P16 Layout 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015 SPORTS Georgia’s Richt stepping down following ‘mutual’ decision ATHENS: Mark Richt stepped down as lowing the meeting. Fans set up a small trib- Surprise games at Georgia. McGarity thanked Richt could be Alabama defensive coordinator Georgia’s coach Sunday, leaving stunned ute for Richt outside the team’s football “That’s the standard here,” Richt said. and Richt’s wife, Katharyn, “for 15 years of Kirby Smart, a former Georgia safety and players with one final bowl game with the facility. The words “Thanks Coach Richt” “Win the SEC and hopefully go beyond that. remarkable service to the UGA community, assistant coach under Richt. man who ranks second in wins in school were written on a white poster board, situ- From that point of view, we fell short of our hundreds of our students and staff, and to If Georgia chooses to pursue a current history. Georgia announced the move as a ated near a burning candle. A smaller sign goals.” The news was a surprise to one of his college football.” “Mark’s record on the field head coach, a possible candidate who has a “mutual” decision, but it looked like a firing. said “Fire McGarity.” Georgia (9-3) ended its former players, Minnesota Vikings kicker was outstanding; however, his impact on history with McGarity is Mississippi State Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity regular season with Saturday’s 13-7 win Blair Walsh, who learned before Sunday’s college football goes well beyond the grid- coach Dan Mullen. When McGarity was an announced the decision after meeting with over Georgia Tech. It was clear following the game at the Atlanta Falcons that Richt was iron,” McGarity said. Richt, strongly religious, associate athletic director at Florida, Mullen Richt on Sunday morning. game Richt had no plans to step down. He out. “That’s really unfortunate,” Walsh said. was respected for his integrity but criticized was an assistant coach for the Gators. McGarity said in a statement released by said he planned to begin recruiting “and “He’s such a great man, a man of integrity for failing to keep pace in the SEC’s recent Georgia also might contact Colorado the school the two “mutually agreed that he getting prepared for the future at Georgia.” and character and somebody that helped string of seven straight national champi- State coach Mike Bobo, who left as the would step down as head coach and would Richt had only a short statement in the shape me into what I am today. I feel for him onships. Georgia’s last SEC championship Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator following have the opportunity to accept other duties announcement released by Georgia. “I and his family but I know if decides to keep was in 2005. Its last national championship, the 2014 season, when Georgia led the SEC and responsibilities at UGA following the appreciate the opportunity of serving the coaching he’s going to get a job here at any under Dooley, came in 1980. The Bulldogs in scoring. Bobo is 7-5 and won his last four bowl game.” Richt met with his players University as well as considering any other point he wants. lost in the 2011 and 2012 SEC champi- regular-season games in his first season at Sunday night. The meeting lasted less than options that may present themselves in the “I love him and I’ll miss him at Georgia.” onship games. Colorado State. 30 minutes. “I wish the best for him,” said future,” Richt said. Alabama coach Nick Saban reacted to the This season, Richt earned positive Houston coach Tom Herman is another senior fullback Quayvon Hicks before the There has been speculation about Richt’s news with shock. “I don’t know what the reviews for his personal role with Southern possible candidate. McGarity said if Richt meeting. “I enjoyed my four years here with future since losses to Tennessee, Alabama world’s coming to in our profession,” Saban wide receiver Devon Gales, who suffered a chooses to remain at Georgia, he would “be him. ... We have to understand it is part of and Florida ended the Bulldogs’ hopes for a said. “Mark Richt’s been a really good coach serious neck injury in a loss at Georgia. heavily involved with outreach programs the business. Southeastern Conference championship. and a really positive person in our profes- Gales said on his Twitter account Sunday for our former football lettermen.” “We’ve got to make sure we stay togeth- Georgia closed the regular season with four sion for a long, long time. I think when you that Richt “understands that football is University of Georgia president Jere er and our minds are right. It’s bigger than straight wins, but that was not enough to win nine games, that’s a pretty good sea- about more than winning. It’s about shap- Morehead said he asked Richt to accept “a us.” Another senior, defensive end Josh make up for failing to land a spot in the title son, especially with the body of work that ing and molding the lives of young men.” new leadership role” that apparently would Dawson, said “We will all miss him. He’s a game. The Bulldogs were the preseason he’s been able to put together there for include fundraising. “I look forward to hope- great coach. ... The older guys, the younger pick in the SEC East. Richt, 55, acknowl- however many years he’s been there.” New leadership role fully working closely with him as we guys, we all love coach Richt.” edged Saturday the team “came up short of Richt is 145-51 with two SEC champi- Georgia has planned a news conference. advance our capital campaign at the Several players declined comment fol- our goal” to win the SEC championship. onships. Only Vince Dooley (201) won more A leading candidate in Georgia’s search University of Georgia,” Morehead said. — AP F1 needs to put on a show and take fight to Mercedes ABU DHABI: Ferrari team boss Maurizio titles until the new V6 turbo engine was intro- Arrivabene has made it his mission to wipe duced last year. the smile off the face of Mercedes counter- “We were accused of it but we never part Toto Wolff next season but others fear enjoyed the continuity of success or longevity Formula One is stuck in a rut. of success,” he added. “Two of our world With the sport facing a long list of chal- championships went to the last race and we lenges off the track, and the usual doom- never ever finished first and second in a world laden headlines, the lack of competition is championship. causing concern after two years of Mercedes “Inevitably with that kind of predictability, domination. people get turned off. It needs a rejig to bring The ‘Silver Arrows’ won 16 of 19 races, took it closer together. I don’t think anybody wants 18 pole positions and a record 12 one-two to see Fernando Alonso just taking part. We finishes in 2015 with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton want to see him competing.” Alonso, who collecting his third title and second in a row. moved from Ferrari to McLaren at the end of Ferrari won the other three races, the same last year, has had a hard season and ended the number that Red Bull managed to prise off championship raging against the stewards Mercedes in 2014 when the champions also and surrounded by talk of a possible sabbati- won the remaining 16 on their way to both cal. McLaren, in the first year of a new partner- titles. “Crisis is a strong word but there are ship with Honda, endured their worst ever things that need sorting out for the future,” season with the Japanese manufacturer said Red Bull principal Christian Horner, under-estimating the challenge they faced whose team have yet to announce what and unable to do much to improve the engine engine they will have next year after rivals under rules that limit development. They will refused to supply them, when considering hope to be much better next season but their the sport’s state of health. rivals will not have stood still either and “Formula One ultimately has to be a show, Horner, whose team’s Renault engine was also it has to be entertainment and it has to well off the pace, said the rules had to change. appeal to a broad spectrum of fans and spec- There is plenty of discussion for 2017, tators.” Whether it has done that this season is when a major revamp is due, but until then dubious, with remarkably few overtakes for the sport must make do with what it has. The the lead and 11 races won from pole. The last best hope-maybe the only hope-is for Ferrari AUCKLAND: The casket of late New Zealand All Blacks rugby legend Jonah Lomu is carried after a memorial service at Eden Park in Auckland two seasons have been an internal battle to be in a position to mount a serious chal- yesterday. Lomu’s career was cut short by a chronic kidney disease and he died unexpectedly at his Auckland home on November 18 aged just between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and the lenge, and Mercedes have said they are wary 40, leaving a wife and two young sons. — AFP German’s main push this year was too little of the growing threat from Maranello, but too late even if he closed off the year with Horner was sceptical. three wins in a row and six successive poles.