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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Dawgaholics Anonymous

I've always been against anonymous commenting. Usually it leads to people shooting out inflammatory remarks and open ended statements that fail to make a solid point. In my opinion, anonymous commenters are what Bob Costas (and Buck Belue) should consider "goons with a keyboard" rather than solid, detailed bloggers who make more valid points than either of those ever could.

Anyway, I'm dedicating an entire post to this one anonymous commenter who left a message on my latest Brent Benedict post. Not because it was ridiculously stupid like some of them tend to be, but because it's by far the BEST anonymous comment I've ever received. Read about it in its entirety after the jump.

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The comment is as follows:
Yes. That is fine. I mean it is what it is, isn't it ? We have been dropping like flies all Summer long - one and then another; and, well it is 10 off the team in the last year now.

And, more yet to come, quite obviously.

What we are left with is a depth chart issue on the OL.

And, the RB.

And, the FB.

And, the WR.

And, the Secondary.

And, someone anyone who will tackle the opposing QB.

It is quite extensive.

I would like to point out that we have our softest schedule of all-time, this season.

The SEC East is down. Way down.

The SEC West has 3 of the top football programs in the nation in Alabama, Arkansas and LSU.

We play none of them.

If we do, it is The SEC Championship Game and we have no hope against their teams - who are not with all these holes we clearly have.

Las Vegas is laying odds we lose to Florida, lose to South Carolina and lose to Boise State.

Missy State and Auburn are the type games we manage to lose one of every year too.

All I ask is that, please God forget all the Excuses, Kool-Aid, Apologies, etc. and can we please all be in agreement that we need to have this coaching staff assembled by Mark Richt and the players remaining to GATA ?

I am so disappointed with the 3-9 vs the teams finishing in the AP Poll Top 10 all 10 years and another 10 Losses vs teams who did not even finish in the AP Poll Top 25 all 10 years to-boot.

I don't want to hear what a nice guy our coach is. I want to beat the truly great teams and to not lose to the truly horrid teams.

And, don't tell me how great we are going to be, or were.

2007 we beat no one who finished in the AP Poll Top 10. And, we lost to 2 really lousy teams, in addition.

2005 we did beat # 6 LSU for The SEC Championship, but this coaching staff told us how great Joe Tereshinski III would be for us and we ended up with 3 Losses. LSU beat 2 teams who finished in the AP Poll Top 10 in 2007.

2002 we beat no one who finished in the AP Poll Top 10 and we lost to a team who finished not in the Top 25 of the Coaches' Poll - in fact, only Auburn ended in the Top 25 Coaches' Poll 2002 from all The SEC teams.

2003 was not a great year either; we certainly beat no team who finished in the AP Poll Top 10.

So, what are we left with ?

That this is all we are capable of over the last 40 years ? I think we can do much more than this. I would like to think we are not settling for what has been rather mediocre teams playing soft schedules and losing to 1 of those every year, too. And, losing to all the truly great teams in addition.

I frankly am more than a little tired of it.

I want the coaches and the players and the fans to quit telling me how great we are or were and actually do something such as beat the great teams and not lose to the bad teams.

Seems we should be unanimous on that.

That we tell them it is unacceptable.

And, dream that it might actually be something we all wanted to do.

Instead of telling me we have already done it.

We haven't. You know that. 
That is a solid gold comment. Why? Because whoever left it is exactly right. There's nothing but truth in that entire statement and it's nice to hear.

None of us are sitting back saying that it's all peaches and cream with this UGA team. Our depth is super scary at some pretty dang important positions. Running back is out of control thin. So is the secondary, outside linebackers and offensive line. While we're solid gold at tight end, which should help the WR corps, you can't expect tight ends to give you big gains. Not unless you get creative with the offense, and well, I'll let you draw your own conclusions there.

I think the majority of what you see nowadays from bloggers like myself is that we're just flat tired of beating this horse. It's not dead, but it's not Secretariat, either. We're in this "calm before the storm" period where all we want to do is stop hearing about how bad or good things are and just tee it off.

