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Kirby Smart clarifies resignation comment, but his Georgia contract extension unfinished
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Kirby Smart clarifies resignation comment, but his Georgia contract extension unfinished
ATLANTA — Kirby Smart is a national championship coach and a recruiting machine, but he’s also human, to the extent the challenges of work/life balance affect him like anyone else.
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It has been discussed, dissected and tricected?. Time to bring our home game back to Athens. Every other year will be a dynamic and electric environment. As things continue to evolve and with the possibility of a nine game schedule, this old Dawg says bring it on home.
There's something to be said about the GA./Fla. game going every year in Atlanta or Athens, just saying it could help more with recruiting. Sic'em Dawgz.😎
I understand it's a tough job, but lots of people work hard jobs, but the pay the best college coaches make sure beats about 95 % of all other jobs nthe world , especially for men who aren't Dr.'s , Actors, professional athletes, and hedgefund managers. Put me in Coach! I'll go hard after it for 10-12 years and retire to the lake.
I empathize but refuse to sympathize. Nobody has ever been forced to coach college football, or at any level for that matter. He has a choice to make each and every year and he chooses to coach. There are plenty of options out there with far fewer demands, but that brings us to issue of compensation. He makes exceptional amounts of money, to the point that he is establishing generational wealth that will impact lives for decades to come. Coach Smart is a very good coach and a really good guy (as down-to-earth as they come), but this? Nah.
What is the deal with Kirby's contract? There have been several different reports about when this is supposed to be finalized - those dates have come and gone. I am sure they will get it signed, but with recruiting so important to what this Georgia staff does throughout the year, I would think they would get this done sooner rather than later, so that other coaches don't plant doubt in a recruit's head about whether the Georgia coach is actually staying or moving on.
I Agree.
I understand the use of leverage in contract negotiations....but, if Smart and UGA Admin aren't careful, this could turn into a runaway story like the Bennett vs Daniels thing did, last year, and put a damper on some of their recruiting efforts. In other words, an unnecessary distraction and unforced error. Time to nip it in the bud. Like Barney Fife said, "I believe in bud nipping". LOL
On a separate note, I think they should leave the GAvFL game in JAX. At least for the time being. That game, is what it is, because it was played in the Gator Bowl every year (neutral site), which sounds crazy. How bout playing the game in Atlanta every year, in the Bulldog Bowl? LOL.
If it goes to a home & home...it becomes, "just another game". And, lately, not a very good one, but, it still gets covered by College GameDay or SECN Featured Game "while in JAX". Exposure and publicity for everyone involved and Recruits know it. They're not as unaware as some would believe.
Every year, UGA Folks come and fill up the hotels and restaurants along the coast of Georgia and it becomes an event. The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. That reference, went away with cancelism, an ignorant act of Political Correctness.
We need to go back to having the GA-FL game and calling it what it is...that's what made it special. Unique. That was a recruiting poster to HS college prospects of all types...students and student-athletes alike.
Let's not pretend that changing the name from "World's Largest Cocktail Party" to "Lame Football Event" had any effect, whatsoever, on whether a Fan or Student is going to drink or party that weekend. In fact, making it "taboo" may have even enhanced the drinking and partying. "Politically Correct People" are so ****, LOL.
I believe Texas va Oklahoma lose a recruiting weekend too and I don’t hear them complaining. They could be, but I don’t hear it.
@David1 Dallas-Fort Worth is the fifth biggest metro area in the nation --- both schools recruit it heavily enough to justify the game location -- also, it is truly neutral, almost identical distance to each school.
Jacksonville, FWIW, is 40th biggest market -- and Georgia has much more recruiting competition in the SEC than UT or OU has in the Big 12.
Will be interesting to see the future of that game, too.
