Questions

When a team is on a winning streak, a looooooong winning streak, sometimes when things are quiet, start nosing around, looking at what happened in the past.

Listed in the link below are the players that Alabama is always in the running for. Too often those players are the best that the State of Georgia has to offer, not only Georgia, Saban has looooong arms, reach all the way to California. This year looking at the 2014 Class of Recruits, same.

Reflecting back, which I do a lot, I get a bit perturbed when looking at what Saban did when first arriving in Tuscaloosa, and where the program is now. Did not take Nick long to put Alabama back lifting Crystal again.

If Nick Saban was cheating, then by now I would think that there would be some concrete evidence that he was doing so.

Question for those of you that read this board. Is Nick Saban that far ahead of the coaches in the SEC? Is Saban really that good, meaning he knows more than the other coaches about football?

Like this or not, and it pains me to say this . . . . the jealous pot that really wants to beat Nick Saban is . . . . Urban Meyer. He is totally focused on whipping Nick's butt. Urban Meyer's burning desire is to win again against Nick Saban. Urban Meyer thinks he is above everyone with maybe the exception of Saban. He thinks he is better, but the proof comes when the cleats hit the turf.

Many times recently I have said . . . . I can see the changes in the football program at Georgia. Also have said that I have seen changes in Mark Richt and his way of coaching the Red and Black.

Can't shy away from the truth. Mark Richt found the SEC to his liking when leaving FSU. We liked him. So . . . . what has happened to our program (UGA) and why is there a difference between where Alabama and Georgia when it comes to football? Don't care if it is FIVE YARDS or losing talent to Nick.

Going to toss this out here . . . . Kirby Smart took a serious look at coming back to Athens. A serious look. Had a conversation with Nick Saban and the idea of returning to Athens did not happen.

After all of the press about finding a Defensive Coordinator, we came away with in my opinion a very talented coach, Todd Grantham. Also in my opinion, came close to losing him. That has been discussed.

Now I look back and see just how lax our program was. Don't really have to call names of the coaches and the dismissed AD, have done that enough.

There are two players on the link below that I hope come to Georgia. Have made my feeling known about Evans.

Not stirring the pot as such, sometimes I wonder just what it is that I am seeing in Athens.

www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/201...t_wanted_recrui.html

An Army is only as good as their leader... CMR is a great man and a good leader. Saban is a great leader!

Let me elaborate, Saban's main focus in life is to WIN! He has his entire program believing it and as soon as they start recruiting kids they get those kids to buy into it also. Not that he needs to sell Championships but when every single person on your program knows that you have a chance to win it all then the entire mindset of every single person changes and believes. So in return your getting every winning ounce out of everybody on campus!
I believe that during or after the SEC CG CMR made a BIG change for the better, his intensity level went up several notches and that's what we needed to mentally get our mindset right to start believing that we too can win Championships.
Anyone that's been following UGA football long enough can see it! Our coaching staff and our players are fired up like never before. All of these little injuries we are having are because these kids are hungry!
Call me delusional but I can feel it in my bones, things have changed with CMR and in turn things have changed at UGA! It will all be showcased on Aug 31st my friends. We are loaded on both sides of the ball with speed, athleticism, talent and the desire and drive to WIN. These kids will leave it all out on the field every Sat.
We now have a great man and a great leader!

GO DAWGS

Saban is a proven winner in the college ranks Buc. He is able to not only recruit players but recruits very talented coaches. Most of his coaches move on to bigger and better jobs when the time comes and being Saban trained speaks very loud indeed.

The only reason he did not make it as a NFL head coach is he was coaching players who had a bigger ego than him. Who in their right mind would pass up the job of coaching Alabama and for the tune of 5 million to boot.

So yes Saban is that good. A legend in his own time just like Bryant, Wilkerson, Parshegian, and Lombardi. If it weren't for the ego thingy he would of made it as an NFL coach.

Is he cheating I doubt it, maybe plays the system to his advantage with the greyshirt and all but he does not have to cheat to get players to come to a school that is as storied as Alabama. He surrounds himself with good people and good coaches and WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. Have to give him credit where credit is due, and the credit due him is he is the best coach in college football bar none.

The long and short of your post . . . . spot on.

Buc and friends,
Sorry I've been away. I work out of town and long hours so I have to focus on Georgia football when I absolutely have to and the time is now. Don't get me wrong, I've been reading some though. Just no time to put a post together.

