An Evening with Coach

I've never man-dated, but when a friend invites you to tag along to ESPN Zone to a Meet and Greet with Coach Richt...well, I'll give it a go.

On the way down Peachtree I decided to take the opportunity to pretend I was the great David Hale, or a member of JensenSports, or even a beat writer for the AJC. When moderator Randy Waters asked for questions from the audience I had at least 20 lined up.

CMR was gracious enough to answer one.

It is through countless tears that I type to you that he indeed does NOT read BDB, or any blog for that matter. Guess that comes as even more of a shock to respectable bloggers like Senator, Exhile, PWD, newcomer Rex...maybe even Mackie. But to be honest...how could he not read Hale. Even my wife reads Hale.

Ouch...maybe I shoulda led with the Will you and Kathryn join our Supper Club? Or perhaps a mundane How do the guys look in shells Coach?

But the excitement heated up when my date revealed to all within earshot his true Oregon State colors. After I thanked Coach for his time, Cord pressed him for a time and day when the Dawgs would play the beavers, head to head, mano eee mano.

Get this...Coach asked if that was the University of Oregon. (Oh no he dih-ent!?!)

I thought Cord (a former Beaver FB) might bulldoze our fearless leader. Luckily the smell of more chicken tenders and warm tater-skins distracted Mr. California HamDog long enough for a housewife from Marietta to move in for her face time.

Disaster averted. Some other thoughts and surmisings:

• CMR is excited about the depth and talent at interior D line
• He doesn't make recruiting a competitive event between his assistants; feels that might compel them to offer a kid who's more suited for NATS (my analogy, my emphasis)
• Shanequa pours a good Sweetwater Ale
• Somehow Bernie mistook the honey mustard dipping sauce for melted cheese and poured it over his salsa
• It is not a recruiting violation for a kid from the Norcross HS junior varsity squad to ask CMR a question if his name was drawn out of a cardboard box once stationed inside a Publix supermarket
• Publix and Kellogg's do not pay for beer poured by Shanequa
• CMR puts housewives from Marietta on hold when his son buzzes dad's blackberry
• Pretty sure Bernie was the only blogger in attendance; other Publix patrons not amused by his homemade "press" credentials
• Honey mustard salsa is pretty good on chips, but not as good as cheese
• CMR enjoys speaking to other UGA athletic teams and thinks Yoculan could kick Paul "Bear" Bryant's ass!! (my words, my emphasis); he's proud that the b-ball team is 1-0 after his speeches...but glad Coach Fox is on board
• The most interesting thing I thought was that after giving Cox the expected and much deserved vote of confidence, he said that he doesn't expect another QB to supplant him. There was something in the way he said it that made us think that maybe one of these QBs is pressing hard....hmmm...maybe this guy.
  

You're welcome Reader. While other prima donna media types are covering high profile stud recruits, high school baseball or at home eating Haagen Das...your faithful blawgger is on top of the comings and goings of the state's biggest rock star.

And even though he and Kathryn won't be hosting our next supper club, I'm pretty sure Coach Richt comes by this area of the cybersphere every once in a while. So...thanks Coach!...and kick Urban's ass on Halloween. There's some extra Rice Krispie treats in it for ya!

Bernie