SEC Championship Game: A new respect for Richt

It took a couple of days for the fog to clear after quite the weekend in Atlanta for the SEC Football Blog and best friend Alex Ferguson, who’s a writer for Sky Sports.com in the UK.

To cut a long story short, we met in Athens, Ga. for a Bulldogs game, drank shots together, and have been corresponding ever since. Anyway, we’ve put together this blog, and he sometimes corresponds. When he’s not, you know, being a journalist.

Anyway, you all know what happened in the SEC Championship Game: It was one of the best games we’ve ever seen. The sad thing about classics like this – and there are always classics in the SEC season – is that someone had to lose. Unfortunately – as it always seems to be when there’s something big on the line and it’s a heartbreaker – it was the Georgia Bulldogs.

But Mark Richt’s conversation during the after-game press conference gave us new respect for Mark Richt, who’s often attacked for not being passionate enough.

Here’s the alteraction with the journalist:

Q: There are some people whether it’s fans, media or whomever else that will maybe want to make further conclusions about you or your quarterback, specifically, in big games.  Would you have any response to those people?

COACH RICHT:  I don’t know what you’re saying.  Why don’t you just say it straight up what you’re trying to say.

Q.  People will say that you and Aaron Murray specifically come up short on the biggest stage against the biggest opponents?

COACH RICHT:  Is that what you’re saying or everybody else ‑‑ if that’s what you’re saying ‑‑ are you saying that.

Q.  No, I’m saying I hear that every day ‑‑

COACH RICHT:  Well, that’s for you to worry about then.  If that’s what you say, then I’ll answer the question.  If you think other people are saying that, I’m not worried about that.

He then leaves the press conference…..And then comes back, taking off the Nick Saban sign….

I want to say something else, if anybody thinks our guys didn’t play their tail off and Aaron Murray didn’t play his tail off, they are crazy.  That’s unbelievable somebody would even bring that up.