There are a couple of “oh, snap” moments in today’s Seth Emerson Mailbag. First, in response to a question about how Smart’s success will affect Mark Fox’ fate (HINT: it won’t), Seth differentiates the hiring/firing settings:
The football coaching change, going from Mark Richt to Kirby Smart, was an institutional decision, with many voices and powers at work. Greg McGarity was the one assigned to tell Richt and appear at the press conferences, but he sitting alone in his office was not the one making the decision.
“McGarity was the one assigned”? You mean… gasp!… Charles wasn’t in charge? Damn, Miz Scarlett, suddenly ah feel faint.
Then, almost as an after dinner mint, comes this less than innocent question to wrap things up.
Why did @UGAAthletics pay (waste) $42k to a search firm to tell them to hire Kirby Smart when the deal was already done via back channels.
– Russell Sauve
You’re new around here, right, Russell?
Anyway, so much for that man with the plan narrative. Why do I suddenly have this sense of another “McGarity’s Minutes” being feverishly typed as you read this?
Get The Picture 
Wake me up when they run Striklin’s ass off from the baseball team.
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I totally agree with this. Georgia baseball should be in the running for Omaha year in and year out.
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Baseball should be fixed BEFORE basketball, I know dollar wise Basketball makes more money, but Baseball isn’t competitive. Basketball at least makes the NIT.
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Fox does as well as you can expect from a Coach with the resources and facilities UGA will give. I have said before Stegeman needs to be replaced to make a statement that UGA is serious, and a new stadium with the recruiting and locker room facilities of our rivals needs to be built.
Do I see it happening no. But I can see UGA hiring and firing to get the same results or better only to be hired away or NCAA troubles.
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They just spent several million dollars renovating the place. If they served beer it would be my favorite place to watch the baseball. They do not, so Cool-Ray gets the nod. I don’t know Coach Stricklin, but I’ve been involved in All-Star and High school baseball in our state for fifteen years, There is plenty of talent.
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You may not have been in a while, but the renovations of the Steg are excellent. It looks like a new arena, and the locker rooms and practice facility are good enough for an NBA team to rent them for use in trading camp. The only things that are not new are the walls and roof.
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No I understand the statement I don’t think you understand the PR impact to recruits
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I do understand. And I have been to the Steg since renovations. What part of the Steg is making an insufficient PR statement?
The most lacking part of the Steg are the asses in the seats. Build a Mercedes Benz Stadium style basketball arena won’t change that.
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Exactly. It’s not the facilities anymore. It’s the product inside the facility.
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Kirby may have saved Fox’s job because in reality so few care about basketball unless football is also in the crapper, then every other issue with UGA athletics becomes magnified as well. If basketball can finish above .500 and make the NIT I’d be surprised if Fox is let go. Basketball just does not have the emotional investment from UGA fans that football does.
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I think more care about basketball than you elude to. Last Saturdays collapse in Auburn was downright disgraceful; a la Alabama beatdown in the rain/3rd string QB starting in Jax. Double OT loss to Arkansas at home after blowing a huge lead was icing on the cake. Fox’s time has run out. There is NO reason UGA cannot win 20 every year….make the tourney every year…..and be deep in the tourney every 3-4 years. http://www.firemarkfox.com
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Agree. Fox had better win most of the games he has left this year, or he’ll be gone by Easter. I personally think he’ll be out.
So fire up the search firm, and wake Greg Mediocrity up from his long winter nap.
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I don’t think he’s going to be gift wrapped a candidate as he was with Kirby or have or forced on him like Courtney Kupets.
Not saying it’s a reason to keep Fox, but damn I don’t think the AD can make an intelligent hiring decision.
Georgia basketball … hire a mid-major coach, watch him struggle to recruit, make the NIT and watch the bubble burst every year, 5 years later rinse and repeat and hope to break the cycle.
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Change only happens when the only booster who matters (or his mistress) decide it happens. And he/they will decide who to hire.
