Notes from the Atlanta Bulldog Club meeting/kickoff party, July 31 at Colony Square. The event features Coaches Richt, Yoculan, Haack and Diaz, along with AD Damon Evans. Neil "Hondo" Williamson of WSB Radio and the Bulldog Network was MC.
Crowd was good, though not the overflow house I’m used to seeing. I’d guess the room was ¾ full (2,500 maybe?). Hopefully we are not getting spoiled. Just ask the ernge how quickly things can turn the wrong way.
Hondo had some good GT jokes but needs to work on some of the others. Then again, maybe just stick to GT jokes since this event is just about within earshot of the trade school.
Damon and Hondo had fun telling the story about picking up the SEC all-sports trophy in Jacksonville on Saturday night. The guy who got to pick it up from the Gainesville (Fla.) Sun offices is a UGA grad who owns radio stations deep in the heart of gator country, and who was thrilled to present it to Damon in Jax. That trophy had not left
Florida for 14 years, dating back to when the SEC office sanctioned the award. It is now administered by the NY Times Company, which owns the Gainesville paper. Side note – I got to speak to Damon briefly during cocktail hour, and Damon told me the first call he got upon news back in May we had won the trophy this year was from Jeremy Foley, the UF AD. Foley offered congratulations, but was not too happy, and the ADs shared some friendly trash talk.
One nice touch - before beginning his remarks, Damon had the crowd rise for a moment of silence in memory of Kevin Brophy.
Coaches Diaz (tennis) and Haack (golf) got to speak about their teams that contended for national titles this year. Yoculan used her turn not only to talk about her national champion Gym Dogs, but also promote an upcoming DVD, Raising the Trophy, about winning championships. It will focus on the 2005 & 2006 Gym Dogs and is supposed to also include bits with Richt, Diaz, Haack and Jack Bauerle.
Funny story shared between Richt and Yoculan, regarding strength and conditioning. In a “friendly” contest between some football players and some Gym Dogs, national champion Gym Dog Courtney Kupets did 59 overhand-grip pull-ups.
The first two audience questions to Richt were boosting Joe T. One lady got fired up asking about the defense and another about the Sugar Bowl.
Richt likes sharing the load among the current RBs in order to keep them fresh, over the course of not just a game, but a season and (he emphasized) their careers. He thinks Brown, Lumpkin and Ware will all play in the NFL, all are on course to graduate and all will be good businessmen or employees – after they earn a living in the NFL for a time.
Richt says this pair of DEs compares favorably with any he remembers at FSU
Plans continue for an indoor facility. Concepts include a stand-alone (could be near the current facilities or near the soccer/softball complex on South Milledge Ave.) and maybe an add-on as part of renovations in Butts-Mehre.
Good news – Richt announced his wife was feeling better and pronounced her fit to continue her watergirl duties this season!
Richt closed out talking about the new rule having to do with shortening games, by how the clock will run on change of possession. Richt commented that maybe defensive-minded head coaches had gotten control of the rules committee .. then came the crack that maybe those coaches wanted football to be more like soccer. Richt made it clear he does not like the rule, and hopes and thinks it will last only one year.
Now the game clock starts once the ball is marked for play upon change of possession, instead of when the ball is snapped for the first play. Overall, it could mean the equivalent of up to 8 minutes of game time taken out of play. Specifically, how time outs are used in a clock management situation could be impacted – for example, in a situation where the defense is trying to get the ball back for the offense near the end of a half or game. I’m not sure I have it all straight yet. Richt is already resigned to having to explain it anytime it comes up when it might be questioned. Hondo suggested Richt discuss it during his press day before practice starts.
Jim
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