Here’s a story that I know will drive some of you crazy.
When Georgia lost to Tennessee and dropped to 2-2 in the SEC, the critics howled. Richt responded by telling his team the story of the two farmers.
“Both were praying for rain to relieve a terrible drought,” Richt said. “One farmer decided to plow his field in case it rained. The other farmer did nothing but continue to hope that it rained.
“So when it finally rained, the farmer who had done the work — had plowed his field — was able to benefit.”
On Oct. 17, Florida lost its first game to LSU. On that same night, Georgia beat Missouri to set up Saturday’s showdown with the Gators by the St. Johns River.
“I just told our guys that if we took care of our business, then we could have a chance to dance in the rain,” Richt said. “And now we have that chance.”
Go ahead, you guys. You know you want to.
Get The Picture 
Did anyone ask him why we didn’t plow before the Tennessee (or Bama) game?
LikeLike
It was still raining preseason hype back then
LikeLike
They didn’t realize they needed to build an arc to go along with it
LikeLike
We’ll see soon enough how well we plowed (the fundamentals) the past two weeks. This will be a very physical game.
LikeLike
We did, but it flooded.
LikeLike
No time for plowing, sir. We were busy playing the fiddle at a pool party and sipping hot chocolate…
LikeLike
LikeLike
As the kids say: I can’t even…
LikeLike
Keeping up, I see. Well done. Appropriate usage and all.
LikeLike
I don’t feel like getting called names today, so I’ll check my swing on that meatball down the middle.
LikeLike
This may be the wisest comment posted here in quite some time. I believe I’ll do the same.
LikeLike
Lol
LikeLike
WTF?
LikeLike
What’s the big deal? I know it’s early, for me anyway, but I understand the parable but what is the big deal? Should he have said, “pack it in boys was fun while it lasted.”
LikeLike
He would have said that but it would make him no better than the group who have already surrendered to all future opponents. Richt is asking the team to be prepared and opportunistic, which these same folks say is what he is guilty of not doing.
A similar logic expressed by this group is you can’t beat Florida because they are better coached, better prepared, and execute better than UGA. If you beat them, it will be because Florida is down and has a new coach. This rhymes with the theme of not winning the East, but when you do it is because the East is down. Pretty hard to be successful when faced with this degree of ridiculous thinking but it keeps them busy complaining regardless of the outcome of games every week.
LikeLike
I didn’t hear many complaints after South Carolina…
LikeLike
Pretty hard to be successful when you lose to teams lesser than yours after leading 24-3.
LikeLike
Not to mention getting blown out by the only good team you have played.
LikeLike
Coach Russell told us that to play D for him you had to love the sight of blood, especially your own. He also told us that if they don’t score then they ain’t going to win. He also said, I don’t give a shit what the O does because we are going to be on the field for three plays and they are going to kick the ball. So I don’t want to ever hear this shit about being tired. He made a big deal of us receiving our RED HELMETS. He told us there were millions of people that wanted to wear that RED HAT, but they never would. Only you. And as seventeen year old kids, we believed everything he said. Hell, I still do.
LikeLike
That feeling I just had must be how Alabama fans feel all year long.
LikeLike
His ways are not our ways. I hope his story is the parable of UGA plowing UF on the line of scrimmage.
LikeLike
I’m assuming that if you take issue with the use of this parable it’s because it comes from the Bible. Otherwise I see no reason why anyone would have a problem with Richt trying to impress upon his team that they should continue to put in good work.
That or “dancing in the rain” brings up some rough memories of the the first weekend in October.
LikeLike
I roll my eyes at everyone who lashes out at Richt for saying anything at all anymore. I’m not happy either, but he’s a coach. That’s how coaches talk. Sometimes it even works to a degree…But by all means, keep whining and riding him like a blind mule if it makes you feel better.
LikeLike
+1 That summed up my feelings on the matter quite well.
LikeLike
The “parable” of the two farmers is not in the bible. It is in a movie that has a cameo by Mark Richt: Facing the Giants.
I agree with the message, though. Take care of your business, and don’t worry about things outside of your control. That way, you’ll be prepared when a chance comes your way.
My worry is that these character-building lessons typically require an embarrassing effort… that, and they don’t seem to carry over from year to year. They have to learn anew that winning is hard work, and it requires focus and discipline on every play. I wouldn’t be shocked if UGA won out in the regular season. It is what they typically do after embarrassing themselves. They focus on what is important, and find a way to win. A strong finish will rev up the hype machine for 2016, and the cycle will start all over again.
