Belue: Pretty much, we're doomed

From Buck Belue:

Richt's turn-around depends on the guys that are already on campus. It's as simple as that. And that's a problem. ... That D-Line is just terrible. ...

Coach Garner has done a poor job. Not sure how else you can put it. It makes my stomach turn, when I see these guys running on and off the field... and see the fat bouncing up and down. The O-Line looks soft too. No push, limited movement. Couldn't knock UCF off the ball.

In my gut, which is essentially meaningless to anyone but me, I feel a lot like it's 2000 again. We've got a coach who probably deserves another year, though moreso this time than at the end of Jim Donnan's tenure. But you have to ask yourself what UGA President Michael Adams reportedly asked himself when he decided to fire Donnan after the 2000 season instead of waiting:

Are we just going to be having this conversation again next year?

Me: Uh .... No?

Humility returns, but will progress?

If you need a reminder, other than our record, or partial recall of the last four games, of how bad things have gotten in Bulldog Nation, there's one on full display this morning.

We are excited because our coach went on the radio and agreed with people about the obvious shortcomings we've displayed, then said he'd actually try something different to fix them.

That taking advice from "Jill in Hoschton" may, in fact, be progress fills me with nearly equal parts hope and distress.

I remember shortly after Coach Richt was hired, and we screwed up with the clock at home against Auburn. Richt took full responsibility and it was the first time in a long time I'd heard a Georgia coach say, That happened because of me, and it won't happen again.

That was progress. Sadly, though, the mea culpas returned a few years ago, with less ability to inspire confidence. And then a stubbornness seemed to creep into Coach Richt's comments - a stubbornness that some feel evaporated before last night's bulldog hotline. Repeatedly gtting your ass kicked can have that effect.

Here's Paul Westerdawg's outlook following the call-in show:

I can tell you that I'm an extreme skeptic related to the rhetoric from our coaching staff. I was incredibly encouraged. Richt sounded passionate, and he sounded sincerely humble.

For the first time this season including before the ULL game, my optimism and hope for the season is based on something other than a weak schedule and a belief that "Murray can't be worse than Cox / Grantham can't be worse than Martinez."

I think a lot of reasonable people feel that way this morning. They hope because they want to, and maybe because they need to. They want Richt to succeed. They want to have it all. The good man, the good coach and the winning program.

And they know that, as bad as things are, if we have to move Richt out and start over, things will get worse before they get better.

My hope has been kicked in the face too many times. I will be in Sanford Stadium Saturday, but fear my heart will be made of stone. I agree with Tony Barnhart. We are "at the point where the team needs to lift its fans."

I also agree that Coach Richt has absolutely earned the right to turn this thing around, whether it be Saturday, or some time in 2011.

Now, does that stand, no matter what? Let's see how the rest of the season goes.

Richt: "We're not far off ... stay the course."

Mark Richt during today's teleconference, via Marc Weiszer's Twitter feed:

"We know what it takes to do it right, so we know we’re not far off. ... We know if we stay the course it’s going to be our best chance to get back on track in a positive way."

Me: Straight ahead, then. That should work.

Marilyn: What's he going to do? Be like, "Y'all suck. I'm going to go tell reporters."

The woman knows more about football than she lets on. I'll add that the last time Richt said something that seemed bad was the best chance to win, it probably was.

Also, Kris Durham is hurt.

Update: Check out the very bottom of EDSBS' not-really-funny-because-it's-true magazine cover this week:



It says "Proudly sponsored by the University of Georgia, where steering into the skid may save your life but won't save your football team."

Our enemies don't just know us. They know what we're going to do.

Wrong about so much

That corpse you planted last year in your garden,
Has it begun to sprout?

Let me start with apologies to The Orlando Sentinel. While I stand by some of my complaints, it is clear that your decision to rank Georgia the 62nd best football team in the nation was not only reasonable, but impressively prescient.

And to Andrea Adelson, who I did not call by name here, but certainly called names in my head, I was wrong. Suddenly ESPN's decision to hire you from The Sentinel seems brilliant, and I'm beginning to doubt a great many things.

Is Lou Holtz a talented broadcaster? I just don't know anymore, because my world is broken.

Now, Coach Richt. Good grief, man.

You were hired to be Georgia's head football coach because we believed in you. But you were also hired to believe in yourself, and to do what you think is right. You need to quit this crisis of confidence shit and do what you need to do. Return to awesome. I think you can do it, but do you?

I have some thoughts on what's wrong, and words for individual players, coaches and staff members. But that's a long and futile list. But what really bothers me, more than play calling ever will, is that our team looks like a bunch of pansies.

That reflects the head man, the assistants, the strength and conditioning program and recruiting.

But most of all, it reflects the players in uniform. And I want to know why no one is standing up and saying "My name is _____ ____, and I'm not going to put up with this shit any more."

Joe: There is way too much fat to trim. I don't know how you run an operation like that.

Starnes: The strength problem is just so obvious now. If you can't kick ass on the offensive line ... maybe they shouldn't have taken a day off to go swimming.

Huff: On second, more sober thought, heads don't need to roll yet. But I'm still really pissed off.

This is how I feel about the last 3 years of Georgia football.

Welcome to Saratoga, Mississippi

Some battles, if you win them, the war's not over. But, if you lose them, well, there's not going to be much left when the French show up with reinforcements.

Me: Go to Starkville, determine your career. That has to be fun.

Starnes: Ten years and it all comes down to an away game vs. Mississippi State. Lose and you can start etching the tombstone. Win, and everything can still be fine.

Me: It's a game of inches.

Biggest Mississippi State game in my lifetime, I'm pretty sure.

And as I said earlier this week, the Dawgs should win, if only they will. But today would not be a good day to commit turnovers and penalties.