rivals didn’t want our coach to be fired, then I think we would have some issues.
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+1
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EXACTLY.
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Get After Their Asses indeed. Well said, Senator. Do you speak as level-headed and eloquently as you write? I think 680 the fan could use an injection of bulldog life to combat the Finebaums of the world…
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I am filing the above notes away so I can use them to rattle the Senator’s cage at the appropriate time.
It is good that someone else observes many of the “writers” out there are refugees from the Limbaugh lunatic fringe, hope they get their meds routine worked out soon.
Adams will be hiring Damon’s replacement in concert with many of the same people who hired Damon and Mark Fox, with the same pluses and minuses.
Frankly if Damon’s downfall had not been so spectacular, say he just moved on to somewhere else, the story would have been one day at best.
I always liked Damon and thought he was a good guy, but, like all managers, eminently replaceable.
The idea losing Damon puts more pressure on the coaches, any of them, to win is ridiculous.
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All those who dislike UGA and the Dawgs, for whatever reason(s), are going to take their shots to peg down a great University and its sports programs. It is a big dog target, but they will miss the mark.
I was miffed about the sordid affair, but probably like many now I am sad and concerned for Evans and his family. Sincerely you wish it had not happened to such a young person and his family.
Sometimes it is best to sow your wildoats before you begin to have family and career. Evans was very young and inexperienced for the job. Even though he more than likely understood compliance and the mindset of athletes, it did not transition over to him. Why not?
Now the same research group that brought in Adams and Evans is back in the fold to find a replacement. What does that say? Coaches have a saying to players in practice. “If you keep making the same mistake, guess what? You get the same mistake.”
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The Mark Richt hot-seat meme is just another media creation in a long line of media creations driven by 24-hour cable sports news and the need to continuously feed the internet. It’s bullshit. Hey, where there’s smoke there’s fire, right? Well what about when there’s no freaking smoke?! Some jackass sports columnist just looked around the league to see who has been in their job a long time, and then cross-referenced that to who hasn’t won a title in a few years. Then he looked further to see who had a bad year. Hey, it’s Mark Richt. Log on to the Dawgvent. About ten cranks posting away wanting him gone and wanting a Nick Saban-type to replace him. Ding ding ding! Widespread fan unhappiness!! Hot seat!!
Hot seat rankings are media creations in general, but putting Richt there when there was no discord between him and any member of the administration or any real unhappiness among the boosters who matter… it’s irresponsible journalism. And it’s garbage.
If you want to see a hot seat, let the new Athletic Director at the University of Georgia come in and try to mess with Mark Richt’s program. That dude’s seat will heat up REAL fast.
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Are you still following the OS countdown? I can’t WAIT to see where Army comes in.
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Pingback: DawgsOnline » Jordan Love arrested for reticence
Wit of the Staircase responses Jordan could have had:
a. “What’s My Name?” http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Qlg7SK-lL._SS500_.jpg
b. “You Talking to Me?” http://www.autographstore.com/fullsize_thumbs/935806042.jpg
And when those didn’t work, plan ‘c’ and plan ‘d’:
c. “Cherry Bomb” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMDn6V7ZLhE&feature=related
d. “Tater Salad” http://www.tatersalad.com/#preview
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I’ll be glad when we finally get to kick-off this season. I enjoy talking football, but I’ve had about as much as I can stomach from so-called sportswriters. Won’t be long til these ‘reporters’ are falling all over themselves to praise Houston, Green, Ealey, Boykin, CMR, CTG, et. al.
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Can Evil Richt summon all his power and kill the Richt Hot Seat meme?
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I like Massey’s proposed lexicon entries, but I think the red panties need to be incorporated in there somehow. This is a little raw, but…
Red Panties Folly (n.) – the act of retaining all OBVIOUSLY suspicious materials that could be incriminating when you are trying to bargain your way out of being arrested
Jordan “Blank” Love tried to avoid being the victim of a Red Panties Folly by ditching his middle name at the scene of the firecracker crime.
I think Michael Irving has been the victim of a few Red Panties Follies.
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The right hire for AD is Mark Richt himself. Sure gets rid of the hot seat canard.
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I have been out of pocket – actually, in the hospital – for a few days, and don’t know if this is Germanic, but you have to think this thing with Damon has to have a special Fulmer Cup award attached to it. Jes’ sayin’ we could be first in something. 🙂
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Read the AJC update (linked through Groo) on the Jordan Love arrest and maybe understand a little about why black people don’t trust cops.
