I just don’t know.
That is the answer I say when folks ask me what I think about Kirby Smart being inducted as the head coach for my University of Georgia Bulldogs.
It’s not that I don’t like Kirby Smart, he is after all one of ‘us’. It’s just that change is hard a hard pill to swallow sometime. Yes, I Know change can be a good thing, but the Mark Richt has captain this ship for a long time.
Think about it. When Mark Richt was introduced as the head coach back in Christmas 2000 the wolrd was a totally different place. Facebook didn’t exist and we had to find out our news from the daily newspaper… a day late. Well, I guess something’s don’t change. It took us 10 minutes to sign on line to to hear ‘Welcome, You Got mail’, before waiting another 10 minutes to load our website.
Now, the age of split seconds, we know everything, sometimes even before it happens.
Mark Richt has been the Georgia program. Now he’s gone and we have a new leader. I wonder what Munson would think?
I guess the thing that bothers me the most is that I can count on two hands a number of things that could have just went a tad bit differently and we wouldn’t be sitting here wondering where a 17 year-old kid from Washington will play football next year.
Here’s a few.
If Reggie Davis would have caught that pass in Knoxville this year, the Dawgs would be sitting at 10-2, with their only losses to teams that played for the SEC title. They would be ranked top 15 and be sitting there with a top 3 recruiting class in the country. One pass.
In 2012, if Chris Conley had not caught the pass and brought down inside the four yard line to end the game things would be different. One pass.
In 2007, Georgia went into the last week of the season the hottest team in the county. They were ranked number 4 and were sitting at home because of a fluke loss in early October. That weekend, the number 2 and 3 ranked teams both lost. Common sense would say the Dawgs would move to number 2 and be playing for the National Championship. Then ‘common sense’ said that a team that doesn’t win its division shouldn’t play for the national title. Of course ‘common sense’ AKA voters, think that the rule doesn’t apply to Alabama. The Dawgs would go on to the Sugar Bowl and dominate an undefeated Hawaii team. Voters.
Name the last team that won the SEC that did not have a shot to play for a national championship. That honor came in 2005 when the University of Georgia Bulldogs was left out. The Dawgs 2 losses that year were by a combined 5 points. Not since that game has an SEC team been left out of a chance to play for the trophy. Voters.
In 2002, yet again, left out. Georgia’s best team in the 00’s suffered one loss. A 7 point loss to Florida kept the Dawgs out of the title game. The worst part of that game was ‘the drop’. Terrance Edwards did a slant route in which David Greene dropped back and hit him open stride heading towards the end zone. Dropped. The Dawgs were sent to the Sugar Bowl again where they dominated ACC Champion Florida State. That year Ohio State defeated Miami (go figure) for the title. Again, a dropped pass. Again. Voters.
These are just a few moments, a few plays, that would have changed history. If only one had occurred, Mark Richt would not be wearing that ugly orange and green shirt of his. Coulda’ shoulda’ woulda’, but it does make for interesting thought doesn’t it.
So in last week’s championship games I went 9-1, which brings my record to 101 out of 150 on the year. With the goal to get to 200 games this year (easier math) I will take a look at high school football championship games this week!
- Colquitt County over Roswell – Class AAAAAA Championship
- Glynn Academy over Allatoona – Class AAAAA Championship
- Buford over Cartersville Class AAAA Championship
- Blessed Trinity over Westminister – Class AAA Championship
- Fitzgerald over Pace Academy –Class AA Championship
- Eagles Landing over Aquinas – Class A (private) Championship
- Clinch County over Irwin County – Class A (public) Championship
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