LikeLike
I watched that movie trailer. It’s…oddly…close…to…home….
LikeLike
How in the hell is blowing a 24-3 lead to UT plowing a field?
LikeLike
Well because UTurd had the field plowed before the game to negate our speed and…oh nevermind….
LikeLike
Hacking at that field with a plow would be an improvement, honestly.
LikeLike
They were so inspired they scored 9 points at home against a terrible Missouri team
LikeLike
Yep, another “loss” for UGA. Let’s all curl up in the fetal position because we didn’t win the way you wanted. So far we have five wins that have been horrible, or not earned/deserved. We should all be unhappy 365 days a year, why would we ever want to enjoy CFB/UGA?
LikeLike
I don’t think that is an accurate description. We have beaten Vandy, SC, and Mizzou. We have lost to the only two decent teams we have played. That tends to breed discontent at UGA. Beating UF, a good team, would relieve that discontent and hopefully end the underachieving we have seen thus far. Watching a good, well-coached team, especially one’s alma mater, would not lead to unhappiness or curling up. Watching ongoing bad football, on the other hand, would and should lead to ongoing discontent.
LikeLike
Spot on.
And, at some point, watching poorly-coached football for years on end, especially at one’s alma mater, leads to snark and apathy.
LikeLike
If you think beating UF would relieve some of the discontent I’m not sure I agree with you. For a certain segment of folks it would, but there’s another group of people that’d still be pissed. The reasoning would be, “Florida’s lost 2 games and therefore is a paper gator so it’s not a quality win”, “UF has a first year head coach so we should have won”, “Where was this in the UT and/or Bama game”, or my personal favorite “Great. Now we can back in to the SECCG and act like everything is fine” (because no one else in the history of the SEC has ever lost control of their destiny and then regained it due to other teams losing and been happy about that).
LikeLike
I obviously only speak for myself. For me, UGA at this point is playing just above Mizzou’s level, and I think that is underachieving and not satisfactory. This level of play will lead to more questions about our coaching and overall direction. The only way, IMO, to stop these questions is to improve our coaching, preparation, level of play, and beat teams that actually have a pulse. Like UF, Ky (to some degree), Auburn, and Tech. For me, it’s that simple. Those should not be unreasonable expectations at UGA, IMO.
LikeLike
take a look at what you just said. Beating Tech or Kentucky, or Auburn would give you some satisfaction. You think those teams are any better than what we have played? And when we beat them and perhaps give any of them a losing record it will be just a win over a team with a losing record. It is like a three-card-monte game except you wait until you see the pick and them move the pea. And the major questions about coaches, schemes, preparation come from a few who are just whiners who would be satisfied with no team for more than a few games. Just the way they are and how they are wired. No place in sports would satisfy them.
This team isn’t as strong as I expected either, primarily because of OL failure and a porous pass defense with minimal pressure from our front 7. And that was before we lost one of the 10 best players in all of CFB off our offense. But we aren’t as despicable as some of you express.
Our win over SC was stronger than any defeat they have had. And while they have issues, they are the only team to beat UNC at this point. Hardly a Kansas. And while Vandy and Mizzou are offensively inept, they are hardly push overs on defense. The Bama game was a butt kicking with us adding 4 turnovers to the mismatch of our OL to their defensive front. Fourteen of those points came off a blocked punt and Pick 6. And it was played in a monsoon. Are they better? Damned right, but not that much better day in and day out. TN game was lost on the first play of the game, imo. Tough break, and it doesn’t excuse their beating our OL, or us not being able to tackle or get pressure on Dobbs, but as badly as things went, it took a weird set of circumstances right before half to allow them to gt back in the game and eventually win a close contest that came down to the final play.
For God’s sake man, even the team with a hundred straight #1 recruiting classes lost to an Miss team at home because they had 5 turnovers. Teams don’t play their best every week, or every year. It is no cause to act like a little baby day after day, month after month, or year after year, or just quit. Take it to a psychiatrist and/or get some meds. Promise you, we will lose some games if we don’t improve at certain critical areas, but It just isn’t worth acting like a spoiled brat.
LikeLike
Well, expecting better things from a very talented team should not define one as a spoiled brat, IMO. We should be better than we are. We have not won anything of substance in a decade. We obviously need to improve if we are ever going to compete with the best teams in our conference. I am sorry that my stating these facts bothers you, but our level of coaching needs to be looked at and questioned if we don’t turn things around this weekend.
