August 13, 2014 · 1:23 PM

So much for absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Mark Richt doesn’t seem to be reluctant about throwing daggers in Todd Grantham’s direction these days.

Of course, I could be totally off base about who those “some coaches” are.

But I doubt it.

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28 responses to “So much for absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

  1. charlottedawg
    August 13, 2014 at 1:47 PM

    But he thought continuity was good for the defense, so which One is it coach?

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  3. Mayor
    August 13, 2014 at 2:00 PM

    That’s not a dig at Grantham personally. CMR is too much of a class guy to do that. It was just a comment that some coaches overlook teaching fundamentals–but that is something they are not overlooking at Georgia.

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  4. @gatriguy
    August 13, 2014 at 2:07 PM

    Senator: I’ve commented about this a few times, but I’m amazed how I haven’t heard of one former player defending Grantham. And now Richt, ever the diplomat, is taking his shots. Then WHY in the world was he coming back before Petrino called? It makes absolutely no sense unless Richt couldn’t get the green light because of the buy-out, which I’m starting believe was it all along. I just find it bizarre and wonder if Grantham was close to losing the guys a la Willie and/or Kevin Ramsey. I’ll hang up and listen.

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    • Senator Blutarsky
      August 13, 2014 at 2:12 PM

      First off, let’s not forget two guys have already transferred to Louisville. That’s a pretty resounding vote of confidence.

      I never sensed that Grantham was losing the players a la Martinez. But I do think there was something going on between the coaches that we’ll never know about.

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      • @gatriguy
        August 13, 2014 at 2:27 PM

        I get that with JHC and SW, but part of me thinks that’s just because they have a princess complex and wanted to go somewhere they would be fawned over, not because they believe in his ability as a coach. You could be right about the coaching staff, and I can certainly see it last year between the offensive coaches and defensive. If you want to give Grantham a pass for anything, it’s that with the exception of Lakatos, he was pretty good at hiring assistants when given the opportunity. Wilson was a major step up from Garner and all his LB coaches were solid as well. I’ll forever believe that Richt holding on to Garner is what burned us in 2012. He knew where the bodies were buried, so Richt felt like he couldn’t let him go, but I’ve never felt he was a good position coach and his skillz as a recruiter haven’t been as hard to replace as everyone told us they would be.

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      • 3rdandGrantham
        August 13, 2014 at 2:27 PM

        I was told by a few folks back in 2011, that would certainly be in the know on this, that there absolutely was friction between the coaches, particularly between CMR and CTG. Basically, CMR and CTG were never exactly friends, and both rubbed each other the wrong way over various issues within the program. In a nutshell, they didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things. CMB is included here and not surprisingly was in the CMR camp; CMB and CTG especially didn’t care for each other much.

        Though I never bought in to CTG and thought he was the slick looking/talking salesman I’ve compared him to before, I must admit that I was privy to a bit of insight early on that CTG wasn’t as good as most thought he was.

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        • @gatriguy
          August 13, 2014 at 2:31 PM

          Well, when you end up with your 3rd or 4th choice, it shouldn’t be a surprise when it doesn’t go as smoothly as everyone hoped it would.

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          • 3rdandGrantham
            August 13, 2014 at 2:39 PM

            Well, there have been many instances where a 2nd or 3rd or whatever choice has ended up paying off beautifully, so I wouldn’t be quick to assume you’re destined for failure if your first choice or two doesn’t come through. Pete Carroll/USC immediately springs to mind here. With that said, yea, UGA got a bit desperate and probably panicked a bit.

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          • americusdawg
            August 13, 2014 at 3:10 PM

            Amen brother …

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        • Keese
          August 14, 2014 at 1:42 AM

          Remember Grathams approach to camp his first year…build then up, not break them down philosophy. CMR stated that the team lost tackling skills, fundamentals etc. Grantham definitely polarized the coaching staff

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    • 3rdandGrantham
      August 13, 2014 at 2:33 PM

      I don’t think CMR was taking a shot at CTG at all with that quote, and instead we’re applying a veiled shot across the bow for him. I think he was talking very generally here and besides, CMR has never been known to take a shot at other coaches, veiled or otherwise. Heck, SOS has been prodding him for years and each time CMR just laughs it off.

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  5. ugalestat1
    August 13, 2014 at 2:49 PM

    The only time I have ever heard CMR take a shot at another coach if you can even call it that is last year when he said that he hadn’t heard Spurrier talk about the schedule.

