Damn you, Gentry Estes!
Here I am having gone through years of Van Halanger giving us sunny reassurances that the coming season would mark Georgia’s biggest, baddest, best conditioned team ever, only to see reality tell a different story, vowing that I wasn’t going to buy into any more happy horseshit about offseason workouts, and you’ve got to go and throw this out there:
The most significant statement I heard on National Signing Day at UGA had nothing to do with this dreamy 2011 recruiting class.
It was when someone asked offensive coordinator Mike Bobo about current players in the offseason conditioning program being conducted by Joe Tereshinski.
“These guys are ready to go practice football,” Bobo said, “which is a good thing. That weight room is wearing them out a little bit.”
That’s the kind of quote you jot down and remember later, because it was honest.
In speaking to media, college players will often just generate clean platitudes about all areas of the program because they think that’s what is expected of them, lest anyone be seen as a malcontent publicly.
But in this case, that’s not what fans want to hear. Basically, they want to know that Georgia’s players hate this offseason program, dread it on a daily basis and just want it to be over. So Bobo’s statement represented the first real response, in my opinion, that lets outsiders begin to think this Van Halanger-Tereshinski switch is working.
Must… resist… stay… skeptical…
This isn’t going to be an easy offseason, folks.
Wow, do believe a “real” comment. Players wishing for the practice field? Yeah something seems changed doesn’t it. Get the salt pills, smelling salts this is going to be ride.
LikeLike
Supposedly there was a Twitter dust-up between a few players the other day about mandatory breakfast, lunch and dinner team meals. Some players don’t like it, to which I say great. Time for more discipline and healthier eating habits.
LikeLike
Speaking of Tweeter there was a strange tweet last night from AJ Greene to Micheal Moore about crazy things going on . I have no idea what that was about but maybe things really are being shook up.
LikeLike
who’s A.J. Greene?
LikeLike
What’s not to be excited about, Senator? At this point, we’re tied for first in the East!
LikeLike
We’re also in last, and the tie-breaker does not favor us……
LikeLike
LOL. Touche.
LikeLike
I too vowed not to get excited about any statements or quotes this offseason. Too many times have I had the wool pulled over my eyes with this type of crap. The proof will be in the pudding. For CMR and his staff, I sure all of the changes are working.
LikeLike
Remember Dooms Day is now scheduled for Dec. 2012. Meanwhile I agree that what the Dawg’s coaches are doing now is working,
LikeLike
I gave up on tempering my excitement based on reality a long time ago. The fact is you only live once, and I’m going to spend it excited about my team.
Bring on the delusions of grandeur!!!
LikeLike
Delusions of grandeur is the strong wind that carries all partisan fans across the wide off-season ocean. It is the cleansing water that washes away our doubts and muddles the memories of our past seasons shortcomings. All hail delusions of grandeur!!
Jump on board Senator. It’ll be a fun ride right up till we bump into reality.
LikeLike
+1
LikeLike
All of this is leading to us going 10-3 with losses to Florida, S. Carolina, Auburn. Or if we pull out a win against one of those 3, we’ll slip up against Boise, UT or Ole Miss on the road, or Kentucky. Then we’ll beat some average team in the Peach or Outback Bowl. But we’ll show improvement and it’s Groundhog Day again the following year.
LikeLike
Ok I’ll bite.
I would take 10-3 next year, as it would be a significant improvement from the last 2 years. However, it would be an easier 10-3 to swallow if one of the “3” isn’t Florida.
LikeLike
There you go David, nice work. But really, Auburn? Did they pick up anyone I don’t know about in free agency? Let’s anticipate the Florida loss and I can see two more along the way between the Cocks, Girlsie St., or UT.
It won’t be Groundhog’s Day because you have to understand that 6-7 doesn’t get to BCS overnight. That would be a great season for a young team and I would be very happy with that type of improvement.
LikeLike
why would anyone, even the biggest pessimist among UGA fans, assume we’re going to lose to Florida again this year (well, ok. Other than the history of the last 20 years)?