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I agree. I am off the Fox train now. He has plenty of talent and it’s all being wasted. Tubby and Harrick both showed that you can win here. When USCe can go out and hire Frank Martin away from KState and immediately win, there’s zero reason we can’t do the same.
Any way we can get Tarkenton or the liquor baron interested basketball and baseball? If so, maybe we’ll see a change.
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Fire Mark Fox
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Please, oh please, and thank you.
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Just want to also comment that I love the title herein–Brando’s smarmy condescension echoing in my head. Nice work, Senator.
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Bluto, you left out Seth’s swipe at McGoof’s checkered history at hiring coaches.
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Coach Fox was not born or raised here, but he has become The Georgia Way, personified.
.
Ride the “we’re doing things the RIGHT way” smokescreen to multiple contract extensions while never demanding or making the changes necessary to complete at a championship level on and off the court.
Just keep the budget low, don’t incur any unbudgeted (legal or buyout) costs, don’t embarrass the university, and everything will be just fine.
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SOooo who was making the decision?
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Does ANYBODY here have proof that there wasn’t a search done in the hiring of Kirby?…..I’m just curious….It’s been alleged but I’m just wondering.
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By search if you mean more than one person was looked at then no. I have a feeling it was to check the closets to confirm no skeletons existed. Even if you hire the right person without doing your due diligence it can come home to get you.
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I agree Eddie (Cousin) We’re not In Alabama. LOL
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What I know is from a personal friend of Kirby’s. Richt got fired n a Sunday. Monday afternoon the guy I know told me he had talked to Kirby that day, and Kirby told him he had been offered the Georgia job. The search lasted no more than 24 hours.
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I’m just curious… what would constitute proof in your mind?
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Anything other than unsubstantiated rumors
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That really doesn’t tell me anything.
I heard about Richt’s firing before the Tech game was played, which contradicts McGarity’s narrative about the decision. I heard about Smart being the choice well before the formal announcement was made, or before McGarity mentioned hiring a search firm immediately after he let Richt go. And there’s also the common knowledge about the boosters being spooked by SC’s interest in Smart. That all sounds convincing to me, but obviously YMMV.
If you’re expecting someone to unearth a smoking gun, like a letter of understanding written after the UF game, I think you’ll be forever disappointed.
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Senator, I’m not trying to start an argument. Sounds like you have proof but don’t want to share your sources which is your prerogative.
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I didn’t think you were. But there isn’t a paper trail someone is going to unearth.
Bottom line, McGarity wants us to believe he was the guy who drove the train and that he did so with a lot of critical thinking. The proof of that is what I’d like to see.
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All it takes is an Open Records Act request asking for copies of any work product or report that the search firm provided – there will either be something in writing that they are obligated to turn over, or not…. Open Records Act requests can be so simple cave men can do them, if you don’t overthink them (i.e., I would suggest asking for all documents sent to/received from XYZ in the past 3 years regarding football coach).
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If you want to be good in basketball, build a downtown arena, make it a partnership with AAC (which they could then be the “bad cop” when you go to the SEC to petition for alcohol sales). Then, use some of your football revenue to poach a top flight coach from a “basketball school” with shallower pockets.
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Why? We just paid millions and millions on updating the Steg and it looks great inside and out. The locker rooms and players ‘ lounge is very nice. Facilities aren’t our problem now.
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Would be fine by me to try a new coach for basketball, but then I think of our AD’s track record of hires, and I get very scared. Maybe should wait till we get a new AD before we fire anymore coaches. Of course our next AD could end up being another empty suit too.
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One comment I’ve seen that I could maybe agree with is to fire McGoof, make Fox the AD and hire another coach.
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…to collect a bill.
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If there’s any good news, it’s that McGarity didn’t get to make the choice.. which means he doesn’t get the credit for hiring Kirby.. at least not internally. I figure CFB at UGA doing well gives him job security, but maybe not if he can’t hang his hat on Kirby.
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