You're going to have a tough time finding a person who thinks that Richt's job is safe unless he shows some "significant improvement" this year. I hate to say it because I think Mark Richt is great for Georgia, but regardless of how good of a man he is, he has to win football games to keep his job. That's what he was hired to do. All the other stuff is a very nice bonus in a sport where coaches are as crooked as they come. I do want a coach that treats his players right, puts an emphasis on getting their degree and becoming better men. Before college football became a drug for amateur sports junkies, it was a sport taught by tough coaches who turned young men into true men. Tough, disciplined, true men who looked at their coaches like father figures. If you don't know what I'm talking about, spend some time talking to a player who played under Erk Russel. You'll know then.

But the point of me responding to the comment in this manner is because we all need to read it. Things aren't perfect. In certain areas, they're not even good. However, there have been times in the history of this program where we overcome the struggles and go on to great things. 1979 to 1980, 2001 to 2002, 2006 to 2007. It's happened before and it could happen again. If it doesn't, then we're all getting a regime change. Until then, I'm just going to be as optimistic, and as realistic, as I can possibly be.

Truthfully, I just don't know any other way to exist.


Until next time kids.

Be safe.

9 comments:

  1. A. All comments are anonymous unless someone posts their full name and address in their "handle". Post under "Dawgman1980" or whatever as consistently and often as you like... still anonymous.

    B. Anyone who cites "wins versus teams who finished in the top ten" as a relevant statistic is an idiot. Generally, if you beat the team they fall out of the top ten unless you're the only team to beat them, which is not in your control. If you lose they stay in it. Very very simple concept.

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  2. I don’t like the anon approach either and yes that was a very reasonable post that you responded to. Not Richtophobic at all. I hated all that gator chomping after the overtime fg at Florida. Then the walk back to the parking area for a quick snack waiting for the traffic to die down before that ride back up the interstate. Stopping for gas along the way…. Dog Flags still flying from the windows. And then that snarky comment from a fellow customer…..”Where you going Georgia?” Sigh! You know the drill. So where is that line that you mustn’t cross least you become that JO in the stands yelling at Coach Bobo in the company of his Boo-Bird associates. Losing ain’t fun. Last season wasn’t fun. It’s hard to stay on top of coaching excellence for long anymore. About 6 years seems about right now a days. We all got favorites and we all want the guy in the white hat to win….and celebrate a happy ending. Georgia has taken some hits, losing precious depth and personnel. Hope the D shows up! But I am always encouraged by this from someone who has been in the arena:

    I believe in Bobo. I believe in Richt. I believe in the Dawgs.
    And I don't give a damn if you don't.
    Go Dawgs.
    Posted by Ben Dukes at 12:18 PM
    Wednesday, July 13, 2011
    Who says we have to have a feature back
    http://dawgsview.blogspot.com/2011/07/who-says-we-have-to-have-feature-back.html

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  3. This is Cojones. The words "you/yours" used herein are collective and not necessarily aimed at this author, but pick'em as you see'em.

    We post anonymous because that's the only choice we have save giving one's address and personal data to facilitating sites that can then send all the mail solicitations and all the spam one's computer can handle.

    We are aware of the info posted and have digested it for days before you decide to have a "Downer's List" to remind us of the depressing news. We read and we can think and form our own opinions about the news/stats that you and several others think a refresher course with your added negative slant gives further info. Thank you, but we really don't need it. Stating downer facts over and over adds nothing to our search for Dawg information.

    When someone replies with the positive take on the same info and who supports their conclusions with the facts, your reply is laced with putdowns and innuendo. If we think enough of our time to reply, we are reaching out for you to understand that your premise adds nothing to our fan knowledge. You take the data and color our entire team with it. You do not call attention to the rest of the positive players who are worthwhile getting to know and you further stretch bad news to include coaches.

