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6B ♦ TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2006 tLIAU \Y. MOMPO, YOU PO A flj BUTTOUrtOOK lEFT, AMP ) JEKDME, YOU 60 VTEEP. J $ 4 ■Rwv .</ v < sou quaktekbacic \ c»E YOU'VE PIAYEP / rfOE-T FOOTBALL / fcwfjgyCvlj Hoy toll «ilh JACK NICKiKB Richt's best call came early By JOHN KALTEFLEITER Athens Banner-Herald As it turns out, Mark Richt made the best play call of his head coaching career this past Thursday. Georgia’s coach revealed Sunday that he bequeathed the play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo before Georgia’s win over Georgia Tech on Saturday, and he hinted the move could be permanent. For Richt, this decision had to be akin to giving Bobo the pin number to his ATM card. But it was overdue and will be a smart move in the long term if he sticks to it. Before coming to Georgia, Richt was considered an offensive genius as a coor dinator at Florida State. His Seminoles scored points in bundles. They turned ACC stadi ums into horse tracks. Of course, those were the days when the ACC was weaker than balsa wood; even softer than it is now. When Richt arrived in Athens, he discovered scor ing wasn’t so simple in the SEC. Three- or four-play scoring drives were rare. Pass plays of 50-plus yards didn’t grow on trees. Neither did Charlie Wards. That’s why Georgia’s defense - not its offense - led the Bulldogs to a pair of SEC titles, three East crowns and 60 wins since Richt’s arrival. Richt has always seemed too infatuated with the pass. In his eyes, it’s the sparkling diamond. The run is simply cubic zirconium. The result of this think ing has been erratic execu tion, particularly in the red zone where Georgia earned the moniker “Field Goal U.” It also eliminated Georgia’s countless chances of mak ing second-half leads stand (See Auburn last year and Tennessee this year). The Original Solunar Tables* By Mrs. Richard Alden Knight Release week of Nov. 26-Dec. 3, 2006 AM PM Date Day Minor Major Minor Major 11/26 Su 9:05 2:55 9:35 3:20 11/27 M 10:00 3:50 10:30 4:15 11/28 T 10:55 4:45 11:25 5:10 11/29 W 11:40 5:30 0 5:50 11/30 Th 12:05 6:10 12:20 6:35 12/1 F 12:45 6:55 1:05 7:20 12/2 S 1:35 7:45 1:55 8:10 12/3 Su 2:25 8:45 2:55 9:05 O 2000 by King Feature* Syndicate. Inc. Prime Rib Seasoned to Perfection oreen derby 1-73 1 t J® • 987W77 \ n ' :am r *£ fm? 1 ’ A BETTEt? PLACE ?// , $ 7 w \rWsl ro 1 v oM I oiim Ut w, M \H>i' v ‘ - www floconics com e mail Cteatsmadflaol corj SywtoH ■. ..... — ......... 1 (c) 2006 Bill Universal Press Syndicate On Saturday, Georgia looked balanced for the first time in a while. The Bulldogs ran eight more times than they passed. Richt has been notorious for bailing on the run when a drive or two yielded mini mal gains. The Bulldogs committed to it early and stuck with it in the second half against Georgia Tech, even after the Yellow Jackets had success in stopping running backs Kregg Lumpkin and Danny Ware. Georgia ran the ball eight times during its 12-play, game-winning drive to beat Georgia Tech. It’s doubtful the Bulldogs would’ve run half that many times with Richt calling the shots. Bobo is ready. He doesn’t have the experience of Auburn’s A 1 Borges or Jimbo Fisher of LSU, but he’s got the foresight to alleviate the burden Georgia’s defense has carried for too long. Richt has entered into Robins Music Brokers *Check us out for the musician on your Gift List* ■ NOW OPEN! w 1 •Genz • Benz •Squier Drums •Seymour Duncan Custom Orders Accepted 36hr Delivery on most items 4501 Russel Pkwy DAVID OVERTON /EWELERS y||k 905 DOWNTOWN CARROLL ST. PERRY, GA 31069 140018 dtp- •Eminence Speakers hCurt Mangan •Fender Accessories/Shirts 333-3322 Item PD 195 l 4 ct. 399.95 l 2 ct. 799.95 I ct. 1895.00 1 l/2ct, 3300.00 2 ct. 4695.00 Item ERII6 1 <j|L 1499.95 g Journey Diamond Jewelry Collection with Every Step. Love Grows '478-987-1392 a new phase of his coach ing career by abdicating the play-calling duties and entrusting his 32-year-old understudy with the Book of Richt. He’s at a point in his career where it makes sense to leave behind the last sliver of his days as a coordinator. Following Georgia’s win over Auburn three weeks ago, Richt stood in the belly of Jordan-Hare Stadium and declared that he believed his game plan was doomed to fail before the game. In a stunning revelation, he said he had zero faith in the plan he handed quarter back Matthew Stafford, yet Georgia pulled off its upset of the year. Richt’s handoff to Bobo isn’t such a leap of faith. Frankly, it’s sure thing. ■John Kaltefleiter is a sports writer for the