Monday's Meatloaf - the other side of the leaf

I've been tossing this leaf around ever since I found myself walking away from Folsom Field back in October. I've never considered myself a Disney Dawg, but I admit to being pretty Goofy at times. However, I do consider myself a Mark Richt homer. I genuinely love the guy. He's stayed 45 minutes late at picture sessions just to make sure that he got a picture in with my daughter...yeh, she's that beautiful.

Not enough Sugar...

Coach Richt is a nice guy that knows what it takes to finish first, but right now can't seem to find the starting blocks. And while you won't find me pandering for his pink slip to be written, you will see less indulgence in his media quips. I've never been in the arena, but now have a pretty good idea of what it takes to get your head lopped off by a black knight there.


If the state's former rock star is Rachel, I'm Ross. And we're officially on a break. Clinging to his every word and buying into his talk has recently only produced misery in his company. If the closing credits on this era roll a year from now and we officially part ways, I'll only wish him the very best. Truly.


And if we are eventually reconciled and bathe ourselves in red and black confetti...the coffee's on me.


Today's Ingredients

• We're Not That Far Away, probably the most fair and honest assessment of things, over at DawgSports by Anthony Pace. He's right...And with the way this conference is, it only takes one year to go from "not that far away" to "Damn, that's a long way off".
• Staff tweaks on the horizon, maybe as soon as today. Now that Coach T is officially the S&C head guiy, I expect to hear Verron Haynes and Thomas Brown moving towards Butts-Mehre. The coaching staff...well, that should be even more interesting.
• This is as important a year as ever for recruiting. Weiszer wonders if it could have gotten in the way of bowl preparation?
• Over at the Grit Tree, Lugnut Dawg sees us past the point of no return.
• the Senator finds McGarity looking back and Coach Richt looking ahead.
• Murray Poole measures the last few seasons...down the number line.
• While we wait to see which players are officially leaving, Nick Williams discusses his decision.
• Ben Fratlock evaluates the Liberty Bowl, and has a prognosis for next season.
• Hamp is looking at a new hobby to take the pain away of following his Dawgs. Me...I'm going to drink more beer. Come join me at Pintley.com.
• Kris Durham has started the next chapter in his life, training for an NFL gig. We wish him well.
• It can be filed under Much Ado About Nothing, but Ealey discovered post game why they are black knights.
• Back to recruiting, DawgPost's Chad Simmons has some Under Armour updates, with a big one on Isaiah Crowell. ($$)
• A huge start ended up being just enough to carry the Lady Dawgs over South Carolina in their SEC opener.
• Meineke Car Care officials are wondering what they did to upset all the Clempson fans.
• Mike Haywood sees Mike Price and raises him a domestic violence charge.
• MusChomp named some old and new faces to his growing staff. And buffets in Gayturdsville just went premium. Will Weis' ego fit in the swamp?
• Maryland officially doesn't want to buckle any swashes. Instead they name Edsall head coach.
• Festivus Bowl Mania update has Michael just ahead of Exile, who is just ahead of Ally, Bryan and Smitty. Darren the Intern (who picked the exact opposite of me) is much...much closer to the top than I am. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I'm sincere when I say that I hope to reconcile with our coach one day. But it's clear to not happen soon. If he signs everyone we're hoping he does on February 2nd, I'll be there to congratulate him. But he's signed top classes before. Like I said yesterday, those kids need to develop into football players who leave everything on the field...as well as fine young men.

uhuh!....Garsh!

And pardon me if I don't get all loopy again on the broken record being played about changing things up...and not wanting to go through this again...and the coaches are working harder...and the players are buying in. Yes, hope all that is going on. But the last two winters have only brought discontent. Show me in the Dome against Boise State. All these college football fans that have been clamoring over Chris Peterson...prove to me that they were wrong. Cuz right now I'm not sure.


Changing coaches is not something I take lightly. I've seen Ray Goff, Glen Mason, Jim Donnan and Mark Richt hired in my Dawglife. Two were guaranteed mistakes, one of which we ended up avoiding altogether. The one sure thing I've learned as a fan from those experiences, is that it never exactly goes as expected.


People who tout that we're not that far away are right, we aren't. But there's also the annoying fact that we didn't get any closer this season. We're back at the drawing board in January, eager to get excited about something in early February...then again in April...only to watch our hearts break in the Fall.


So who knows what a year may bring. Perhaps a season of vast improvements, maybe a nosetackle as big as a mid-size sedan. Conceivably we'll see a head coach with a hunger that eats right through his players.


And maybe...possibly...it will all be enough to turn this leaf back over again. The difference this off season for me is, I'm not goofily holding my breath.


Bernie