Reminds me of a Corey Smith song
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PantilessSkankGate doesn’t matter.
It is something HE did by himself, not unlike the DUI arrest of Little Joey Hamilton (with drugs in his car, open container, and hit and run) as Paul Johnson’s Director of Player Development at Georgia tek 2008 May 6 a week after Paul Johnson gave him the job April 28.
Michael F. Adam$, who fired Vince Dooley to put us through this the last 5 days in the national press, handled this situation great.
The University of Georgia alumni did not force his hand to fire the “yes man” installed by Michael F. Adam$ in 2004.
Oh, there is nothing wrong with a DUI never mind that you were the 1st to come running in here and blog how bad Little Joey Hamilton’ situation is for Paul Johnson and Georgia tek.
Oh, it’s ok to be married to a gorgeous wife with handsome son and lovely daughter 2 hours away while you celebrate your $ 3.2 million dollar contract to start in 6 minutes with a mistress when you told The University of Georgia you were leaving at 4 p.m. to go run some errands.
This does not reflect on Michael F. Adams’ hiring of him, or on The University of Georgia at all.
Nah.
It’s all behind us, including having the guy in front of the G backdrop on campus with hundreds of national press present, still drunk quite clearly, saying whatever he wants such as I want to keep my job and I am sorry, while admitting his mistress of a week or so took off her red panties in our University of Georgia BMW 750i and that he was taking her home, drunk.
Never mind Vince Dooley told Michael F. Adam$ that Damon M. Evans was NOT READY for the job.
Oh, yeah. This is just great for The University of Georgia and Michael F. Adam$. Stellar job all around.
71 percent of thousands and thousands of us on Thursday said he had to be fired
THEN.
5 days later, we give him a quarter of a million dollars.
To finally shut up and go to Boston, presumably without his wife and children.
Oh, poor University of Georgia.
We are so mistreated by the national press, all of Michael F. Adam$ making.
Nice Quiet Spring and Summer. Cannot wait for the Fall where there is no reason why we cannot go 12-2 if Aaron Murray and Caleb King can cut down on 14 interceptions a year and 21 fumbles a year and # 96 in Penalties every year – all 3 every year of the last 4 years consecutively.
And, if we don’t with such a soft schedule of 1 ranked team on the schedule # 5 Florida, we can just say – oh wait until next season after we lose 15 seniors after this 2010 season and 4 or 5 juniors – all starters.
# 11 All-Time Program in 1-A Wins
# 19 Won / Lost Record 38-14 over last 4 years
# 5 SEC Coach vs Ranked teams at current school
# 4 vs SEC team at 20-12 the last 4 years
# 3 vs SEC East teams at 10-10 last 4 years
.
We are doing great and this means nothing except how bad all the national press is for daring to try to point out to you that just maybe, it does mean something.
Else wise, why did you run in here to talk about Joey Hamilton and Georgia tek ? What’s good for the Goose is good for the Gander. Now, please make up your handy-dandy list of Excuses for US while picking on our competitors for FAR LESS.
I actually think it is WORSE cheating on your marriage. I give him no pass for that at all, and point out that since 2004 I have NOT been on Damon M. Evans’ side, because Vince said he was NOT READY.
So, I get to say now that I told you so that Vince Dooley should NEVER HAVE BEEN FIRED IN THE MANNER IN WHICH MICHAEL F. ADAM$ DID, and he fired Vince Dooley to put me through this since before the 4th of July weekend until AFTER it.
Oh, yeah, Michael F. Adam$ handled this entire sordid matter fantastically. Hats off to you for that observation Bluto.
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I’m pretty sure a lot of people find you hard to be around.
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First of all, I personally like Damon Evans and think he did a remarkable job as AD. I still support him and hope he can overcome what has happened.
Secondly, his actions finally caught up with him. Unfortunately…..This was not Damon Evans first merry go round drinking and driving. There were 3 other incidents (all in Athens) where Damon Evans was questionable when pulled over driving. Fraternizing with the ladies was something he was also not unaccustomed too. Everyone has the wrong idea that this was just an isolated incident involving a single lapse of judgement.
Interesting Mike Adams carefully worded response to the media about Evans….”I’ve never seen any evidence of the kind of conduct that led to this unhappy conclusion.”
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