LikeLike
Don’t bother explaining yourself 85, there are those who seem to don’t care about competing with the best as long as Richt is the head coach. They pull more for him than the guys that actually suit up and play for the red and black.
LikeLike
The same could be said about the realists with not caring about burning the program down just to get rid of Richt as the head coach. Can we just agree that everybody on the extremes is insufferable at this point?
LikeLike
Fair enough. Extremists are insufferable in general.
LikeLike
And stay off his lawn
LikeLike
If you think their defense is terrible… you might want to go find a dictionary
LikeLike
I can relate. I got plowed after the UT game too.
LikeLike
that’s what she said.
LikeLike
vowels plowed our field again and again and again
LikeLike
Was the farmer growing pot?
LikeLike
Suddenly, the University of Georgia’s football team was paying rapt attention to the analogy…
LikeLike
So the coach continued to coach his team, huh? He tried to tell them the truth (that the team could still wind up in Atlanta for the SECCG) and he urged them not to pack it in, huh? And some will find fault with that for two reasons: firstly, because they want Richt gone, period, and any ol’ cudgel will do… and secondly, some will get an extra special bee in their bonnet because he dared use a parable to make his (undeniably correct) point, huh?
Yeah, you’re probably right.
LikeLike
Or because the parable doesn’t apply bc this team didn’t plow.
LikeLike
In the context of this story, it did. It beat MO and is currently in control of its destiny. You can diminish that if you want in order to make a different point, of course.
LikeLike
My issue with the parable is this: who caused the drought in the parable? Who caused the relief?
versus
Who is responsible for the “drought” of this season? Who is going to cause the relief?
Different answers, I think.
I’m not taking issue with the use of parables as instructional aids. I just think this one perhaps unwittingly feeds the problem.
LikeLike
So you’re saying Mark Richt DIDN’T cause a biblical drought?
I thought we could blame him for everything.
LikeLike
It’s either got to be Richt or George W. Bush. Far as I can tell, they’re the two guys who are responsible for every bad thing that’s happened the last 15 years.
LikeLike
You forgot the Blimp Boy
LikeLike
Why didn’t Richt take a cue from the Robert Duvall 1988 classic, “Colors”: “There’s two bulls standing on top of a mountain. The younger one says to the older one: ‘Hey pop, let’s say we run down there and fuck one of them cows’. The older one says: “No son. Lets walk down and fuck ’em all'”.
I guess that’s too brash.
LikeLike
Oh no, not another Pair of Bulls
LikeLike
Don’t run with scissors.
LikeLike
Did everyone just step over the “dance” part of that?
LikeLike
Hopi over it
LikeLike
Or possibly this?
LikeLike
You’re right. I am so bad at riddle parables…
LikeLike
In your defense, there’s only a very fine line between parables and riddles.
LikeLike
Richt has lost control of the weather
LikeLike
Once you figure out the identity of the plower and the plowee then you don’t hide your light under a lampshade, make sure your fig tree bears fruit, and if the team doesn’t see its shadow when it comes out of the locker room in Jax, then that means 6 more weeks without losses.
LikeLike
Here’s the parable of the miserable pessimistic Georgia fan: He wakes up praying for rain but secretly hopes that it doesn’t so that both farmers die of starvation so that a new farmer can come in and sprinkle fairy dust to grow a national championship trophy.
LikeLike
+1
LikeLike
/slow clap
LikeLike
Amazing.
LikeLike
Just keep on accepting mediocrity, Disney Dawg. True fans KNOW that the lack of rain can be blamed on CMR’s lack of preparation and refusal to Commit to Excellence. Luck is for losers.
LikeLike
Oh. Thanks for enlightening me on what a “True fan” is, Doom & Gloom Dawg. I wasn’t aware that you are present in the players meeting rooms and practices and know what goes on in this teams’ preparations. My plea to you is just try to find some semblance of happiness in this short football season. Life has to be agonizingly painful constantly staring at those half-empty glasses. Good day sir.
LikeLike
LOL! Awesome. I am parodying the “Gloom, Despair and Agony on me….” dawgs here. And apparently they are soooooo gloomy you didn’t even catch on.
LikeLike
Inspirational snark for the win.
LikeLike
I just wish he didn’t have so much practice delivering that speech.
LikeLike
Oh, great. Our coach is Rain Man.
LikeLike
Instead of going for a field goal, it’s going to be
LikeLike
I’d be more impressed if CMR had used a parable from the great Chance the Gardener:
“As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again. There will be growth in the spring!”
LikeLike
Yes, but will the gators give us their best shot?
