When a plaque is worthless

Edited 1/5/2011

OK, apparently UGA hands out plaques every year with a bowl win already engraved and then takes them back if they lose.  I'm glad they take them back.  But why not just wait until after the game to add it?  The message is just as bad.  It says, look we want to win and we expect to win, but if we don't then we'll just fix it.  It's similar to not being held accountable for your actions.  I'm surprised this hasn't been a story before now.

If this story is true - and I would think it's pretty easy to prove - then the University of Georgia has yet another black eye to add to the 2010 season.  Let me be upfront, I am a UGA fan.  By marriage, yes, but I enjoy going to Athens and cheering on the Red and Black.  And furthermore, I'm a Mark Richt fan.  I think he's a class guy and a good coach that needs to step out of the box to right the ship.

But, and this is a BIG BUT, if the team truly gave engraved plaques to seniors with a team record that included a game yet to be played, then everyone from the head coach down to the design team needs to be slapped on the wrist.  I can just about guarantee that in previous years when Georgia played in a "better" bowl against a "tougher" team that plaques either weren't handed out or they were engraved later with the final record.    

(see story here: 
http://college-football-blog.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/26839706?ttag=gen10_on_all_fb_na_txt_0001)

It's starting to make a little more sense about why the Dawgs came out so flat against UCF in the Liberty Bowl.  When your staff decides to promote the outcome of a game on a permanent momento before the game is played, it sends a horrible message to the players, fans, opponents and yes, the kids that watch.

This message implies that Georgia is clearly the better football team (and anyone that watched last season agrees that on paper they are, but what they showed on the field said otherwise).  It devalues the need for preparation.  It says that if you think you're going to win, all you have to do is show up.  As a coach, it was my responsibility to make sure my players understood that they needed to give a full effort in any game, no matter who the opponent, what the score in the game, or how the season had been up until that point.  If coaches aren't sending this message, then they are grooming athletes to be elitists.

And what are these seniors left with?  A worthless plaque from a disappointing losing season.  Hopefully, they have some good friendships and a degree, but I have to question if they learned self-discipline or what a work ethic entails.  Or how about that it's more important to worry about your own responsibilities than whether or not your opponent (insert co-worker, neighbor, etc.) isn't performing on your same level? 

If we learn anything in athletics, it's that anyone can beat anyone else on any given day.  Clearly, UGA didn't think that was the case on 12/30/2010.  They should have.