Gotta tell you, this off the cuff comment from Smart didn’t sit well with me.
Yeah, losing a 100+ year old tradition game is no big deal.
I think even he realized he overshot the mark with that, as he tried to play the nuance game later ($$).
That schedule variance is carrying the day here, even if it’s at the expense of traditional rivalries. Auburn-Georgia, for instance, would be reduced to twice every four years in the eight-game format, which Smart agreed “would be tough.” But not so tough that Smart is using it to publicly lobby for the nine-game format.
“There’s so many people that want that historic rivalry, including me. I grew up with it; it’s one of the best there is,” Smart said. “But it’s one of the costs of progress, bringing two more teams in. One of the costs of scheduling and getting more balance, getting to play everybody.”
In Kirby’s world, the only tradition that matters is making the CFP. Everything else is maleable.
Get The Picture 
The train has left the station.
I’ll add that Kirby has been very aggressive in the OOC scheduling…9 games might put a damper on that. Although soon enough they may all be in the SEC.
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Once again, I don’t give a damn who we play OOC or whether we go to Austin, Baton Rouge or Starkville more frequently if we lose the DSOR annually.
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I’m afraid you’ll have to refer to my train comment. Doesn’t help if AU wants out of the game either. Sounds like they do.
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100%. Many Auburn fans that I know, and the majority of younger ones that either attend or recently attended Auburn, would love for that game to no longer be an annual event.
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It is no longer an annual event, once it got relocated to October, that changed it, now it’s a yearly “L” for the barners and a reminder to those asswipes ’86 will never be forgotten…#AUBURN SUCKS!…well, fuck you tigers…
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Some times you can tell Kirby is just full of crap, and this is one of them. He understands better than most that the eight game format means we lose the annual Auburn game and he understands better than most just how important that game is to both schools.
It’s a BS response. In fact, if you look at most of the coaches responses; they all seem to tamper down their position. It’s almost as if a certain SEC commissioner insisted upon it.
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Saban whining turned the tide on this from 9 to 8…
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Sure feels that way, doesn’t it. Even though Alabama is supposedly in favor of a 9 game schedule.
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I.dont know why they are bitching, they play the 3 teams annually already so no change.
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Wouldn’t most coaches want 8 anyway? I mean, forget about the traditions and rivalries. If I’m a coach, it’s a hell of a lot easier to only play 8 conference games and then schedule some OOC cupcakes. I’m basically writing in several W’s on my schedules every year doing that.
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Absolutely. UK already has Louisville every year, South Carolina has Clemson every year, Georgia has Georgia Tech every year. If I am a coach at a program like UK or South Carolina, I want those three OOC cupcake wins every single year. Or at worst, to at least make the schedule have an additional P5 OOC game, schedule a Duke or Rutgers rather than an FCS opponent.
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Agree with your comment about what coaches want, but I believe what Jin Donnan said on yesterday’s Ugasports with Jim Donnan: “What the coaches want doesn’t mean diddly ” regarding the scheduling debate.
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Well making the cfp is not just his world, cause it’s not like he can go the next 20 years not making the playoffs and keep his job. Even if he is undefeated against auburn during that time.
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Just being a “company man” that’s all.
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You would think a guy who was raised in GA, followed the Dawgs his entire life, and played at UGA would have a much greater appreciation for the history of the program.
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Correct that. I’m not saying he doesn’t appreciate the history. I’d prefer he express a desire to continue that history – even if it’s nothing more than a bargaining chip.
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His statements WRT the Cocktail Party and the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry tell me he doesn’t really care about UGA history. Strange to me given his UGA roots.
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What UGA roots? His dad went to Samford IIRC. He grew up in Bainbridge about as far away from Athens as you can get and still be in the state. He admits because of his father’s job and his own sports involvement he didn’t really grow up as a college sports fan.
He doesn’t have a true appreciation of the rivalries because other than the time he spent in Athens, he didn’t care.
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I think some of his locker room pep talks would suggest otherwise. But what do I know?
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He’s the ultimate motivator, that’s for sure.
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Coaches have locker room pep talks to get their team ready to play. It doesn’t change what whe said about growing up in Bainbridge.
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I suspect if Kirby was coaching the Michigan Wolverines his pep talks would be the same.
ee has an interesting point. He was a Bulldog just 6 years of his life in December 2015.
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He sure does care about winning and I happen to like that, regardless of where in Georgia he is from. However, last I looked Bainbridge is in Georgia, as is Blackshear. Deep enough roots for me. As for traditions, college football is full of broken traditions, Nebraska/Oklahoma, Texas/Texas A&M, etc. Expansion brings about change, and Kirby is navigating change better than most.
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I agree about navigating change. I think he’s dead wrong his perspective on Jacksonville and what appears to be ambivalence about the continuation of the DSOR as an annual game.
About his UGA roots, I’m only saying what he has said in the past about growing up as a high school coach’s son and living so far away from Athens. SBIV’s family has bled red & black for generations, so Blackshear is a bad example. As a native South Georgian who grew up a Dawg myself, I respect that.
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He was hired to win Championships. IMHO.
Kirby didn’t create this issue…he’s just trying to stay above the fray..
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His focus is on winning championships. That’s his job and right now he’s doing better than everyone else in CFB. Let’s enjoy every minute of this.
I’ll never get tired of beating FU, AU and tech. I hope they never leave the schedule. Change is coming and there’s not a dam thing we can go about it.
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The Benjamins are the only tradition.
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He’s been pretty consistent about not caring one way or the other from what I’ve seen. Whether he actually doesn’t care, I have no idea.
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I hate Auburn. I’d hate ’em even more if we didn’t have the annual opportunity to whoop their ass.
