Kirby Smart has opened Greg McGarity’s eyes, by damn.
Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity was in accord with Richt on the open-door stance and previously stated as much. But after meeting with Smart to discuss the topic, he has agreed to a change in operation.
“Kirby and I discussed this weeks ago, and he brought me up to date on the transfer culture in today’s world,” McGarity said.
There’s a “transfer culture”? Who knew?
McGarity said Smart is prepared to speak about his position on transfers and deferred details on the subject to him. Smart is scheduled to meet with reporters on Saturday following Georgia’s third spring practice.
McGarity said he agreed to Smart’s transfer after going over the specifics with him.
“I learned a lot in that conversation I was not aware of,” McGarity said.
Ominous. Indeed, maybe it’s not such a good idea for Smart to discuss this transfer culture thing publicly. I mean, lives could be at stake, or something.
While they’re adding all this new support staff, can’t they find a few spare bucks in the athletic department budget to get McGarity a PR adviser? I can’t think of money better spent.
Get The Picture 
Speaks volumes about our moronic AD. Kirby explained it my ass. Kirby told him this is how we are going to do it. Period. Transfer culture…lol.
LikeLike
I want the reporters to ask Kirby the hard questions about this decision. It’s his first questionable decision on the job, and I hope the media holds him accountable and forces him to defend his position. A variation of “I don’t have time for this *#$%” or “Ask the bottle” isn’t an appropriate answer.
“Transfer culture” … what the hell does that mean?
LikeLike
The NCAA publishes a guide each year to aid athletes who plan to move from one school to another and classifies its contents as “Transfer 101.”
LikeLike
Inept can’t even begin to describe this clown…the more he speaks, the more his past actions begin to make sense…he’s just not that sharp…
LikeLike
It seems to me that this is just more proof Kirby has a lot more autonomy that Richt did. I thought that was a good thing.
LikeLike
I agree. This is the important part of the story.
Between this and Georgia’s drug policy remaining constant, we’re slowly getting the picture of what each side considered important during the negotiations to hire Smart.
LikeLike
I would not be surprised to see the drug ” stance” change when our first starter is caught with weed.
LikeLike
I don’t understand how this indicates Kirby has more autonomy than Richt. I think the transfer policy and the drug policy were Richt’s all along, and along the way, UGA deferred to the football coach to set policy- just like now.
LikeLike
Drug policy wasn’t Richt’s. It came straight from Michael Adams.
LikeLike
You may be right. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part.
LikeLike
The best evidence that your assumption b9ut the drug policy being Richt’s policy is that the drug policy is in the student handbook and applies to every student, even those who are not athletes. While the average student has no games from which to be suspended the average student is subject to academic suspension. The football coach cannot create a policy which governs Katie from Johns Creek.
LikeLike
Ummm, I think this is the AD’s realization that if things don’t work out, my neck is already in the noose. Therefore, I better give my guy everything he asks for.
LikeLike
The guy cheered for signing a multi-million dollar deal for the WLOCP…because its for the children you know…exclaims about a much more fundamental aspect of his job, “I did not know that”. Greg, please….
LikeLike
That’s what I thought. Shouldn’t the AD be up on his (insert eye roll) “transfer culture” ? It also contradicts his earlier statement a few days ago where he basically – and probably accidentally said “Kirby told me how it’s going to be.
LikeLike
The man is very adept at making contradicting remarks, let’s give credit where credit is due.
LikeLike
I’d be willing to bet Tennessee doesn’t have a transfer culture problem.
LikeLike
All in all…McG is looking like a fool. It’s clear the “powers at be” have gotten involved with the AD specifically football. It looks like CKS is getting pretty everything he wants.
LikeLike
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=howdy+doody+pictures&view=detailv2&&id=F1A6C579E70A76BD25C65319AF79912C7508371C&selectedIndex=9&ccid=LZZKbTfi&simid=608006510634533651&thid=OIP.M2d964a6d37e27c7b03688723f3f97ee3H1
LikeLike
nice work.
lol
LikeLike
I would be pleased to learn that McGarity wasn’t told of the restrictions on Turman’s transfer until after the fact. Not ragging on Turman or McGarity, but good on Smart for asserting himself.
