I hit a link to this page at Marty’s site based on a tweet I saw yesterday justifying McCarron’s invite to the Heisman ceremony. Since I couldn’t care less about the award, this isn’t meant as a knock on McCarron, but I found myself sliding my eyes down to number 13 on that list. And then I made a couple of lists of my own. Like this one. And this one.
Aaron Murray had one helluva year, folks. Unlike AJ, he did it with a motley crew of a supporting cast. And unlike AJ, he walks away with a slew of career SEC records. Yet it’s remarkable how quiet an awards period he’s having. Before you blame his situation on the team record, think about it for a minute. There are SEC quarterbacks who are legends who never won a national or conference title. Murray sounds like he’s fated to be the guy about whom people say when asked, “yeah, I remember him… he was pretty good… but…” Why? Because that’s the narrative that’s been dealt to him.
Frankly, that kinda sucks. How does he not deserve better than having to shake off that big game reputation, which has been thoroughly shredded this season anyway?
I was going to take this post in the direction of wondering what that says about how the football program is managed at the very top – the Heisman push for the sake of the Heisman may be meaningless, but positive promotion for Georgia football is anything but – and then I see that Bernie and Tyler have already plowed that ground. And like them, I can’t help but wonder if this passiveness creeps into other areas.
Our complete and total lack of carpe diem when it comes to things like Heisman campaigns (because in all honesty we should have been promoting two candidates starting in June in the very least) and sticking up for the players on the field when officiating and NCAA rules fail them is astounding. We have an eternal take it easy as it comes attitude. Forever willing to accept our lot in life. Hoping for the future while getting kicked in the crotch by any and all comers.
Additionally, go ahead and explain away the rematch with Nebraska in the upcoming Gator Bowl as old Bill Snyder throwing himself a hissy. But also ask why we don’t have anyone that can dictate the selection procedure with authority? Who is representing Georgia’s best interest? You think Chris Burnette and Artie Lynch came to the University of Georgia wanting their last game, their last trip on the bus with their teammates, to be against a team they played 12 months earlier? Who is going to bat to make sure these players get what’s best for them?
I’m only asking because UGA continually promotes our athletic programs as above certain standards and doing things “the Georgia way”. Yet it is a mere casual observance to fancy from a SkyBox. A simple play toy to enjoy several times a year instead of a business to run, market and promote.
Embarrassing. Dawg fans deserve better. And the University of Georgia’s athletes certainly deserve better.
This wasn’t even a money issue. There was no real cost associated with promoting Murray’s stellar season; it’s just that nobody at B-M thought it was worthy of a special effort. It makes you wonder if there’s anything that would qualify as special enough.
Maybe you don’t think this matters much, but I’d ask you to consider a couple of things. First of all, the postseason gets a lot more subjective next season. Buzz, like it or not, will play more than it did before. If you’re not willing to push yourself if need be, don’t count on the next guy to do it for you. And don’t be surprised when you’re on the outside looking in on the playoff field.
The second point is for a narrower audience, the folks who think Richt needs to move on and that Georgia can do better. What gives you the impression there’s a mindset that makes that automatic?
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UPDATE: More thoughts on this topic at Hey Jenny Slater.
Get The Picture 
Question Senator….WTF does all this have to do with the Heisman? Things have gotten so out of control. Just give the damn award to the player that performed the best during the season. It’s simple….but not obvious. Oh and there is no automatic mindset.
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The title to your post is brilliant.
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Vanderbilt hyped Eric Jones back in 1988.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-10-24/sports/8802100352_1_heisman-trophy-hype-lew-harris-jay-berwanger
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“What gives you the impression there’s a mindset that makes that automatic?”
Richt is part of, if not the main proponent of, that mindset. After all, he’s got the whole going to heaven thing taken care of, so who cares about earthly awards?
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I am not a fan of the religious comment, but I can not believe any other competitive SEC coach would tolerate the lack of support from his athletic department or his university on these important issues affecting his team.
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Its not a matter of being “a fan”, its a matter of recognizing that it colors Richt’s worldview. Its the prism through which he views his life and everything around him. And it causes him to be, or at the very least makes him appear to be, very passive, imo.
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You speak of Richt’s worldview as though you understand it, but your earlier comment (“he’s got the whole going to heaven thing taken care of, so who cares about earthly awards”) reveals that you actually have no understanding. I won’t go into the theology of work from a biblical/Judeo-Christian perspective (unless it’s necessary), but I can assure you that hard work and seeking excellence here on earth is not mutually exclusive with the hope of heaven. In fact, they support each other.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”
The attacks on Richt’s faith or worldview, as somehow contributing to his lack of what you might define as success, are silly.
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+1
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It was snark based on CMR’s faith. You know it. Own it.
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I agree that he’s very passive. In fact, I don’t see how anyone can dispute that based on the evidence.
