Should Mark Richt Be Questioned on His Record in Big Games?
Chuck Oliver of radio station 680 the Fan asked about it right after the Alabama game, then apologized for his timing. Was he right to ask, or right to recant?
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Georgia football coach Mark Richt got into it with an Atlanta radio host last weekend after falling just short of upsetting Alabama for the SEC Championship and an invitation to the national title game.
The question from 680 the Fan host Chuck Oliver: "There are people who say you and Aaron Murray specifically come up short on the biggest stage against the biggest opponents. Do you have any response to that?"
Richt didn't like the question and, after challenging Oliver to make the accusation himself, didn't really answer it. He did come back after ending his conference to say, "If anybody thinks our guys didn't play their tail off and Aaron Murray didn't play his tail off, they're crazy. That's unbelievable that somebody would even bring that up."
Oliver backed away from his question afterward, saying he used “awful, terrible, wretched, horrid judgment” in asking, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
But Oliver's not exactly the first person to raise the issue of Richt and Murray's record against top teams -- he was just the first person to raise it after a heartbreaking loss in which Georgia's performance was almost universally praised.
So, who was right? Chuck Oliver, for asking a top football coach a tough question? Or Chuck Oliver, for apologizing for asking that question? Tell us in the comments.
Wayne
9:03 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Absolutely. It's about time someone held this coach to some standard, except always kissing you know what. Oliver should have never apologized, regardless of the time the facts are the facts, and if Coach Richt doesn't like it then he should do something about it which is to win the big games, not lose damn near everyone of them!
michael ginn
9:03 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Richt should have answered the question and Oliver seems ridiculous for apologizing for doing his job.
Robert
11:32 am on Thursday, December 6, 2012
Rabid, unreasonable fans who have as a "standard" winning a national championship need to keep their opinions private. Which team had a fake punt be successful? Which team made the special teams make a difference? Who wants to blame a player for catching a tipped ball that strategically should have been dropped? Why can one not credit that defensive player for tipping that pass? If there is a football FAN who did not enjoy this game, he should wait for the Sunday games. These teams were well coached, and both played well. Dropped balls and missed kicks are a part of football, not a reflection on the coach.
rick zupp
1:05 pm on Thursday, December 6, 2012
Oliver was right for asking. Obviously it's a question that bothers Richt because he knows it's true and can't rectify it.
michael smith
9:43 pm on Thursday, December 6, 2012
A hit dog will holla.. I listened to Chuck show a day or two later and he seemed sorry... If this had been Alabama, Notre dame, or any of the schools that actually expect to win a championship; not only would the media ask about the coach and quarter backs record in big games but so would the AD... you think? man we keep giving this guy a pass like he is exempt from accountability... grow up Mark! Do you want to win or not?
Philip Beck
4:00 pm on Monday, December 10, 2012
(1) It was essentially a home game. (2) The game was winnable by UGA. (3) Alabama's coach demonstrated poor clock management at the end of the first half which should have served as a refresher course as to what not to do for UGA's coaching staff to be used at the end of the 4th Q. (4) When Murray got sucker-punched helmet-to-helmet after throwing an Interception and MR didn't get a 15-yard penalty for protesting with malice--because he didn't bother to properly express himself/maybe it would have messed up his hair--that's when I knew that it was Alabama's game to lose.
chuck
8:14 am on Tuesday, December 11, 2012
While the record for loosing in big games is a fact that coach Richt should address w/o being asked it seems he is too accepting of this situation.
I think a more appropriate question would have been the question of why the ball wasn't grounded at the end of the game. It was. With the QB signaling to the sideline to ground the ball he was wrongly over ruled. Coach is right - the kids played their tails off - BUT, the coach didn't give them the better chance to win the game. That is the shame of it. chuck