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  6. RocketDawg
    August 13, 2014 at 4:44 PM

    Say what you want about the Grantham situation but I never thought he would be back after last year. I think that Richt told him to look around and save himself the shame of being fired. If Petrino hadn’t come knocking then Grantham would have been “encouraged” to resign for “personal reasons”. The Pruitt hiring went waaaaaaay to quickly for something not to have already been in the works.

    However it happened let’s rejoice in the fact that CTG is no longer here and we have a competent DC in Pruitt.

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    • W Cobb Dawg
      August 13, 2014 at 10:37 PM

      I go back to halftime of the mizzou game. That’s when I was convinced CTG would be gone. It was only a matter of time.

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  7. Granthams replacement
    August 13, 2014 at 4:47 PM

    Richt wanted to retain all of the other coaches even after CTG left. Did the new defensive staff change his mind on fundementals?

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  8. Cojones
    August 13, 2014 at 5:04 PM

    Here’s the kicker. If CMR didn’t like the resultant nontackling going on under Grantham, why in hell is he lauding the return to it now? Who’s in charge here, anyway?

    I’m suspicious that the know-it-alls whispered in the we-know-a-litle Regent’s ear and unto my-job-is-to-replace-CMR-with-CTG-and-I-don’t-know-shit AD such that Richt was left with no support even for an indoor facility and was supposed to be embarrassed enough to look elsewhere.

    His salary couldn’t be matched to the new coaches who had never coached in the SEC, the door was left ajar to let a player alumnus Regent rant on CMR as if he had a better coach in the next room, the firing of a coordinating coach was being taken out of the Head Coach’s hands, the skids were greased and…Voila!…the mother had the gall to have a 10-win yr with the help of a great O coordinator who didn’t like the smell of ratshit.

    Furthermore, I’m suspicious that CMR confronted said AD with 3 yrs of D commo crap that was downright incriminating, said he would run his own ship and gave CTG the ultimatim:- “Put out or get out” . He then turned gently and smiled at his O Hero Bobo (OHB) and gave him a raise he had deserved for several years while letting the world know who would be the next Head Coach. I’m suspicious of all of that Pomme d’ Rue.

    All this to explain why Richt hasn’t commented publicly too much until lately about the lack of basic tackling fundamentals.

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  9. IveyLeaguer
    August 13, 2014 at 5:36 PM

    Gosh, I just posted about this (little things, fundamentals) again earlier today. https://blutarsky.wordpress.com/2014/08/13/todays-random-factoid/#comment-301866

    Of course, I could be totally off base about who those “some coaches” are. But I doubt it.

    You’re not wrong. And you can be sure of it.

    The statement is quite surprising to me (though it isn’t really anything new this year – it’s been talked about in a very broad way by Richt, and a little more specifically by Pruitt). But it’s the closest thing to a shot at a coach that Richt has ever said, since you can’t mistake who he means – Grantham & Co..

    I’m guessing the contrast in what Richt is seeing on the field is so staggering to him, that he almost can’t help himself. No way was he intending to take a shot at Grantham, et.al., he would never do that. But I do think it’s a very revealing comment, nonetheless.

    It’s one thing for us to talk about such things, and I’ve been on it for years now. But when it comes from Richt, you know for sure it’s being addressed. That’s the best thing about it.
    ~~~

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  10. Cojones
    August 13, 2014 at 5:38 PM

    Could we get the platitudes straight?:

    Absinthe maketh the heart grow fonder.

    Absence maketh the hard grow fonder.

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  11. Slaw Dawg
    August 13, 2014 at 5:55 PM

    I guess we’ll always wonder what words passed between Richt and Grantham pre-departure. All I know is, whenever you lose a guy you don’t particularly like and who isn’t doing the job, and get a better guy who you do like, all without having to pay severance, that’s either damn lucky or damn slick management. Either way, I’ll take it.

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    • Macallanlover
      August 14, 2014 at 9:55 AM

      Great bottom line comment Slaw, that gets to the heart of it. Everyone needs to let him go, we won…for whatever reason.

      FWIW, I had heard the same comments that 3rdandGrantham said above from program insiders. Richt and Grantham were never in agreement and it had been a marriage of necessity that just didn’t work. Richt didn’t want to keep him, wished he would leave, but had not been given the clearance to fire him for financial reasons. It was not the same emotional “letting his good friend Martinez” go situation CMR faced before, there was no comfort zone ever established with Grantham and Richt, and the poor results made it worse.

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