It is difficult to carry on a conversation this time of year without the topic turning to football. Excitement will build steadily over the next four weeks, though the final days of preseason camp often bring a cloud of fatigue and impatience.
College football fans can hardly wait for the season to begin. Practice, however, can become a grind. Players grow weary of hitting one another and are anxious to face opponents wearing colors other than red. Tailgaters have gone through their checklists, and the "can't wait" feeling affects fans just as much as it does coaches and players.
Things are different now than they were even a few seasons ago. There was a time when players received about $10,000 annually in cost-of-attendance payments—a figure that seems modest by today's compensation standards. That worked out to about $833 a month, a far cry from the old grant-in-aid laundry stipend of $10 per quarter.
Still, once the season kicks off, today's headlines and offseason debates quickly fade into the background. At Georgia, under head coach Kirby Smart, the conversation always returns to one thing: competing for championships. Kirby has established an extraordinarily high standard.
During a recent appearance at the Atlanta Touchdown Club's preseason meeting, Kirby was at his best—insightful, analytical, and sprinkled with humor. He reminds you that he is an elite communicator, someone who could one day transition into television much like Nick Saban has done. Hopefully, though, that day is still a long way off.
Kirby's composure with the media is remarkable. He cannot be rattled or trapped. He is candid, informative, perceptive and thoughtful, and his exchanges are often entertaining. There is a confidence and wit about him reminiscent of John F. Kennedy, who could spar with the press as well as anyone.
He is also a coach who constantly searches for ways to improve. Kirby has studied the methods of other championship organizations, including New Zealand's legendary All Blacks rugby team, examining their leadership principles and sustained success in an effort to prevent complacency within his own program.
And there is hardly an interview in which he doesn't credit someone who helped shape his career. Nick Saban frequently receives praise, reflecting Kirby's gratitude for his longtime mentor. He also regularly compliments Andy Landers, who coached his wife, Mary Beth, during her basketball career at Georgia.
As another promising season approaches, optimism surrounds the program. Georgia fans, as always, believe this could be another championship year.
With students returning over the next few days, change is in the air. Restaurant reservations become harder to secure, especially on weekends. Parking spaces disappear, and waiting in line becomes as common as the August heat and humidity.
Yet there is something special about Athens coming back to life. The quiet, easygoing pace of summer—when it feels as though the city's population has been cut in half—is replaced by traffic, noise, and congestion, all fueled by the energy of thousands of students returning to campus.
A few days ago, I spotted Andrew Smart enjoying lunch at the ADD Drug lunch counter. I was amazed when he stood to leave. He looks to have grown another six inches since this time last year. He now wears a size 15 shoe and appears eager for whatever comes next.
With a growth spurt like that, his wardrobe probably has to be replaced every few months. Fortunately, a dozen T-shirts likely cover most of his shopping needs as he prepares for another football season, one in which the media will once again scrutinize his father's every move.
Just a few months ago, after Georgia's Sugar Bowl loss to Ole Miss, Andrew stood in the locker room with tears in his eyes, heartbroken by the defeat. Looking at him now, you realize how quickly a young man can mature in just a matter of months.
Andrew already displays signs of maturity and confidence, which should come as no surprise. He benefits from a busy but balanced upbringing shaped by a father devoted to both family and Georgia football, along with a mother who was an accomplished athlete in her own right and whose influence extends far beyond the home. Simply growing up in that environment provides lessons that few young people ever experience.
It will be enjoyable to watch Andrew's growth this season, just as it will be to watch the Dawgs chase another championship.