But I don’t think it’s worth speculating as to why he’s passive. We can debate that until we’re all blue in the face and come to no conclusions. Besides, why does it matter? He is the way he is. That is what matters.
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What if it’s simply his personality?…as it is for so many others regardless of their faith or worldview.
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Right. That is my point. You and I are on the same page.
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I just don’t know what passive means. Do we want him to act like Muschamp on the sidelines? I mean, Richt, Mack Brown, Fisher, Miles, Meyer, Shaw, and even Saban all look pretty much the same to me on the sideline.
Johnson, Dabo, and Muschamp rant and rave and scream at officials and players. But all coaches yell at refs. Richt got a penalty in Auburn for it. Do we want MORE penalties?
I’ve been blessed to go to plenty of practices. He’s a football coach. He ain’t passive. And I think he’s gotten more lively with the media since the end of the SECCG. I think that flipped his switch with the media and made him realized that none of them know what they’re talking about.
That passive argument has always seemed strange to me. I don’t want him acting like a fool on the sidelines. Most of the great ones don’t.
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I’m not basing it on his sideline demeanor.
One example of being passive is kicking the field goal against UCF from the 1 yard line. Another is downing the ball on 2nd down against Michigan State to attempt a long field goal. There are plenty more but those are 2 examples.
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I just don’t think that’s passive. I think we had it 3rd and 1 and didn’t get an inch and Richt saw the writing on the wall. He said as much after the Liberty Bowl. And I always thought the move vs. Mich. St was the right move.
I think he tries to win games, but fans want to win games pretty. He wins 7+ out of 10 doing it his way, which is better than Coach Dooley did or most do. He ain’t perfect, but I just don’t think that’s passive. He didn’t think we’d get the 1st down vs. UCF, so he kicked. He thought Blair would make the kick vs. MSU, so we played to kick. He did not think Blair would make kicks vs. UF that same year, and went for it on 4th and long twice for TDs. He also went for it on our own 39 at 4th 6 just 2 weeks ago because we had to in order to win the game. I guess we just view things different.
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+1
Saban did not think his vet kicker would make it against Auburn. He already missed two. Cramped up against LSU a couple of years ago. So he went with the freshman with two FG attempts under his belt. Missed one… the longer of the two @ 36 yards. His starter had kicked a 53 yarder earlier in the season. Coaches coach armchair quarterbacks second guess them all the time.
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Ok, let’s move beyond specific in game scenarios then. How do you feel about him keeping Martinez as the DC for 5 years? How do you feel about him letting the S&C program turn into a mess before addressing it? How do you feel about the way he’s handled special teams for the last 5 or so years? And do you feel any of that was passive behavior? Because I feel like those were/are huge issues that became that way b/c of his passive behavior.
But it’s cool if we disagree. I’ve got no problem with that.
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Hey, I appreciate your spirit. It’s a good discussion. I just don’t see it that way. Martinez is a great example.
2005 – we win the SEC – people don’t fire coordinators who just won the toughest conference in the land.
2006 – we went 9-4 and had some defensive lapses, but a true freshman QB put us in terrible holes. We were 9-4 because we kept throwing it to the other team.
2007 – defense was dominant down the stretch.
2008 – It was disappointing. But we went 10-3 and won the Cap One Bowl. We clearly weren’t in contention w/ the 2 elite teams we played, but it was a wierd team. And we went 10-3. Not many coaches fire coordinators after 10 win season in which they finish ranked pretty high.
2009 – Richt did what he had to do.
I guess my point is, when should have have fired him? You can make an argument after 2008, but most coaches wouldn’t make that move, especially a year removed from what was our best defense in years.
S & C? Who knows. He made the move he had to make, which was not an easy one. And the timing went with the other moves pretty much.
Special Teams? I think we all view it pretty myopically. I don’t know what he’s supposed to do besides say, “Hey, Collin, it’d be really great if you would actually catch this ball before you punt it.” I mean, most of our gaffes are kids screwing up. In that same period, we’ve had some timely onside kicks vs. VaTech, South Carolina, and LSU in huge games that were great calls. We ran a fake punt in the SECCG that was a huge play. I think every team probably thinks their special teams suck and cost them a game or two. I think we’re just too close to the action. Most of our failures have stemmed from (this season) some of the craziest simple execution problems I’ve ever seen. Some will say that’s coaching, I guess. But what coaching fixes the snapper and holder messing up at Clemson or Swann catching a punt at Vandy? I think we work on it a lot, and we had a lot of kids screw up this year.
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Letting Martinez hang around after the 2008 season instead of going after Chavis at a point in time when we likely would have actually landed him has been the biggest mistake of his career IMO. We win the NC in 2012 with Chavis as our DC, and we have a decent shot in 2011 and even this year.