Our worst team of the Richt era could easily have won that game. Since that day, they’ve lost their genius head coach, they’re junking his entire offensive and defensive system, and who do they have coming back that makes you say, “Oh no! We have to beat THAT guy?” I’m sure they’ll be good, and I don’t mean to suggest Will Muschamp is a disaster in waiting. But don’t you think it’s possible they’ll have some adjustments to the new schemes? Is John Brantley suddenly going to become Peyton Manning?
we have some good players coming back, we have some potential puzzle pieces to plug in via recruiting. We wouldn’t have to be lots better than last year to have a much better record than last year. Call me crazy, but I’m not willing to concede Florida OR Auburn as losses right now.
LikeLike
last year’s FU team was also *their* worst in years
don’t forget Zook beat us twice
optimistic we’ll beat FU? eh . . . .
LikeLike
A 6-7 record probably will not be transformed into a BCS appearance (especially in the SEC) but there is precedent for it the last five years (2006-2010.)
Each year on average there are about 6 new BCS teams – or teams that were not BCS participants in the prior year. If you review the previous season records for the new teams, you will see that those new teams averaged 8.8 wins vs. 3.97 losses in the year before making the BCS. Last year for example, there were 7 new teams and the average was 8.5 wins vs. 4.4 losses. Oklahoma, UConn, Stanford, Arkansas, and Auburn were all 8-5 in 2009. Wisconsin and Va Tech were each 10-3.
The highest avg wins for a new team came in 2009 – 10.2 wins in 2008. The lowest was back in 2006 when the new teams avg. just 8.14 wins.
However, it is not unprecedented to make the BCS with less than 8 wins in the previous season. Wake Forest was 4-7 in 2005 and made the BCS in 2006. Illinois was 2-10 and Kansas 6-6 in 2006 before making the BCS in 2007. Alabama was just 7-6 in 2007 before breaking thru in 2008.
LikeLike
I saw our team get pushed around by Central Florida. I have no difficulty at all believing that the workouts are harder. I’m just hoping they’re as hard as Alabama’s.
LikeLike
Stay strong Senator. October 29 around 8 pm is the magic date and time when the tale will be told.
LikeLike
We wanted change, we got change. Let’s just hope it’s working. But it sounds to me like coach T’s not fooling around.
LikeLike
These quotes make me want to go out and form tackle the Auburn guy stealing time outside of my office right now. (says the guy commenting on a blog as he gets in to the office)
LikeLike
When you put down a record these players the past two season along with their performance on the field, I think I’d stop bitching about it, garner a little pride, and have some motivation to beat some SEC teams. I’d be damn if I’d want the rest of the conference to think and know I was player that could only produce last place stats.
What is so hard about this for these guys. A free ride …great facilities, food, equipment, professors…don’t get better than this. But what is says is a lack of self-discipline, motivation, and pride. But then again that is what separates the players at Bama, Auburn, Florida, Boise, and etc for us the past couple of years.
Those numbers are what I tried to indicate on a post after Searels left on another site about the “running game”. Even a team with average players could have done better. But this 2011 class has some guys with an attitude for excelling. Peer pressure and review can be huge other than on the field.
LikeLike
The happy talk express leaves the station. Give everybody a raise and a bonus.
LikeLike
Coach T will have ’em ready! Dawgs will be bigger and stronger. There is a new mindset over there. The malcontents have been identified and either have transferred out or will be in lockstep with the new program, or they too will be elsewhere.
I’m thinking there will be a coming out party against Boise State! Get ready.
LikeLike
T. Kyle King’s head just exploded. 😉
LikeLike
Senator, I don’t have time to research it, but this comment sounds to me very much of a piece with the garden-variety, boys-are-working-hard type of talk from every FB coach at every level of the game (except the pros).
Though some other rumors suggesting the players are unhappy about the changes definitely have me leaning positive.
LikeLike
Don’t tell me bout the pain, just show me the baby…
LikeLike