The football program at UGA is now Huge on a National level and still growing. In a very large part due to Kirby. It’s no secret that UGA has stacks of $$$. Kirby is helping to add to that stack Big Time !! Pay the Man !! I know to all of us average working or retired from many years of working these salaries seem, well, obscene. Actually they Are !! But when we really think about it We as fans are the ones that feed the beast. CFB and Pro Sports. We as fans LOVE this stuff. And we collectively spend billions upon billions of $$$ on it because we Love it. From a Responsibility stand point Kirby has Just As Much ( Actually Much More) than some of these NBA, NFL, MLB Stars. Because they are One player on a Team of pro players actually the expectation level is less if they get injured. But Kirby is the HC of a Now National Title Winning Program. So the expectations, really Demands, will be out of the roof for him. Sympathy for him about the demands of his job from me ?? Absolutely None. I’m not sure if I’m even capable of Dreaming about making That much money Lol !! I like Kirby. I think he’s been great for UGA. But my take is Pay him and let him leave his conversation about job stress for his family and friends, because he will be paid, Very, Very handsomely for his job stress. It is what is…….
Probably get bashed to pieces for this but it’s all good. UGA never ever, ever opened their purse strings for Mark Richt as they have for Kirby. Even though Mark won Two SEC Titles very early in his tenure at UGA. Now don’t get me wrong I’m Super Glad that UGA has indeed opened the purse strings for Kirby. If a school wants to have a Ntl. Title contender on a consistent basis they HAVE to open the purse strings !! SO very glad that Damon Evans is just a **** stain and No longer the AD at UGA !! I think it’s a fair observation to put at least Some of Mark Richt’s failures on Evans ( actually a pretty big part ). So I’m Very Happy that the powers to be that control the $$$ at UGA changed their philosophies and decided to go all out for the football program. Over time the returns will be VAST !! Just wish they had made that decision much, much earlier.
In my opinion, Kirby's contract not being finalized is very likely due to Kirby considering stepping away. I have believed this for months. No amount of money will keep people at a job that is working them to the point of exhaustion. It can be hard for a leader to believe that less work can be better, but it can be true for a variety of reasons including attracting and retaining talent to the organization as well as demonstrating to others (i.e. players, parents, staff) that there is a healthy prioritization of work/life balance.
Kirby is a rare gem as a head coach. As a UGA alumnus, I hope we can retain him. I believe he would benefit greatly by taking a step back, re-prioritizing work in a manner in which the mental health and happiness of himself and all in the Football organization are put first. I fear failure to do so will ultimately lead to losing key talent including Kirby himself.
Remember who the AD was for Richt? Vince Dooley. Loved the guy, but, he wasn't a very strong AD and was responsible for hiring Ray Goff as HC. Then giving Ray enough rope to hang himself and the Dawg Football program in the process. On the flip side...Dooley IS the guy, that recognized Richt's offensive savvy, and hired him away from FSU to coach the Dawgs.
After they fired Dooley in a chicken-**** way...they hired that "Damon Evans" guy, that got caught DUI with a girl, not his wife, in the car, in Atlanta. He was fired for that and his negligence of the Football program in July 2010. CMR was having to do both jobs during Damon's reign. That and his Wife's battle with Cancer took Richt's attention away from the football program. And, it showed.
Martinez,, Richt's "best friend" was hired to lead the defense when Van Gorder went to the Falcons...Richt's wife was soon diagnosed with breast cancer and Willie Martinez, his best friend, basically rode Mark's coat tails and in turn the UGA defense into oblivion, while Mark's attention was split between his Wife and family, and his job. A problem, I have personal experience with. She eventually recovered, thank God, and the Dawgs did too...once CMR fired Martinez after the 2009 Football Season and hired Grantham, the defense started to come around. Jarvis Jones, a team leader and former USC Trojan transfer, was the spark that lit the fuse. All of this took place during the same time frame as the Damon Evans fiasco.
With respect to the Grantham hiring... Initially Richt wanted Muschamp or Smart, but, both guys received hefty pay raises and promises to stay at Texas and Alabama, respectively. Grantham was at best UGA's 3rd choice for the DC position. You have to wonder...if UGA had a dedicated and competent AD at the time, would they have been able to negotiate Smart or Muschamp into joining the UGA staff?
Man...Richt sure could've used some support after the Dooley "firing". Things would've been much different for him and Dawg Nation. We wouldn't have had to wait till 2022 for a Natty. UGA could've won it in 2007 and/or 2012, at the very least.
Defense was the Dawgs' Achilles Heel during the Richt years.
