Thanks for a great season, dawgs!!

Mike very interesting post. Allow me this question . . .

Where and how do you think that the attitude and resolve changes occured. Players, coaches, particular player, particular coaches. I ask this because I am somewhat in agreement with you and have posted similar feelings before. Honest, straight up question from me.

Buc wrote: Mike very interesting post. Allow me this question . . .

Where and how do you think that the attitude and resolve changes occured. Players, coaches, particular player, particular coaches. I ask this because I am somewhat in agreement with you and have posted similar feelings before. Honest, straight up question from me.

I'm like you Buc...I think it's top down. McGarity may not have had a lot of "direct" impact on player attitude, but by coming in and changing some things up, he allowed CMR to focus on the players and not on the administrative duties. Personally, I think CMR had a HUGE part in all of it with the same stoic attitude that I admittedly scoffed at in the past...having a leader who stands pat in the face of adversity (i.e., starting 0-2) is enormous...especially when he's leading a group of 18 to 22 year old kids.

That being said, the only way stoicism in a head coach works is if you have a fiery counterpart to balance things out...having Granthams fire and passion on the sideline and in practice is what this team lost when Van Gorder left. We've had "fiery" personalities throughout the coaching ranks the entire time Richt has been here, BUT, we haven't had it in a visible, leadership role, like CTGs.

The third, and most important piece for me, is on-field leadership. Yes I think AM made some of the mistakes that you hope not to see from your QB, BUT no one on this board can question his commitment to his team and his competitive desire. I'd say the same about Ben Jones, and about Jarvis Jones and Christian Robinson on the other side of the ball.

Bottom-line for me...NO ONE who cheers for the red and black liked going 6-7 last year, BUT it might have been exactly what we needed to shake up the program and get the focus back on TEAM and not on ME.

One final thing and I'll step off my soapbox...some laughed, smirked, ect when they heard about "the energy bus" and "energy vampires" at the beginning of the season. Teams take on their own mentality...the mentality of this team was just that...all about team. I think having something like the energy bus for the coaches and team to rally around really helped solidify their commitment to each other and to their on-field goals. Man I talk to much...