I'm going to get to Coach Pruitt. Promise. But today needs to start off this way...
For everyone who has doubted Coach Richt's level of commitment...for those of us who have wondered if he could pull this kind of hire off...for those who believe he is past his days of effective leadership....you were wrong, we were wrong, and it seems as though those guys were dead wrong.
The easy hire was Olivadotti. And he might have been the right one, eventually. The easy path was "continuity". But that would've only lead us to dark days, quickly. Instead, Richt and McGarity went right to work, zeroed in on the only man on the face of the Earth that has the 2012, 2013 and 2014 national title rings.
This time around there were no messy and all too public negotiations that led to messy and all too public turndowns. This time, even as fans remarkably forgave their lost son and dreamed up all kinds of scenarios where things would really be different this time!!, the moves were calculated and private in a different direction. Richt had a vision for what his team needed and he went out and made it happen.
And while there is much left to prove on the field, today we can take a breath and celebrate a giant, impressive and definitive step in the right direction. Because there was a sinking feeling, a great big fat elephant turd of apathy, that was settling in on the program. A week ago we were fresh off a disheartening and lethargic loss to Nebraska to close the season. And worst of all we were stuck with Todd Grantham, essentially a dead coordinator walking; a guy who had lost his audience - fans, fellow coaches and most notably his own players. Meanwhile, Jeremy Pruitt was getting sized for yet another BCS ring. And here we are in a scenario where everyone is happy. Fresh start for Grantham and Georgia; Richt got the guy he wanted and for a price that makes everyone content.
Yes, it's a fresh start to the off season. Fans are revitalized and now looking forward to GDay again. More importantly, the players are revitalized and eager to prove themselves. And they have their head coach to thank.
We all do.