Athens Banner-Herald. PHONE: 706-208-2213. E-MAIL: joh n . k alteflei ter (a on l i neat hens.com. Courtesy Morris News Service. MOST ITEMS r 35% OFF ■ •' £. ■ M 01 S S AN ITE Created By ” CHARLES* & C 0 L V A R D’ SPORTS Crumplers frustration matches Atlanta’s during four-game skid By DON COBLE Morris News Service Alge Grumpier made his feelings clenr on the field when he started yelling on the Atlanta Falcons sideline during the first half. It only got worse in the second. The tight end had one catch for 43 yards in Sunday’s 31-13 loss to New Orleans. That catch set-up Atlanta’s only touchdown and proved to be the bulk of the Falcons’ passing offense. The rest of the time, Atlanta was more content to throwing into tight cover age or to wide receivers who could hold onto the ball. “I wanted it so bad; I wanted to be a part of it,” Grumpier said. “When you lead the team you always feel you should be a bigger part of it. “I had one all thrown at me; I had one catch.” Protection was bad, at best, for quarterback Mike Vick, and the ability to catch the ball was even worse. Vick was sacked three times and hit another nine. There were at least four drops by wide receivers that would have resulted in either a touchdown or a first down. With so much going bad, Vick took off. Literally. His 166 rushing yards were the second-most by a quarterback in NFL history. The most were 171 yards in 2002 - also bv Vick. “We just didn’t do it,” Vick said after completing nine of 24 passes for 52 yards. “This is a tough situation. We have to show some resolve. A lot .of guys in this locker room have never been through something like this. “I’m doing my job: Try to give my guys a chance to catch the ball.” The effort came a week after Jim Mora, the coach’s father and former NFL coach, said on Fox Sports I ©?0O6 by King Fertures Syndicate Inc World ngitu reserved j 'MIT'S imaf L CHRISTMAS Cefebrate Your Littbe One's ‘First Cfiristmas With ‘T’fiis Unique ‘Ajforcfabfe 'Keepsake ‘That (Runs IfjJ (December 23, 2006! Fill out the infor iPL s. , w -ii 1 K " mation below and jMgtfw' bring in or mail F jSr 'Ur your baby's photo, along with your $30.00 check/ % A|B. money order, to: 4 I OS-4 41250 Radio that Vick is a “coach killer.” SECOND HALF SWOON: The Atlanta Falcons continue to be a disappointing team down the stretch. Sunday’s loss was the team’s- 12th during the sec ond half since Jim Mora Jr. was hired before the 2004 season. Under Mora Jr., the Falcons are 7-12 in the final eight games?. Atlanta went 5-3 during the second half of 2004 to win the NFG South. Since then, the Falcons are 2-9 in the second half. HAIL MARY New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees threw a 48-yard pass in des peration on the final play of the first half, and it resulted in a touchdown that crushed Atlanta. “We were in our Hail Mary, our May Day, defense,” Mora "Have Cameras, Will Travel" <VX , TtDNtfc VV> PHCTCGCAPHy Aorial I he U urdPhv J Itad luiwf • Ua I/N144W1 Frank’s Golf Car Center SALES, SERVICE, & RENTALS 1237 Watson Blvd. Warner Robins, (ia 31093 Phone: 478-918-0680 Fax: 478-918-0580 Cell: 478-396-5157 • 1-866-800-7722 www. franksgolf careen ter, com ATTN: FIRST CHRISTMAS 1210 Washington Street, Perry, GA 31069 p; Ijpl* Jpp Published information - Please print clearly I Baby’s Full Name: _____ Baby’s Date Of Birth: Parent’s Name(s): _____ . Non-published material: . Purchaser’s Name: j Daytime Phone: | I ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 1 DECEMBER 13, 2006, BY END OF BUSINESS DAY , _ __ __ _ _ _ j '.'January J. 2007. 'BwHBIBWWBP* i'T include .1 left \Uunfxil mtetopejorphoto i.tum. Sh v 4hP {bJgHHpl /'." II !. ,'■in I hi!, 111 nut i< not Slide •' ikm-utctl (diutet Smmt THE HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL . W&SkKK-. -TWffip Mary Krissmas April 5, 2006 Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Krissmas Jr. said. “In 20-something years, I’ve never seen that Hail Mary work like that at the end of a half or at the end of the game.” THE NUMBERS GAME: Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed 21 of 30 passes for 332 yards, two touch downs and no turnovers, a dramatic improvement over his three-interception effort a week ago in a loss to Cincinnati. “That was the empha sis today and that will be the emphasis from here on out,” Brees said. “When we don’t commit any turnovers, it gives us a great chance to win and doesn’t put our defense in any tough situa tions. “Our main goal from here on out is to win the turnover battle and the rest will take care of itself.” Custom Built lawaraa,, 40330 140705