LikeLike
That’s my boy Kirby. Sic McG, woof woof.
LikeLike
I fully agree about the PR help for McGarity. Maybe he can ask Kirby if there’s room in the budget to hire someone.
LikeLike
The problem is that he has the one of the best college SIDs in the business in Claude Felton. How he continues to step in it with his remarks is beyond me.
LikeLike
Why do I keep picturing McG wearing a straw hat like the guy on that ‘settler’ commercial.
But what’s the deal with Turman? For a guy who was delegated to the back bench for 2 years, why would he consider sitting out yet another year to play for Thomas Brown – the RB coach who didn’t play him in Athens? It’s just very odd. If it weren’t CMR, I’d figure there was some behind the scenes tampering going on.
LikeLike
Don’t forget about the Evil Richt side of CMR. We stole the defense play calls during the greatest comeback I have ever witnessed against 2006 VT.
LikeLike
Thurman had turf toe.
LikeLike
Does the T in LGBT stand for Transfer Culture?
LikeLike
McG is simply passing the buck. Blame him not me, I just follow and agree to what the new boss say here, LOL.
LikeLike
bucket
LikeLike
Rather than spending money on a PR advisor for McSockpuppet, it would be light years better spent on buying out his contract.
LikeLike
Amen to that.
LikeLike
I like how McGarity is really hitching his wagon to this hire, being more outspoken and giving himself credit for every good thing he can. He kinda became a different person around the time of the coaching change.
I don’t blame him since he’s basically a parrot to the big boosters. All these people patting themselves in the back before game one. The Georgia Way lives…
LikeLike
Dang, how I do love ditching morality to win in amateur athletics. And what a competitive advantage we gain from preventing AJ Turman from playing in his home state.
LikeLike
“Morality”? “Amateur athletics”?
I don’t think these terms mean what you think they mean. 🙂
LikeLike
Indeed
LikeLike
Interested to see what kirby says. I’m going to offer a possible defense and see if this is where he goes:
“We aren’t interested in hurting guys that don’t want to be here. Was there tampering in this case? Probably not, but anythings possible. If we say ‘go wherever you want’ we’re basically asking programs close the kids home and/or with depth chart issues at a certain position to try. If we restrict transfers to the most likely suspects, we discourage the practice AND still give the kid a chance to further his career and education.”
That’s a reasonable position. If that’s clos to where Kirby is on this I suppose I can live with it.
LikeLike
There’s several possible reasonable positions. There’s being a lot made here about not very much in my opinion. I don’t like pettiness any more than anyone else, but I’m less willing to assume it just because I can jump to that conclusion.
LikeLike
^^ this
LikeLike
I understand your point, but Thurman was not barred from two of the three schools closest to his hometown of Orland (Central Florida and FSU.)
LikeLike
Right. Which leaves him opportunities close to home without encouraging the most likely tamperers (uf and Miami) from expecting a reward. I think that AJ was down to us and uf and now the guy he signed with is at Miami. That’s the only two restrictions we’ve been told about. Obviously we have to wait and see what Kirby says but a policy of limited reasoned-based restrictions could be an acceptable place to be. It may not be better than “don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out” but it’s better than the blanket prohibitions that have been seen our competitors employ.
LikeLike
Was allowed to transfer to only one Power five school closer to home if he is trying to get to the NFL that matters.
LikeLike
The AD just fired a well regarded coach thus putting his job and likely career on the line. From far away that seems gutsy whatever you think about the decision and worthy of some respect.
LikeLike
Senator, I understand your problem with McGarity’s PR skills. But given that he’s done what I thought we all wanted the AD to do (let the football coach make football decisions) exactly what could McGarity have said here that would have satisfied you?
LikeLike
Why does he have to talk about it at all?
LikeLike
LOL – you recall the “harrumphing” scene from Blazing Saddles, right ?
LikeLike
Fair enough. If you believe he should just be silent, that’s a reasonable opinion, and for what little it’s worth, one I agree with.
But you have to admit that there are a fair number of commenters who would rip a silent McGarity, as well. Something about “having an obligation to keep fans informed”.
LikeLike
In other news, AD Greg McGarity’s title has been changed to the “Coach Kirby Smart Director of Athletics.”
LikeLike