The Bodda Getta

I don't know about you but I feel like I've just come out of a nice long hot shower after eons stranded in the desert, and that I've stepped into a gutted and renovated grand old mansion that had sat empty gathering cobwebs and mold over the years.

It's weird. I don't think I've felt this much pure joy with a new HC than I do today. When Dye was hired, there really was little known about him, at least I didn't know much about him, but after suffering through the Barfield years, ANY change was welcome - still there was that unknown.

When tater tot was hired, he came from Samford. I knew he had good coaching genes but didn't know if he had inherited the ability - again, the unknown. Plus there were still enough hold overs from the previous coaching staff that it wasn't like a total changeover.

When CTT was hired, he came from Ole Miss of all places. Brought almost his whole coaching staff with him - no searching for other/better candidate, just picked up from one place and put down in another. Also the question, how would he do at AU - after all, we're not Ole Miss - again the unknown.

When CGC was hired, I'm not sure how many were super excited but I would bet not more than a few. Most of us were kind of surprised (if not dumbfounded) at the hire. I knew he was a great DC but had a questionable record at ISU (plus, I still had a bad tasted in my mouth that he left AU for UT). However, he began hiring some great assistants (although it took him a dog's year to do it) and I got on board - but still the question remained - was he a 5-7 coach or a 14-0 coach - again, the unknown. I'll never, ever forget or be thankful for 2010 and our NC, but I'll never, ever forget the pits of hell we went through this year either.

Now we hire CGM, who we already know is an offensive genius and took Arky St to the Sun Belt Conference Championship in his first season. He's upbeat, very organized, has a winning attitude and we've seen what he can do. Now we're witnessing his get'ur done attitude by being prepared when he took over with a plan and I absolutely believe he knew who he would hire before he even interviewed for the job. He's cleaned house, gutted it in fact and is rebuilding it from the inside out, creating a solid foundation on which to build a rock solid house. It might just be me but I have a different feeling with this coaching change. It's like a dark aura has been lifted that has been surrounding our program for decades. Maybe this is the new culture that, as PM mentioned, is badly needed at AU.

I'm just very, very optimistic about the whole direction of the program - like I haven't been in a long, long time. Think about it. If the beginning of the CGM era turns out to be even half as successful as a lot of us think it will be, then we have the makings of our own dynasty. The coaching staff (at least the ones that have been hired) is built to last. If CGM is successful, he won't be going anywhere, EJ will probably retire here and RL is still young enough that we won't have to worry about him being hired out from under us in a couple of years as a HC - it will happen, but just not as soon as it would if he had a little more experience with someone besides Gus. If we get Rock in here, he could possibly be the next DC in waiting. I just see so many more positive things that can happen with this change than negative.

I'm not one for wishing my life away but, damn, I can't wait until mar/apr for spring practice to start so I can get a feel for what type of personality this team will have, what is the real potential of our current players - forget the ones that we sign, they're potential is still on paper - how are the players going to act and react to the "new day" at AU.

I believe that 2013 is going to be a very, very good year for us. Can't wait to get this party started!