But that’s neither here nor there and really has nothing to do with the argument at hand. Just my $0.02
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I’d like to have Chavis. I’d argue the biggest mistake of his career was redshirting Knowshon in 2006. Lord, what Special K could have done for that young QB. You know, we weren’t that bad that year.
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Better yet he would have had a year of experience under his belt to start the 2007 season. You never know what kind of difference a seasoned KM would have made against south carolina compared to a green KM. I still don’t think anything would have helped against UT that year though, but a win against SC changes everything
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And you know this how?
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Richt obviously felt pretty confident we could land him after he was already settled at LSU considering we went after him so making him an offer when he was actually a free agent would only have helped our chances. Plus it would be on the heels of a 10-3 season in 2008 compared to after 2009 when the perception surrounding our program was much worse. Not too much of a leap IMO
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+1000. There is no doubt that Richt’s attitude towards these is a train wreck and a large reason why it’s seemingly Groundhog Day for this program every year.
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Jesus fucking Christ. What about the SEC championship game (a fake punt!)? What about the 4th down against Tech this year? What about the billion times he’s gone for it on 4th in the past 3 years?
Cherry pick all you want. That offense in 2010 sucked, and he played to what he thought was the right play. He’s shown more than enough times that he has stones when it comes to playcalling (Auburn 2010 against Cam… 4th and 1, playaction pass for TD).
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We had 2 fourth down conversions for TDs in the 2011 Florida game…
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+1000
Tired of people thinking just because Richt doesn’t act like an ass like Boom, he’s passive. I’m pretty sure he wants to win more than anyone here. It’s his career. People don’t choose competitive careers to sit back and be passive. This entire argument is silly when it comes to discussing Richt’s motivation.
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Nice straw man.
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Defenders of Richt on this blog love straw men
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Sure but sometimes we all need a little straw to lean on
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Nice deflection.
I see your specific examples above and can add just as many when he was aggressive with the play calling. Onside kicks in the first half. 4th and 6 inside his 40 against Tech. Fourth down TD pass to the corner against Florida. We can bat this ball around all day. What makes you think he’s passive? I’ve heard many people cite his demeanor on the sideline, which is total bullshit. So give me a specific example of how Richt is passive and how this means he settles for mediocrity.
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What about how lackadaisical he is to pull the trigger on incompetent assistants? What about not owning up to bad decisions such as the poor S&C program we ran for years or not having a special teams coach, acting like these haven’t been problems?
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In the past, I have heard others accuse Tom Landry and Don Shula of being passive. It seems that it didn’t slow them down too much.
In the end, I still think it’s about the Xs and Os, Jimmys and Joes, and (as I believe the Senator is pointing out) the philosophy of the school and athletic department…not the coach’s personality, not his hope of heaven.
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Where I come from, it’s called “Rose Colored Glasses.”
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Because being a Christian has kept CMR from having much ambition to achieve anything noteworthy in his sorry old life, or do anything to help those around him succeed.
Compared to, say, you.
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Way to over react, take things out of context, and make a personal attack. All in a few short sentences…congrats to you!
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It’s not an over reaction. You made an idiotic comment. Just say it: it bothers you that Richt is a believer. You think believers are passive because they’ve locked in a spot in heaven. You think that’s what it’s all about: get your ticket to heaven and life is a free pass.
ARDawgs spelled it out very nicely, but you need to think before you speak. You’d be blessed to have Mark Richt influence your son’s life. And, boy, he sure looked like that heaven thing was really all that mattered to him after Bama last year or during and after Auburn this year, didn’t he? Some of the greatest competitors in sports through the years have been deeply devoted followers of Christ. I’m a Christian, and I was mean as a rattlesnake on the football field. It’s a stupid comment and needs to die in the Bulldog Nation. That mindset does nothing but hurt our program and, frankly, hurts the world.
Now, Mark Richt’s faith colors his coaching philosophy.
-We actually suspend and discipline kids because we believe in life lessons.
-We are honest with parents and recruits.
-We don’t negative recruit.
-We hold certain character standards for potential student-athletes
It’s a valid question to wonder if good guys can win in the modern-day SEC when everyone else is pushing the limits on rules and lying to recruits just to sign kids. I’m hopeful we can win even bigger to prove that it can be done right. It actually boggles my mind that parents will send players to play for anyone else when most in the conference have a proven track record of lying and player mis-treatment. But they all think they’re going to be the star that is treated right.
But, to assert that Richt does strive for excellence and push himself and team to be the best or that he’s not competitive is just stupid. You obviously do not know Mark Richt, and your comment belies a complete ignorance of Christianity and basic Biblical principles. Richt might be the only coach in America that can actually achieve success under the guidelines self-imposed on the program through B-M.
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Yadda, yadda, yadda. Have fun with your fantasies.
