Richt, Bulldogs afraid others may be watching practice

[D^3]

ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia's Mark Richt has closed practice to the media for the first time in his seven years as a head coach as the No. 22 Bulldogs prepare for Saturday's game at No. 16 Alabama.

Claude Felton, Georgia's senior associate athletics director for external affairs, said Richt closed the practices because the coach "wanted to have a week of practice with no distractions and for his players to be able to focus on the field and their practice responsibilities."

But a Georgia official with knowledge of Richt's decision said the Bulldog coaching staff made the decision to close practices because they feared others might have been watching practice without their knowledge.

Georgia's practices are usually open to reporters and photographers for the first 30 minutes.

"It's the Belichick rule," the Georgia official said. "We've been skunked in the past. We know it because of the way some teams have reacted to our [offensive] plays in a few games. We're trying to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Richt's decision comes a week after New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was accused of spying tactics during his team's 38-14 win over the New York Jets on Sept. 9. During the game, the Patriots had a video camera aimed at Jets coaches, which was confiscated from a New England employee during the first quarter.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000 for violating a league rule which prohibits teams from using videocams on the sidelines. New England also will have to forfeit a first-round draft choice in 2008 if it makes the playoffs this season, or second- and third-round selections if it misses the playoffs.

Alabama coach Nick Saban, in his first season coaching the Crimson Tide, worked four seasons as Belichick's defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns from 1991-94.

Ironically, Saban's team was accused of stealing the Patriots' signals last season when he was coach of the Miami Dolphins, but the NFL found no evidence of wrongdoing.

"We were never accused of that, that I'm aware of, and we never did it," Saban said Monday, during his weekly news conference in Tuscaloosa, Ala. "We didn't have a video camera or tapes. We never got anybody's signals. We had someone watching their signals, but we were never smart enough [to do it]."

Mark Schlabach covers college football for ESPN.com.

[GetSabanized]

Is he scared to lose or something? I know he wants to win so FSU will pay him lots of money in a few years

[hmsdawgs]

Dont come on here talking that smack GetS. Richt has stated he doesnt want to go anywhere and he has a massive buyout on his contract.
If anyone needs to worry about how solid their coach's word is...it would be you and the Crimson TIde. Richt has never misled anyone in the UGA ranks about his intentions.
The same cannot be said for Saban.

[Bburton86]

Is he scared to lose or something? I know he wants to win so FSU will pay him lots of money in a few years


:yawn

You're trying to hard.

[D^3]

Is he scared to lose or something? I know he wants to win so FSU will pay him lots of money in a few years

HAH! I can't believe a Tider would come in here and suggest this.... after Saban showed what a liar he is. Gonna suck for you guys in 2 years when he gets another NFL contract.

[timNem]

You honestly think that after all the venom spewed over him leaving the NFL he would go back there?

[D^3]

You honestly think that after all the venom spewed over him leaving the NFL he would go back there?


I don't know... after all the crap he spewed about NOT taking the job at Bama, how did he end up there?

[timNem]

I don't know... after all the crap he spewed about NOT taking the job at Bama, how did he end up there?

You're right, he is the only coach in the history of sports who denied he was leaving a program in order not to disrupt his players morale. Its never happened before until Saban done it, right?

[msgadawg]

Why would UGA be afraid before going to play the Tide? Richt has built a solid program at Georgia, Go play it and see what happens... should be a heck of a game as long as there is no home cookin from the refs ....

[azamugg]

ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia's Mark Richt has closed practice to the media for the first time in his seven years as a head coach as the No. 22 Bulldogs prepare for Saturday's game at No. 16 Alabama.

Claude Felton, Georgia's senior associate athletics director for external affairs, said Richt closed the practices because the coach "wanted to have a week of practice with no distractions and for his players to be able to focus on the field and their practice responsibilities."

But a Georgia official with knowledge of Richt's decision said the Bulldog coaching staff made the decision to close practices because they feared others might have been watching practice without their knowledge.

Georgia's practices are usually open to reporters and photographers for the first 30 minutes.