LikeLike
The time to fix a leaky roof is when the sun is shining. John F. Kennedy.
LikeLike
It seems Mr. College Football has fallen behind in UGA lexicon. What a pity. I humbly suggest an initial draft definition of Richterendum.
Richterendum / noun / Richt·er·en·dum
Definition: an informal, ongoing, and ultimately meaningless exchange of opinions in which Georgia fans give their opinion about Mark Richt, the head coach of the football team
Usage guidance: “The results of the Richterendum are in! Hail Richt!” declared Macallanlover.
(h/t Russ)
LikeLike
“Usage guidance: “The results of the Richterendum are in! Hail Richt!” declared Macallanlover.”
So unto us is now giveth The Parable of Pulp Mac:
“The path of the righteous dude is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak, the losers, the quitters, the victims, the sportos, the motorheads, the geeks, the sluts, the bloods, the wastoids, the dweebs, the malcontents and the remainder of the evil Dewers® through Happy Hour toward The Dark Side of the Moon (h/t Pink), for he is truly his brothers’ keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my multiple visions. And you will know my name is the Lord* when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”
Disclaimer: That’s not really Mac’s name*
LikeLike
Somewhere, Mac is shedding a lone tear into his single malt…
LikeLike
Odds are that he’s never had time to shed a tear but if his heart ever stops, within a reasonable medical probability, this is the restart procedure
LikeLike
Oh wow, Mac doesn’t look nearly as angry as I’ve always imagined him.
I bet he went straight from that operating table to a keyboard.
LikeLike
Thank Goodness we don’t have an indoor facility….we’d never be in the rain if we did.
LikeLike
Morehead call to McG: “How much are we paying this guy again?”
Little known fact: After telling the story, each player is tucked in and gets a kiss on the forehead.
Schotty leans over to Pruitt and whispers: “This isn’t quite what I expected, either.”
Player raises hand: “Coach, now tell us the one about the farmer’s daughter getting plowed.”
LikeLike
Just for the sake of taking the bait:
Coach, you had a chance to dance in the rain already. Instead your team spent its date with Alabama tripping into puddles.
LikeLike
“Both were praying for rain to relieve a terrible drought.” “One farmer decided to build a barn so he could continue to maintain and improve his equipment in case it rained.” “The other farmer did nothing.”
Well it’s another rainy night in Georgia.
LikeLike
Does this mean Gene Kelly is gonna punt for us?
LikeLike
To extend the parable I would say we’ve planted a garden that Chauncey would be quite proud of. However, the pansies were a bad idea to plant right behind center.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Different guy dog. Not Geoffrey Chaucer but Chauncey gardener.
LikeLike
Sure but at least Chaucer knows the value of studying a playbook when he’s not out standing in his field
LikeLike
I support Richt becoming a gardener full time then. I’m sure he’d be great with tulips. Just shit with football players.
LikeLike
Waterboarding induces panic and suffering by forcing a person to inhale water into the sinuses, pharynx, larynx, and trachea.
LikeLike
Sure, but what are the bad side effects? Now, watch this drive…
LikeLike
Tell him to try and pull one of his parables out of his ass before we lose two fuckin’ games next time. Mark Richt has always excelled at fixing things after the horses have already left the barn. And the majority will praise him on what a great job he did.
LikeLike
Damn, chili. I was gonna ask if he was talkin’ about the field in which the fucks we give are grown.
LikeLike
That’s right never lose! Losing is for losers! No champions ever lose! Anybody who is anybody ever loses!
LikeLike
It appears that you are extremely happy with mediocrity
LikeLike
Not particularly, no. But to think perfection is normal is a pipe dream.
LikeLike
Rains on the just and the unjust.
LikeLike
Allow me to illustrate another parable that comes to mind for old Grasshopper Mark…
LikeLike
http://tinypic.com/r/ih7fvq/9
LikeLike
[IMG]http://i68.tinypic.com/ih7fvq.gif[/IMG]
LikeLike
Dammit.
LikeLike
That sequence is some kind of Metamorphosis
LikeLike
“It’s just like the story of the grasshopper and the octopus. All year long, the grasshopper kept burying acorns for the winter, while the octopus mooched off his girlfriend and watched TV. But then the winter came, and the grasshopper died, and the octopus ate all his acorns. And also he got a racecar. Is any of this getting through to you?”
LikeLike
Now that they’ve plowed the field, I see it is time to sprinkle some shit.
LikeLike
This is a very sincere pumpkin patch.
LikeLike