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I agree with you that people who think CMR’s religion is why he doesn’t get the results of Saban, Meyer, etc., but I really don’t think everyone else in the country sees UGA as having a moral high ground over all other schools, and I’m not sure that I really see things that way either even though I would agree that we have a moral high ground over *some* schools. I think CMR being a Christian has caused folks to fool themselves into thinking we are this holier than thou program that somehow benefits kids more in the long-term than other programs.
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That should read:
I agree with you that people who think CMR’s religion is why he doesn’t get the results of Saban, Meyer, etc. *are ludicrous*
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This reminds me that I still am not smarter than a Westmoreland
http://www.boreme.com/posting.php?id=6805
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LOL. Awesome.
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I apologize for the personal attack – I mean that.
For what it’s worth, there was a point to making it personal beyond simply being a jerk:
My point was that if CMR has achieved more “earthly awards” than you or I have in our own fields, then it’s difficult to see how we can diagnose that this particular part of his worldview is to blame for “holding him back”, unless we’re prepared to admit our own philosophy has some component even worse than his!
HOWEVER – I was wrong…there could be some part of CMR’s Christianity that holds him back, and some other part of our own habits or genetics that simply holds US back even more. So CMR might win more games as a non-Christian or agnostic or whatever, and we might be more successful going to bed earlier like he does, or if we had his parents.
So I agree with you – some part of being a Christian might keep CMR from doing certain things that would win us a NC – and I’m not even talking about bad stuff – cheating or grayshirting…it may indeed make him just an eyelash less competitive…who can say?
But there are plenty of arguments that his faith has turned him into just the sort of man that has produced this fairly steady winning course the program is currently on. Some recruits’ mamas surely like it, it may have pushed him not to cheat on his wife or engage in similar disruptive behavior, or may encourage him to be calm at just the right time…if you think it may hurt him, you must admit to the possibility that it might be a benefit.
Although he frustrates me occasionally, I like the guy pretty well. I think he’s an excellent representative for Christianity and Georgia football, too. I would feel less kinship with him if he was a Buddhist, but I’d still be proud to have him as our coach if he kept going about his business the way he does.
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Buddist I could go for, but Scientologist, he’d have to get his ass out
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I guess it’s the same thing with Gurley too. He doesn’t make the All SEC team when he’s probably the best back in the nation. Some drum beating for him would be nice.
When I heard we were playing Nebraska, my thought was that “the fans deserve better than this.” I know me and my friends along with everyone that reads this blog, invest a lot of money, time and emotion into UGA football. I never feel like I get the same in return from the administration and frankly from Coach Richt. It would be very nice to have someone out there blowing the horn for Georgia Football and it’s players. It would also be nice to have someone explain the season a little more; e.g. give the fans an understanding of what went wrong with the defense or OLine and all of the good things that CTG and CWF did to warrant keeping them. Not just- We’re young and we had a lot of injuries. It’s frustrating and I think it will effect recruiting and ultimately our results.
Here’s hoping they put more energy into TGIII’s Heisman campaign next year.
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As someone frustrated with the program’s stagnation, I wholeheartedly and adamantly disagree with the notion that blog readers put more into the program than Richt. He may be calm, but he’s been pushing for an indoor practice facility even publicly for years. That he doesn’t shit all over his program in the press doesn’t mean he doesn’t advocate hard as hell for improvements, and if you have any evidence whatsoever to suggest that he isn’t emotionally invested in this team, please post it now.
You and I probably agree about the AD’s apathy and the BoR’s focus on $. But I’d leave Richt out of this unless you know something we don’t.
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Could not agree more Spence. A Heisman campaign is the responsibility of the AD & his support staff and is also a quasi recruiting pitch for the late Nov -Dec period. There is no excuse for the lack of support.
Hey but G McGarity is more than willing to show you a picture of his big shiny reserve fund.
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Gurley is vaguely defensible in that he missed three whole games and portions of three more.
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You and the others have summarized the lethargy and inertia that is Georgia athletics. There is no excuse for the lack of some campaign for Aaron and Gurley and you can bet your ass Saban and Miles would never have allowed the bowl fiasco.
Take it FWIW but this post on Dawgvent seems to support the theory: “GAA Board Member Mack Guest, about 6:05 am yesterday..in a steam room, post workout was asked directly, “What’s the plan over there? What’s our goal? Are we trying to make money or win?” While I’ll agree that the question and its bluntness were less than mannerly, it might interest some that the response was, “Well, nobody wants to rock the boat.”
$$$ talks, BS walks and until the beloved reserve fund begins to dwindle, donations to Hartman Fund decline and ticket sales suffer, the waters will remain smooth as glass. It’s “The Georgia Way.”
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This is the kind of stuff I’m referring to. We get a post from the Dawgvent and that is where we get our information- Is this true? Who the shit knows, but I do know that passionate fans read these blogs and when the read something like that, they get frustrated and tell their friends who get frustrated (unless they are Auburn fans).