It's kind of ironic, right? Offense, until now, has been Smart's Achilles Heel. Can you imagine what UGA could've been...with Mark Richt as HC, Mike Bobo as OC and Kirby Smart or Will Muschamp as DC. That could've happened, and almost did, after Martinez was fired.
The College Football game has changed dramatically since the '70's & '80's. A time when a lot of College HC's also wore the AD hat. Vince Dooley is an example...HC & AD. Had to manage all other athletic programs, Basketball, included.
No more! Football management structure hasn't changed with demands. It's bitten a lot of College Football Coaches over the last 2-3 decades, including Spurrier, Saban and Meyer. All of whom stepped down from successful College programs, to go to the NFL or TV booth. And....All of them eventually came back.
Only Saban managed to create a structure he could live with. I'm sure Smart learned a little something about the Saban management structure. It's hard to deligate responsibilities, when you have turnover like Saban and Smart. I'm curious to know how they do it. You absolutely have to be Married to your job, as HC of a perennial Top 5-10 Football program. Family support is a must.
That's why Wives were honored when I was in the military. Their sacrifices and support were a prerequisite to a Sailor or Soldier's individual achievement. Our commitment to duty kept us away from many Family functions. You could probably say that about scores of professions. That's just the way it is. It's better to "work smart" not just "work hard" and view yourself as a martyr.
For the record...I don't believe for a second that Smarts worried about himself. As a leader, he's worried about providing a decent quality of life to his staff & assistants. And family-time is synonymous with Quality of life. There's a balancing act to achieve both and you're always conscious of it...but you not always able to provide it.
The "needs of the job" will always outweigh the "needs of the employee". That's just a harsh truth and the employee needs to work with the employer to find answers to the conflict. Sounds like Smart is doing everything he can, to help them facilitate that. It is, what it is. It's not personal...just business. LOL
It has kept Saban at his job. It just takes a rare breed, which there are few at that level. It must be changed somehow though because you're right, anyone can get to the point of that's enough of that, especially with age. Even at 10 mill a year. But that is why you get paid 10 mill a year. Assistants don't, but 300K, half a mill or more, isn't nothing to sneeze at. So it's tough when you can't make anywhere near that kind of money elsewhere. Smart and his staff outwork others and it shows. But they also get paid among the best at their profession. If not for all of the time demands and family sacrifices, their pay would likely be lower. These assistants are setting their families up for a lifetime or more. Some will become HC's themselves. Some were HS coaches making less than 50K a year now making 600K a year! While it is sad to see their missed time with family, it is their choice to rake in the huge pay day, but they accept that trade off. So its not really sad for them, its awesome for them. But some will get burnt out, go to the NFL, go to a school with more family time, etc, if they don't get enough family time now. Maybe there will be a change in recruiting. It needs to be.
But for now, if you want to be at the top, its go, go go and go some more. Or be like what's his name, oh yeah Mullens at UF and pretty much just recruit in the off season, other than who comes to campus. But working for Kirby, its full throttle baby! Some do not want to do that and then, some just cant hack it.
Great comments by you (as usual Lol !!). Very good points and I agree. Please keep my soon to be 43 yr. old Daughter in your Prayers. She has breast cancer. She is a single Mom of two boys. But Praise God she has finished her last chemo (already had surgery) and is doing pretty good all in all. Her doctors want her to have yet another surgery though in another part of her anatomy. She’s been through a TON in these last few months !! But God is good and HEs seeing her through. Yep had those coaches you cited been at UGA for a few years Together no doubt that UGA would be a dominant legacy in CFB long before. That’s just to much Great football savy in one place !! 😀 Go Dawgs !!
Thank you Navy. I appreciate your comments and value your opinions, as well.
I'm so sorry to hear about your Daughter. Cancer has reeked a lot of havoc on Families...including mine. I've already said a prayer for your Daughter and your Family. I'm sure I don't have to tell you, she's going to need all the spiritual support you can provide. I know it's not easy, but, when you need help, you need to reach out. There are support groups that can provide guidance in navigating the rough waters. I'm glad she's reached the end of the Chemo trail. That's especially tough. Not sure I would want to do that.
God Bless you and your Family. Keep us informed. I think I can speak for everyone, when I say we're pulling for her. Stay strong Brother.