From Athens - Great week for the Bulldog Nation

Good Morning All,

Starting with the G-Game 2010 being a Dawgs fan has been like riding the old Coney Island rollercoaster, and just about exciting and frustrating.

We Dawg fans owe Damon Evans a big thanks for his wild night in Buckhead. Without his rush for red panties and martinis we would not have Mac as our new AD. While I do not think our successful recruiting and signing day was the work of one person I do believe that Mac was the fuse that got everyone fired up to focus on what needed to be done with our football program. Less talk more action. On the plus side DE did get the 40M plus expansion to the football complex done on his watch – Kudos for that.

I embrace the “Dream Team” concept, as it is part of the core of each and every person that has ever played a sport at any level. You don’t dream of failure but of success. You may have your dream dented or dosed with the cold water of reality, but if you hold to that dream those set backs only redouble your efforts to be successful and fulfill your dream to the best level of your ability. The same as we do in our professional and personal lives.

I share the two following statements from Dawg-Extra:

Richt took Drew on a fishing trip during his official visit when the temperature was 18 degrees.

"I don't know. I thought the chances of catching a fish that morning was pretty dim. It turned out to be true said Drew. We didn't catch anything but a cold, but I think sometimes it's the thought that counts and I think we were able to get out there and bond a little bit," After Drew’s LOI -Richt said. "I'm assuming somewhere along the line we will get to go when we might actually get a few bites."

"Everybody was talking about the dream team, but we had to make it a reality," Crowell said at his announcement.

Crowell also called Mark Richt “a God-fearing dude.”

It seems that CMR’s morale fiber was a plus in recruiting these two players.
CMR is no NS or UM but IC is not playing for Bama or UF.

This was no small thing keeping 7 of the top 10 players in state at UGA with a 6-7 record. You can be part of the problem or part of the solution. A collective thanks to this group for picking up the slack and being part of putting the “shine” back on UGA’s football future. I am not saying CMR is back in 2005 form,yet! The turnaround is still incomplete and a work in progress. But make no mistake there was more done this past Wednesday to help our football program than anything in recent memory both in the near and distant future.

Come on JJ come be part of CTG’s new “Junkyard Dawgs” you would be the big brick in the wall.

Boise State we will see you in the Dome. Big Bad Bruce and his best friends want to reintroduce you to SEC football.

Have a great weekend and a safe week. As always “Go Dawgs”!

yankeedawg1, without a doubt DE had some very good days in Athens. Too bad that he extended those good days to Atlanta. Have never liked seeing anyone lose their job, but in his case, he got what comes with poor judgment. While his escapde(s) hurt UGA, think what it did to his immediate family.

In DE's favor, he hired one heck of a Basketball Coach, a coach that has put some life back into the program.

Think most if not all on this board agree that McGarity was that "shuttle shot" that was needed in Athens. McGarity will not be looking back, trained under a tough cookie at UF. I find it worth noting that McGarity's first critical step was to have a "sit down" with Richt. It appears that the outcome of that talk got Richt's attention, or should I say, got Richt to focus on what needed to be done. Other sports don't get the attention that football does on any campus in the Southeast, and we all know the reason behind that. Money talks and BS walks.

Appears that message from McGarity has stuck and already the coaches are hard at work on 2012. That should be the focus of the entire football staff up until the Spring. Then we find out just how successful this years "draft" was. We are also hoping that we learned our lesson last season, 6-7, not acceptable with the talent that resides in Athens.

If the offensive line comes to play, there should be no doubt we can score points. With a year under Grantham, the defense should step up several rungs on the ladder. Lost Belin, hope someone on the staff can continue the good work he did with special teams. Hate losing Belin, our loss is Carolina Panthers gain.

It kind of boils down to this for me. As you said there is a new 40 million dollar complex that is second to none in the country. We have an AD that understands the role of leadership, leadership at different levels. Personally think that Richt stepped out a bit too far, now he is back in the football arena, that is what he was hired to do, coach football. I know that he can, followed him the entire time that he was at FSU. At FSU he was innovative, much the same talk was used in describing Richt that now some use when describing coaches from Oregon and other hi-octane offensive coaches. I think we have the defensive coach we need, want to see the talent on the offensive side being used in an "innovative way".

Thanks for the morning cup of Joe, hope you folks are coming out of the awful weather you have had so far this winter. One big plus, you are very close to the UGA Campus.

Go Dawgs!! Coach 'em up . . . .

Buc, weather has been wacky 70 last Sunday - grilled out Monday was Rain and back to mid 40's

Groundhog says early spring, be fine with me if it was this afternoon but.... heading back toward a drought so need rain badly. Yes blessed to be 10 minutes from the Arch. Athens is truly a special place. I just have a very positive feeling that many of the issues spoke about on this board have been addressed, time will tell the level improvement reach. We get Big John I may just dial in a little giddy for the weekend. Go Dawgs !

yankeedawg1 wrote:

Buc, weather has been wacky 70 last Sunday - grilled out Monday was Rain and back to mid 40's

Groundhog says early spring, be fine with me if it was this afternoon but.... heading back toward a drought so need rain badly. Yes blessed to be 10 minutes from the Arch. Athens is truly a special place. I just have a very positive feeling that many of the issues spoke about on this board have been addressed, time will tell the level improvement reach. We get Big John I may just dial in a little giddy for the weekend. Go Dawgs !

YD1......as always, an enjoyable AND accurate post (imo).

A big AMEN to everything you said and you can take that in MANY ways!!

Enjoy your weekend and keep your ears to the ground. Hope Saturday sets the tone for the coming weeks.