No offense to you Dave in anyway shape or form, I’m just pointing out the lack of information and communication from the BM Building.
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none taken, I share your frustration.
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Of course, you could just look at this article talking about the fact that Alabama didn’t run a Heisman campaign for McCarron with quotes included from McCarron and Claude Felton….wait…wha?!?!?…someone cited Felton’s idea as a good thing? I thought there was NO EXCUSE?
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1814533-should-alabama-crank-up-a-full-fledged-heisman-campaign-for-qb-aj-mccarron
This is dumb. D-U-M-B. It is a crutch for those who want to try to paint the program into a box but realize that Richt bashing isn’t popular anymore.
This isn’t Claude Felton’s first rodeo. Go back to the article in September…
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/07/11/2578708/murray-for-heisman-georgia-will.html#storylink=cpy
Tell me any part of that article that isn’t true?
Murray was sitting at 3rd in most Heisman ‘watches’ after the Tennessee game.
http://college-football.si.com/2013/10/07/heisman-watch-week-6-jameis-winston-florida-state-tajh-boyd/
I love Aaron Murray. Love him. But him not being ‘recognized’ as one of the all time greats is not because of the Georgia athletic department. It’s because the team lost some big, nationally televised games, they didn’t win a championship, and they lost 4 games this year.
It’s what separates players like Tebow, Wuerffel, Walker, even McCarron from great players like Murray, Faulk, McFadden, Eli Manning…
It just is crazy…we have this debate as Dawg fans whether you would take David Greene or Aaron Murray…and it’s spirited and it’s honest…and it should tell us that Murray was great, but that we understand that his lack of attention isn’t because of passiveness on the part of the program, but instead because of reasonable questions that weren’t put to rest by a championship season.
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No, McCarron does not need to get lumped in with those “great players.”
He’s had at least one NFL-bound RB, 4-5 NFL-ready OLinemen and at least one NFL WR to throw to, all backed by a top 5 D. Gee, no wonder he doesn’t lose much.
But if he’s that good, why wasn’t the ball in his hands when the Tide needed a short 4th down conversion late vs. the Barn?
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“Take it FWIW but this post on Dawgvent”
Was this post before or after random Confederate nostalgia?
Ugh, the DawgVent.
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I always find it fascinating that everyone’s “I know a guy who knows a guy” anecdotes just happen to support the theory du jour.
You never get the DawgVent guy who says, “you know I think Richt is a slouch who’s either praying his way or sleeping his way through games – but then my cousin’s girlfriend’s TA heard in the men’s room at B-M that Saban actually calls Richt for advice on maintaining intensity”.
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….also not a dig @Dave. GATA
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Thanks for this post Senator. I was too young to remember Herschel but I can’t remember any time that UGA has EVER had a Heisman “campaign” for a player. Our fans travel well and the “brand” is always in the Top 10 or Top 5 in the country revenue-wise and we repeatedly get the shit end of the stick when it comes to bowl games. A good AD, in addition to being a good director/manager or things, must also be an excellent politician. So far, McGarity has been underwhelming to say the least.
I also point to Butts-Mehre’s nonchalant reactions to the horrific calls in the Vandy game and the calls in the Auburn game (particularly the one on Richt). The Vandy game was the most egregious and all we get is “we’re letting the process play out”.
I know there isn’t much they can do but at least let the TEAM and the fanbase know that you’re as pissed as they are.
All I know is, my grandchildren will one day say when they are old themselves, “my granddad used to say Aaron Murray was the best QB’s he ever saw wear the red and black”.
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Hearst, Zeier, and Quincy all had one in the 90s and we all remember how pathetic that decade of UGA football was.
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Our biggest problem sits in Butts-Mehre in the office marked “CFelton”
While Claude may have been a super SID back in the day, he does not run a topnotch 21st century department.
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He’s nowhere near the biggest problem. Not even in the top-10 of problems.
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Click on the ‘Georgia Bulldogs Athletics News Home’ link in Claude’s bio. Ask not what Claude can do for us. Ask what can we do for Claude. My beneficial suggestion is that he allow incoming tweets the next time he chats up Greg
http://www.georgiadogs.com/genrel/felton_claude00.html
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#AskBuellerClaudeorGreg would be just as good as #AskJPM
http://boingboing.net/2013/12/01/jp-morgans-twitter-takeove.html
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Bernie said it well. It is exactly the argument I and others have been making here the past several years.
I don’t get it. Butts-Mehre never hestiates to publicly embarrass our players with punishment for the pettiest of issues or to pre-emptively assign player punishment on any inquiry by the NCAA.
But when our players continue to take uncalled illegal hits and phantom penalties from the SEC, assessed inappropriate NCAA restrictions, or take cheap shots from the media, we are largely silent unless provoked in a press conference.
Whose side are they on?
UGA claims to have one of the best public relations programs in its top-ranked journalism school.