"It's the Belichick rule," the Georgia official said. "We've been skunked in the past. We know it because of the way some teams have reacted to our [offensive] plays in a few games. We're trying to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Richt's decision comes a week after New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was accused of spying tactics during his team's 38-14 win over the New York Jets on Sept. 9. During the game, the Patriots had a video camera aimed at Jets coaches, which was confiscated from a New England employee during the first quarter.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000 for violating a league rule which prohibits teams from using videocams on the sidelines. New England also will have to forfeit a first-round draft choice in 2008 if it makes the playoffs this season, or second- and third-round selections if it misses the playoffs.

Alabama coach Nick Saban, in his first season coaching the Crimson Tide, worked four seasons as Belichick's defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns from 1991-94.

Ironically, Saban's team was accused of stealing the Patriots' signals last season when he was coach of the Miami Dolphins, but the NFL found no evidence of wrongdoing.

"We were never accused of that, that I'm aware of, and we never did it," Saban said Monday, during his weekly news conference in Tuscaloosa, Ala. "We didn't have a video camera or tapes. We never got anybody's signals. We had someone watching their signals, but we were never smart enough [to do it]."

Mark Schlabach covers college football for ESPN.com.




I just heard Richt interviewed here in bham on wjox and he said he has ALWAYS had closed practices, he just closed them to the media because of the gameday hype

I bet most of you guys watch Days of our Lives too

[D^3]

You're right, he is the only coach in the history of sports who denied he was leaving a program in order not to disrupt his players morale. Its never happened before until Saban done it, right?

The right thing to do would have been to say "The only thing I'm focusing on is this season and that's all that matters right now. I won't comment on any other coaching jobs because I'm working hard to coach a team right now and I don't want anything shifting the focus off of that. Next question"

Instead he flat out said "I will not be the coach at Alabama."

[BamaDude06]

The right thing to do would have been to say "The only thing I'm focusing on is this season and that's all that matters right now. I won't comment on any other coaching jobs because I'm working hard to coach a team right now and I don't want anything shifting the focus off of that. Next question"

Instead he flat out said "I will not be the coach at Alabama."

He said that every damn day for a month. EVERY time he had a press conference he said that, he even said it in that press conference and a reporter responded "But you have not said you were not taking the Alabama job." and Saban replied "I believe I just said that." The reporter replied "You did not say that" to which Saban replied "Aight I guess I have to say it then. I am not going to be the Alabama coach."

The media is the one that twsted it around and they are the one making them out to be the devil.

[GeauxTo]

Tell Richt not to worry... Nick Saban is real honest.
:laugh:

[timNem]

He said that every damn day for a month. EVERY time he had a press conference he said that, he even said it in that press conference and a reporter responded "But you have not said you were not taking the Alabama job." and Saban replied "I believe I just said that." The reporter replied "You did not say that" to which Saban replied "Aight I guess I have to say it then. I am not going to be the Alabama coach."

The media is the one that twsted it around and they are the one making them out to be the devil.

Exactly. He finally cracked and said he wasn't going to Bama. He ended up at Bama. Its been 9 + months ago. He handled it wrong. Why does a Dawg fan care anyway? Get over it.

[azamugg]

The right thing to do would have been to say "The only thing I'm focusing on is this season and that's all that matters right now. I won't comment on any other coaching jobs because I'm working hard to coach a team right now and I don't want anything shifting the focus off of that. Next question"

Instead he flat out said "I will not be the coach at Alabama."


you heard it replayed a million times so it seems he said it a million times....Saban has admitted it was a HUGE goof, but in keeping w/his personality, he admits HE WAS SO FOCUSED ON THE REMAINDER OF THE DOLPHINS AND GD TIRED OF THE RELENTLESS MEDIA ASKING THE SAME QUESTION OVER AND OVER AND OVER that in a split second he said the wrong thing..............guess your the second coming, should I call you Jesus, if in fact you've never when pissed said the wrong thing?

and all Ive said before is that goof up landed him at one of the nations most prestigious football teams w/the richest salaries

[crimsonnation713]

I just heard Richt interviewed here in bham on wjox and he said he has ALWAYS had closed practices, he just closed them to the media because of the gameday hype

I bet most of you guys watch Days of our Lives too

He also said he never meant it at Saban.

[timNem]

He also said he never meant it at Saban.

Who do you think you are coming on this forum and making sense like that? :laugh:

[GetSabanized]

This topic is interesting now. You're welcome :)