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I think Kirby is only concerned about the things he can control, be it recruiting or how he runs his program. Since he graduated with a finance degree, I’m sure he knows the money side of things but also knows the fans want to keep the rivalries. There’s to many alphabets in the soup for him to worry about it. He knows that worry is for someone else. What would he vote for, I don’t know.
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Comment of the day. IMHO
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Well said. The decision for 8 and killing the annual Auburn game or going to 9 to keep that game isn’t his decision. Maybe Brooks and Morehead want his input. Maybe they don’t GAS what Kirby thinks.
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I love the Dawgs in the CFP and the Natty x 2 even more. That said, the tradition surrounding our rivalries during the regular season is what brings me to sport to begin with. Take that away and I’ll have to see how it shakes out. You love it until you don’t.
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I don’t understand why it couldn’t be 2 and 7. Why the hang up on 1 or 3 and all other alternatives are invalid? Maybe the once every x years is driving this but I don’t know what the reasoning is and if the SEC explained it I missed it.
I understand 8 games as a 1 year deal to see what ESPN does, especially because more additions are likely in my view
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It just may be the SEC’s way of pressuring ESPN for more money. Have the bigger names in the conference talking up their ambivalence to the schedule.
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I fully understand and appreciate where CKS is coming from. Control what you can control. I’m sure CKS has given his opinion(s) to Brooks but ultimately it’s going to come down to AD’s & Presidents as to where this lands.
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Kirby doesn’t give a rats ass about Auburn in the way that we do. In Kirby’s mind it doesn’t matter if the team on the other side of the field is wearing blue, orange, or highlighter pink. He just wants to kick all of their asses on the way to winning another natty.
I do believe there is a special hatred in his heart for all things Florida though and that’s alright by me.
Don’t put this on Kirby though. I believe he made that comment knowing it’s beyond his control which he has stated several times that he only consumes his time worrying about things he can control. This is the byproduct of expansion and we all knew it was coming. Fuck Texas and Oklahoma. Fuck A&M and Mizzou for that matter too.
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Beautifully stated. I am forever grateful to Kirby for what he has done for our football program, university, and Athens. He didn’t create this issue. In fact, he has been at the forefront of all this change in college football, and I think he is navigating the waters beautifully. Kirby wants what’s best for our program and our university and I like that!
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Last I checked Kirby was brought on board to win championships. Not to appease the masses. So I’m guessing he doesn’t care if one of his comments “doesn’t sit well”. Whine to the trophy case!!
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I mean that’s exactly what he gets paid for. I am sure deep down he doesn’t want to lose the game to Auburn. End of day, he wants to win and keep collecting $10 million a year. All coaches feel the same depending on where they are. Stoops of Ky made it clear … adding another game will get some coaches, like him, fired. Can’t blame them for looking after themselves.
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As I said the other day, if the DSOR goes away as an annual game, I’m likely an end of a Cocktail Party away from having about the same interest in Georgia football that I have in about any other sport. Watch sone highlights, read the box score and find other things to do on fall Saturdays.
Bunch of idiots talking about this 4 year thing.
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Good grief. We know already. You have been telling us this every week for months now.
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I’m just disappointed our leaders seem to be ok with tossing 130 years of tradition with Auburn and about 90 years of tradition with Florida in the garbage can. You can be ok with it if you like.
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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Fans demand to make the playoffs. We older fans are being left behind in what we want. I don’t see that changing.
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Couldn’t be prouder of how our Coach handled himself. The guy says a lot without courting a ton of controversy, which is hard to do in this business. Reference Nick and Lane’s pressers the last two days.
Bottom line, if you ever needed a reason to think Kirby wasn’t laser focused on winning, just look at these remarks.
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It would be easier (and better) to say we need to look at more scheduling models than what we are considering. He should have said the rivalries are what mean more, and anything that diminishes the rivalries should be discounted. You can say that without taking a 9 or 8 side.
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I read Kirby is saying, just make the damn decision, and we will beat whoever you put in front of us.
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“In Kirby’s world, the only tradition that matters is making the CFP. Everything else is maleable.”
That is as it should be. It’s not his job to fight to make sure the SEC doesn’t screw every fan that has ever supported it. They don’t give a crap what anyone that provides them with their jobs & livings thinks about how they do things. The ship on traditions began sailing long ago & with the addition of OU & Tejas the ship has now hit an iceberg and sunk. Traditions are cute for all the peons but these guys know what’s best for you and they are damn well gonna give it to you. And you’ll like it!! Sounds a whole lot like a certain govt I’ve heard of.
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Seeing auburn 2 times every 4 years is not a bad tradeoff.
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There’s going to be tradeoffs. The SEC itself has created this scheduling conundrum by allowing 16 teams and mandating each team face every team within a certain period of time. I understand Kirby’s concerns. We all can see a scenario where the SEC beats each other up, and a lesser team with fewer losses is awarded a playoff spot. I also understand the desire to continue traditional matchups. Kirby understands that as well. However, going to be very difficult to have both moving forward. I trust that Kirby is speaking and acting on the best interests of our university and program.
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Love his focus but n recruiting and winning, BUT I don’t understand why coaches like him and Saban can’t lobby for the fan a little. We want more good games, especially at home. I like to think fans help make it possible for coaches, and the schools, to make good money. At some point, the opinion of fans should matter. Hope they don’t start realizing that too late.
Also, I thought more quality home games was one of the reasons CKS wants to ditch Jacksonville. Would 9 games not help him show off to recruits?
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NASCAR: I did a great job of killing the golden goose.
SEC: Hold my beer
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Exactly what I was the thinking about.
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F1 is going down the same road NASCAR took.
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Why would Kirby publicly lobby to save the tradition of Georgia-Auburn? The only thing he’d even lobby publicly for is ending the tradition of Georgia-Florida.
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