Why doesn’t someone from our SID and compliance departments make the trip up to North Campus to learn something?
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This. In spades. This ‘silent apathy’ has been what has been so infuriating to watch. AM deserved better than the passive nonvocal Georgia ‘leadership’ gave him.
While we know that the Heisman is just a ESPN single season highlight award, it is a litmus test for this administration’s inability to call attention to the best QB we ever had a Georgia.
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I remember that we started a Heisman campaign for Quincy Carter in 2000. Then, South Carolina happened, and we’ve never seen another campaign for an individual player since.
Regarding bowl game selection and officiating, it seems we don’t have the desire to take on the suits in Birmingham. We never flex our muscle of being the team in the largest media market of the most college football crazy area of the country. It makes no sense to me.
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We don’t want to risk delaying that revenue sharing check, apparently.
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Bluto, we share your frustration and that’s the excuse we all can use. We could get off our ass here and promote ahead of next season to catch their attention. Either get an E-mail started to B-M personnel or get their attention some other way (Football Alums?). One reason that I don’t get on a high horse is to spare the stress of pulling for Aaron, but not knowing what to do for his predicament (He was hurt;therefore, he fell out of contention.). Certainly he has had nice accolades for his football exploits as well as for his sincere and excellent character-driven endeavors for those less fortunate.
.I don’t like blaming others when there might be something that we, as a group of gtp sounding-board members, could do. Anyone have a suggestion?
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Sorry: “…Aaron, but…” should be “…Aaron, while…”.
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I don’t know why you continue to think a fan blog has an iota of influence there. It would be a complete waste of bandwidth.
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It would be your perogative to pleed insignificance. Mr. Walker knew who you were. I’d say admittance would bring a flood of requests, ones you don’t want to do, and avoiding the arbiter part is exactly what you intend. 😛
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Bluto, like Reggie, is the straw that stirs the drink no matter how much he doth protest
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I’m flattered, really, but it’s money that talks at B-M. And I’ve got a pretty quiet bank account. 😉
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Senator I would disagree that it is ALL about money. There are voices which would be listened to, money aside, voices that might make a difference…especially in situations like Aaron’s, but they are silent, too.
I don’t have the records at hand, but have we not, in the Mark Richt era, promoted folks for the Hype Man? Seems as though we have, although I stand to be corrected by evidence.
It seems to me there are forces at work here we don’t understand…there is no logical explanation for lack of promoting Aaron. I don’t really remember a lot of Georgia promotion of Herschel, but maybe my mind is cloudy.
To all of us who want to be Bama….well, the Icon of All Bamaness never had a Hype Man either. Thought football was a team sport.
In this way we are like Bama (pre-process Bama, that is.)
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Cojones, Aaron never was anything but on the periphery of the conversation because he couldn’t win the “big one.” After the LSU game, he was beginning to enter the conversation about post-season honors, and the injury disaster in Knoxville strikes. We lose two in a row, and he disappeared from the conversation right after that.
Regarding frustration about the media, I still can’t believe Felton and the SID staff stood by as the WWL was broadcasting from UGA on their preseason campus tour and droned on and on about the JFF allegations that came out that day. We got zero media benefit from that trip to Athens. The only thing that was Georgia-specific content to come out of that day was Pretty Boy Herbstreit going over the last play from scrimmage with Aaron from the SECCG. Ridiculous …
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To your last point, I totally agree. People who call for Richt’s head and want someone new and fresh fail to understand the new and fresh hire will come from the stale and outdated administration. I don’t think UGA fans quite understand how average an AD they have.
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This is exactly my feeling on the matter… UGA AD has not shown the inclination to go make a big splash with a coaching hire. Maybe a lesson learned after Donnan and Herrick?
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Part of it was he initially seemed like such a huge improvement over Damon. Turns out “better than Damon Evans” does not equal “good” or even the “he’s going to run our Athletics like Foley ran Florida’s” many hoped for.
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I don’t contribute to the Hartman fund, mostly because I don’t believe in donating without some specific outcome tied to the donation. But, if McGarity and the AD were to send a note saying (for example) “if UGA can increase Hartman Fund contributions by 15% each of the next 2 years, the AA will be in the financial position required to add 5 new staffers to the football program, 2 of whom will be S&C assistants and 3 of whom will be recruiting assistants, build a state-of-the-art IPF and make the much needed $10mil renovation to Foley Field a reality by 2016” then I’d drop my check in the mail as would 10000s of other Dawg fans.
Like fiscal conservatives’ mistrust of government, many in the Dawg nation don’t trust Michael Adams (ding dong, that witch is dead) and AD McGarity to put their hard earned cash to good use when there are so many blindingly stupid examples of the lethargy and apathy cited in these comments.
The Dawg nation is ready to support the AD. But the AD needs to first ask the right questions , then do the right things.