    Please understand me. I am speaking generally of all the negative/downer posts that you seem to think elutes positive rants. Bad news and bad luck we can interpret. We don't need your negative stretch to players's and coaches ability. Because you purposefully refrain from knocking the staff and team in this post doesn't mean that you are not knocking those who reply to your incorrect conclusions and witch hunts. When bad luck and circumstances affecting the team and coaches are used to further deteriorate our funk, we respond with the same tone that we perceive in your words. When posters use this info to attack our players and coaches(that many posters fail to realize are in a funk as well) then, yeah, we get upset. We are fans being fans. All of you need to look up the word "fan" in the dictionary. Really!!

    Our passionate pride for our school is reflected by our team and coaches. When we read of them being attacked(our perception of words used as weapons that reflect inaccurately and unfavorably on them) we try to let the poster know the error of his/her perceptions.That we take the time to reply is not a game. If this is for "key-strikes" money in soliciting our team-defensive replies, then shame on you for using us when we perceive you to be honest and deserving of a reply.

    Calls for coaches jobs and careers are insensitive about our team's psyche and insulting at its best because our University pays an AD and a large staff to consider these actions on the school's and alumni's behalf. You don't got shit to do with it when you lob Molotov Cocktail-invectives and insults. You insult the intelligence of alums and fans who visit this site to get information. We don't give a crap about your opinion of their abilities. When you give coaching/situational advice in anti-coach/team posts, we would like to see your credentials that rise above the ones you criticize. One poster 2 days ago used "sucks" to describe the ability of a runner...and in the same sentence acknowledged that he didn't know the player nor his abilities. He referred to "other people" as a group for his "informative opinion". That is disengenuous and cowardly and deserves no place on this site.

    Instead of threatening our football staff, I think that you should be threatened for your job or ability. Then you might show some sensitivity toward others and the pleasure we incur by cheering for the Dawgs. LET THE ONES IN CHARGE AND PAID TO MAKE HIRING/FIRING DECISIONS DO THEIR JOB. They need no help from you, me or others in performing their jobs. You simply make bad news more depressing when you don't support what we have.

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  4. Anon @ 3:17:

    I'm a little confused as to who you're speaking to in your comment. I agree that it's detrimental to the team and the psyche of the lockerroom in general to sit back and toss out blanket statements about Richt's job security and the caliber of players that are suiting up for Georgia.

    I didn't highlight the comment and dedicate a post to it because I agreed with it. In fact, I am of the opposite opinion. As Kyle King has stated many times on the podcast, things are never as good as they seem and never as bad as they seem.

    The reason I highlighted the comment is because I believe that when it comes to this team, this year, it's almost political in the mindset. We're spending more time disagreeing and attacking each other's opinions rather than admitting that we all just want things to get better and get back to winning again. To borrow another line (this one from Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip), "your side hates my side because you think we think you're stupid, and my side hates your side because we think you're stupid."

    There are three segments of the Bulldog Nation at this moment. The first wants Mark Richt to bring this program back to its winning ways. The second wants Richt fired because they believe change is needed to get it back to its winning ways. The third doesn't care how it happens, they just want it to get back to its winning ways. What do they all have in common? They want the program to get back to its winning ways.

    Your comment has certain parts of it that allude to me being a naysayer and irresponsible with my content. When you say things like "you simply make bad news more depressing when you don't support what we have" and "that is disengenuous (sic) and cowardly and deserves no place on this site," you imply that I am not only out for Richt's head, but I'm also loose with the content I allow here.

    Let me assure you that you're wrong in both cases. Not that I need to defend my writing to anyone, but if you must, take a read of this post at the old site which is the exact opposite of everything you just claimed (http://dawggoneblog.beyondthetrestle.com/content/things-i-will-not-do). You'll see pretty blatantly that I'm always in the corner of this team. ALWAYS.

    All that being said, I agree with most of what you wrote. I stated as much above. It's time for all this talking to end and we need for fall camp to begin. I want to know how good this team is and I'm tired of guessing. We're all ready for a little change of this offseason scenery.