Here's my answer to your questions:
Question for those of you that read this board. Is Nick Saban that far ahead of the coaches in the SEC? "IMO, YES and he will until the recruiting war is won by someone else. An that takes years to achieve" Is Saban really that good, meaning he knows more than the other coaches about football? "I thought so up until the SECCG last year."

Saban can be beat. That was proved in December. But to beat them, every part of the team has to be a smooth greased machine without any shimmy. I mean EVERY part. Once we, "THE DAWGS", beat them, the recruiting tide will change IMO. The current changes. Look at history. The only thing lacking is UGA being a part of it. I reserve my thoughts on CMR's ability to change the current until I see results on the field this year. I want to be positive. But at the same time I have a lot of reasons to be negative due to the results of the past 3 UGA v USC games.

Do I think UGA has a chance of getting to the SECCG and winning? Yes. I do think they have a chance. But there are hurdles and those hurdles are the DBs IMO. Young crew there and they'll need to be prepared when the whistle blows right out of the gate. There's no "gimme game" to get warmed up and tune the machine. They need to be busting ass at first contact.

First game is first. Then we'll talk about the dirt pecking chickens.

Go Dawgs!

It's frustrating to lose to Saban, whether it's players or games. However, here is what I think happened . . . the naked truth.

Saban had success at a school in the Big 10. MSU. Not NC success, but a lot more than they were used to. Like it or not, the United States of America loves Yankees more then Rebels. How's THAT for TRUTH?! Therefore, success in the Big 10, especially at a school that isn't as accustomed to it as tOSU or Michigan (the only two TRUE Big 10 schools, let's be VERY HONEST) are, gets NATIONAL attention. Next, he came to the SEC. He went to a school that has HISTORICALLY been competitive. I hate to say this as a die-hard UGA fan, but they are HISTORICALLY more successful than we are. Series record: LSU vs. UGA:

14-12-1. So they had a small advantage (actually, it's INCREDIBLY CLOSE to EVEN)

Saban had more success at LSU than Richt had at UGA by one NC, which we missed, arguably, by one dropped pass by Terence Edwards. OK - I'm stretching here, but stay with me .

Saban showed his "loyalty colors" by going "pro" at Miami. How did the genius do there? I leave it up to others to judge his "success". However, he got "press". Then, the chance of a life time. Nobody on earth can deny this: Alabama is a CHERISHED position, no matter what their recent record. There are NO pro teams anywhere near there. They only have ONE school, and ONE sport . . . college football . . . thank you, Coach Bryant. So you have the PERFECT STORM. A great coach who coaches BEST at the college level, a coach who got some pro publicity, and a HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL that was LANGUISHING in the mid to lower level of their OWN CONFERENCE, at the hands of some HORRIBLE coaches. Their fan base - larger and more passionate than OURS - hate to admit that, but it's true - and better FUNDED - mobilized under Saban. And he only had to have RELATIVE success - relative to his predecessors - which wasn't difficult. Soon, he was HIGHLY competitive (too many people remember that loss to Utah - aberration). Now he's looking at what, 3 of the last 4 national championships?! Saban is a GOD in Tuscaloosa. He now rivals the Bear.

Meanwhile - Richt, who has no peers at UGA - check the stats, even Dooley doesn't come that close (save ONE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND ONE HEISMAN TROPHY) is better thought of than Richt. Five yards may as well be 5 million points, yards, or miles. Even Richt would tell you that.

I'm drunk - I'll admit that RIGHT NOW. I've had too many beers and margaritas. So the truth comes out. But that is TRULY the way I see things, until someone CONVINCES me otherwise. Note that I did NOT say "beats me in a debate". Beating me in a debate is easier than taking candy from a baby. Convince me. That's not so easy.

Richt has done a VERY good job at a school that has HISTORICALLY been one level BELOW 'Bama. I hate that, and I'll always hope we can catch up. It'll take a LOT for that to happen. But I think Richt has finally got the train on the right track - going up a mountain side. How many of us - honestly - wanted Mullen a few years ago? Anybody still want him?

Saban, on the other hand, has done BETTER (I said that), at a school like 'Bama. I wonder what would have happened if Richt had gotten 'Bama and Saban had gotten UGA. We'll never know - but we can fantasize.