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This happens because the money keeps coming even without the results. Too many want to keep the tickets so they can tailgate, enter the game middle 1st qtr., leave middle of 3rd qtr. and tailgate some more. I have seen it for years and the complacency throughout the fans, staff, coaches and administration just recycles itself. Not just football either.
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Welllllllll there are a lot of people who go to the game. How do you keep up with all those folks? Maybe you should change where you tailgate. ????
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To add to your fantastic post on shining a light on our schools laissez-faire attitude to the football team…
Nike and their rebranding of our font, numbers, and logo fits right in there.
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I totally agree. The font is…terrible. Tell them ‘We’re Georgia and this is what our uniform looks like…make it.’
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This might be one of the better illustrations I’ve seen. Good point. The new typeface is hideous.
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Are there more people at Butts-Mehre who don’t know what the term “competitive disadvantage” means or more who don’t care what it means as long a the money continues to roll in?
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Umm…yeah…if everyone could just sort of go ahead and get their Hartman Fund donations in as soon as possible, that would be great. Thanks.
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And I hate to bring this up because it makes the idea that Aaron Murray is not in New York even harder to digest.
Check Pat Sullivan’s records at Auburn.
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Sorry for the hijack, Boss, but this too good to just leave lay.
To continue the dead turtle discussion from earlier posts, here are some cogent thoughts from my Bama buddy, who bleeds as much crimson as any of us bleed red.
“I don’t know about the turtle thing – it certainly isn’t the most implausible theory out there – but I do know that Auburn got your luck, our luck, and everybody else’s. If they go on to beat FSU then I will be forced to reexamine my atheism … Because clearly some kind of God-like force is at work here. A cruel, manipulative God with a truly misguided sense of humor, but a God nonetheless … In Georgia’s case the Old Testament God who was always casting plagues and shit. A dead turtle, an unjust and dispassionate God … Who knows? but there has to be an answer somewhere.”
See, here’s at least one Bammer who understands the larger context of football.
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In an alternate universe, Herschel went into the Marines, Dooley retired with only 170 wins, no one ever heard of Jan Kemp, Damon Evans is a Baptist Minister, and Richt has two MNC’s but also has us on probation for failure to self-report recruiting violations.
Instead of “Commit to the G” our theme is “Bring on Yo thUGA”
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Everyone else please stop your donations so that I can get some tickets then. That will lower the points needed. I like next season’s home schedule.
Am I disappointed that I was only 5 and couldn’t enjoy our last NC? Sure. Is it a punch in the gut to watch AU go back again? Sure. But the quicker one accepts “We are Georgia” 😉 the easier life may become…
While I agree with the philosophy of holding the AD hostage by donation funds, the simple truth is that it is a small minority who will ever do that. Too many people simply love UGA for the sake of loving UGA regardless of whether we win or lose. Folks, it ain’t going to change without some serious shakeup in administration, none of which any of us can control – even if all of Get the Picture and DawgVent joined forces. Same with complaining about Richt – whatever his strengths/weaknesses are – I’m pretty sure that he’s leaving on his own terms. Get used to that too.
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True. What can make an impact is insightful letters and emails to the AD. It never hurts to show concern. Enough of that stuff begins to open eyes. Perception is reality.
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So should everyone just shut up and ignore the issues?
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Agree sUGArdaddy. And in that vein and to answer you cube – no, everyone is entitled to share their opinion. Everyone can do what they want to do. Free country and all. I’m just not sure it is our collective opinion that is ultimately going to sway anyone. Richt can’t even get an IPF and he’s one man with more sway than any of us. I get upset at the losses, constant Charlie Foxtrot’s of penalties out of a timeout, DBs with arms raised up to the sky wondering what the playcall is, etc. I just think a lot of people’s blood pressure and mental health might be better served putting things into perspective of the reality of the situation.
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Fair enough. You make some good points.
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Well then. I’ve pretty much reined it in for today. There was a suggestion from Bluto that we lay off Mark Richt for being a Christian. I was surprised to see it come up so many times today. Poor form fellow GTP’ers. I was a bit annoyed so I bit my tongue. See Cube… I listen. Placing the need for a leader for change at BM at Bluto’s feet is lazy. IMHO. Regardless of his 17 million hits and acknowledgement from Hershel “he ain’t got time for…”. No margin in it.
Conjones is pretty knowledgeable about Georgia. He is certainly articulate and was a bureaucrat is another life. He has plenty of time on his hands let him take this and run with whatever it is you think a fan base can achieve.
Make DIF you researcher though. No one could touch his work. 😉
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My lip is bleeding from biting down and not reacting today. Some pretty strong statements have been posted. For the “Richt is the problem” crowd, take a look at this list:
Coker, Tressel, Saban, Carroll, Brown, Meyer, Miles, Chizik.