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  5. I should have known better to qualify my use of "you" and "yours", but thought that you(Ludakit) would pick and choose that very little was aimed at you personally because I read your intent.

    You did post a poster's "Downer List" and said you agreed with it because everything was factual. My point was that these lists serve no purpose to informed readers and is often used to stretch into negative remarks toward team and coach.

    I gave you a quote from an article 2 days ago(by Tesla) that illustrated the extremism of synapse concerning negative comments. Tesla appologized for using words specifically about one running back , but didn't think twice about the second one mentioned for the worst of reasons..an opinion from a couple of other guys. This was my example offered to bolster an unstated premise that actual harm can be distributed under the aegis of "give and take" concerning opinions. Who wants to harm their team on a blog? Several people gave replies that they wouldn't visit his work anymore, while I, similar to you, wanted him to understand the error of such remarks. Those people who felt it was over the top were assailed as Kool aid drinkers, homers,and other descriptions that were supposed to nullify those who disagreed about negativism. They were insulted as to being weak, timerous of the facts and delusional because they didn't like it. I was only trying to show you that the generalization of fans's intents was to ridicule them for not being "big boys" and being too sensitive.

    Since the quotes weren't on your site (I mistyped "this" for "his") it was presumptive of me to think that you would know that from the previous sentence. I apologize for my error because it was not my intent. Yes, I used an "e" where there should have been a "i", but again by not reading the preceeding(sic) sentence you(Luducrit) didn't know it wasn't referring to you(Ludecrit) Just kidding (see what level we(you and me) have degenerated...). Just when you think you are communicating(there goes that "you" thing again) you (oops!) find that not to be true.

    I apologize for lack of clarity in my second sentence concerning the use of "you" and "yours".

    I don't use Spellcheck(?), but also acknowledge that of others in other posts. Quoted a sentence the other day where a "t" was omitted from "not", but placed it on there for him anyway because it didn't affect the intent or meaning by the writer. I inadvertently may spell by sound and not catch it on review (use of "their" and "there" most often and I cringe for the writer when they are misused), but I see that others make the same mistake so I don't get all pedantic about it. To each his own.

    We are probably at cross purposes accidentally while agreeing with each other. I hope we have a "No harm, no fowl(sick)" rule here.

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  6. I apologize if you think that my adding (sic) was intended to show any sort of "gotcha" or malice towards the spelling. I actually misspelled it myself when quoting it, but decided that instead of correcting it for you, i just added that in there to keep the original quote. Truthfully, I just didn't want to correct it and you take offense to that. Looking back on it, I shouldn't have done either and just typed it out as it was. Now, that's going to come back and bite me because I'm typing this response on my iPhone, where there will be NUMEROUS errors.

    Thanks for clarifying all that though because I liked the previous comment and this one as well. I just wanted to be painfully clear as to my intent with this post and move on from there. You're a DGD, I can tell and I just wanted you to know that I think we're on the same page about a lot of stuff, like you just mentioned.

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  7. While we are all "huggies", let me inform you that I am aware that I am a poor writer and just enjoy reading other Dawgs's comments, mostly for the gems of humor that crop up.

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  8. That ended well.

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  9. I want so badly for Richt to succeed this year, not just because I want to see him back but because I'm excited about the Defense, the S&C, the new Nutrition program, and some other things.

    I do think we need to overhaul some of the offensive staff, and if we're successful this year, that probably won't happen. In 1 1/2 years, through good coaching, good player evaluation, and recruiting, Grantham has taken a Defense that was fatally ill and depleted of personnel, and turned it into a Defense that, IMO, is on the brink of being very good. He's still short a few pieces, but I am impressed.

    We could really use the same kind of fix on the offensive side. Our QB coaching is good, but our evaluation (in particular), recruiting, overall coaching, and OC performance is south of par.

    I'd like to think I'm wrong about that. But realism prevails, and I can't help think of how good we could be if these offensive problems were corrected, as Grantham corrected the Defense.

    I hope this move happens, because then Richt's overhaul would be complete.
    ~~~

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