These guys all have MNC’s to their credit since 2001, Richt does not. So by inference, this is the comparison Mark Richt must be held to. Of the 8 coaches listed, 3 had significant problems with their programs leading to their departures (Coker, Tressel and Carroll). Meyer is a unique animal. We may never know what Chizik did or didn’t do/know, but he sure didn’t last. Miles certainly has shown to have questionable disciplinary policies. At least Brown and Saban have run probation free and well respected programs.
So Richt has failed to win a MNC that some others cheated for. It’s a fair assumption that no reasonable UGA fan would want to exchange a MNC for probations. Does Mark Richt not stack-up to the others? Is the lack of a MNC for UGA really the damning evidence that Richt is unfit for the position? When listing the top 5 programs in the country, would not Alabama and Texas always be in that group? Florida has spent their way in since Spurrier went home. We probably have not had the commitment at B-M to be Top 5, and to suggest that someone other than Richt woulda, shoulda, coulda done it is just crazy.
It took this fanbase far too long to appreciate Aaron Murray. We’re treating Richt the same way. He’ll be a hell of a lot better…the day he’s gone.
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you and AHD, +1 as usual…
and DIF + :), as usual.
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Thank you! I stand on the shoulders, backs and feet of all my research interns without whom I could not have won this Award. God Bless America and the Troopers except for Taylor
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Yes. My interns have just informed me that a concerted economic boycott has never accomplished anything.
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I get the snark and concede the point. And by all means, if someone can organize a concerted economic boycott in the UGA fan base that actually works, I’m all for it.
I’m not saying I’m happy with the status quo, just that I’m not sure that enough of the UGA fan base is willing to join in the rebellion.
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BC, oops, that was supposed to have been a reply to cube. joyridingdawg’s reply pattern has osmosed onto me and for that I apologize.
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Osmoses ….feel good, doesn’t it?
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I tried to read through the brilliant incites (pun intended) and personal attacks but got tried of the BS. Our SID is an old man and should have retired years ago. Mark has zero to do with publicizing our Heisman hopefuls , it’s the SID’s job. The AD office long before Richt basically quit giving a damn about Individual awards. Our motto is if you are as good as Herschel you will be rewarded. Ever stop to think why it took the Greatest running back in college football history 3 years to win the Heisman? UGA did not promote him enough. Ever think why the winingest QB in college football history who broke the great Peyton Mannings record for wins did not even get an invite to New York? UGA didn’t promote him. This crap is the “Georgia Way” and Mark just happens to be the current coach. Look no further than Johnny Football, he was exciting but he didn’t win the West but he was hyper hyped and won. Aaron was a workman who toiled in obscurity for a bunch of fans who egged his house. We are Georgia and we deserve each other.
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God Damn, dude…tell it.
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You mean they actually believe there is no ME in TEAM?
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“We have an eternal take it easy as it comes attitude. Forever willing to accept our lot in life. Hoping for the future while getting kicked in the crotch by any and all comers”. – That’s a great coupla sentences that says exactly how I feel. I posted on this blog about a month ago, something to the effect that the administration and coaches (henceforth referred to as “TPTB” – the powers that be) seem to be willing to accept our fate no matter what it is and how it is delivered.
TPTB do continually promote our athletic programs as above certain standards … but they “don’t sweat the small stuff,” i.e. promoting Murray’s record-breaking tenure, etc). As you stated, it doesn’t really cost them anything to do this (especially in today’s social media’s world) … AND that promotion (when it occurs) probably helps in the recruiting wars.
I also agree that self-promotion will play a much larger role during next year’s regular season. Remember, we’ll have 12 (if I remember correctly) subjective minds selecting the 4 teams that play in the playoff for the MNC.
I’m not saying that CMR needs to move on … but I do believe that we can do more as a “program” than we’re currently doing. I’m not sorry that I want/expect more from our university.
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This is a bit off topic, but looking at the Senator’s first link I asked myself, “Which 5 quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts against ranked competition had the best rating in those games?” Johnny Manziel and Devin Gardner were two of those quarterbacks. The other three? Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray, and Nick Marshall …………..wow!
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“How does he not deserve better than having to shake off that big game reputation, which has been thoroughly shredded this season anyway?”
Murray went 2-3 in 2013 versus the “big games”, the ranked opponents that UGA played. Lost to #8 Clemson, #25 Missouri, and #7 Auburn. Beat #6 South Carolina and #6 LSU. Both wins were played in Sanford, and were tightly contested games.
Murray certainly improved on his career record versus ranked opponents, but that more aptly describes how poor that record was, than it does how much a step forward Murray took in 2013. But “thoroughly shredded”? Not even on the radar…
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You’re going to count Auburn against Murray? No real point in continuing the conversation, sir.
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Would love to have the time to do a side by side of RGIII and Aaron to see how much of a difference there was between the 2 and what each University did to promote the player. Didn’t RGIII win the Heisman with a 3 or 4 loss season???
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