Ching: Chipper Richt breeds optimism

Mark Richt was in an awfully good mood Tuesday.

Richt attributed his good cheer to it being his first chance this season to spend lunchtime with the media at his weekly press conference, but I think we all know better.

It's game week. The first game week.

It's the time of year when optimism overflows, because - as Richt reminded everyone in his opening remarks - "it's great to be undefeated."

It's why the halls of the Athens Country Club were choked Tuesday evening with Touchdown Club members wearing red and black, all of whom were ready to hear the good word from Richt and new athletic director Greg McGarity.

This is the time of year when all fans can at least be cautiously optimistic about the teams their schools will trot out this fall. And in some unfortunate cases - like with Alabama's fans who long ago booked hotel rooms in Phoenix for Jan. 10 and started making plans to attend this season's BCS title game - it's a time fans where can allow their optimism to wash over them until they lose the ability to reason.

As a college football writer, it might be my favorite time of the year because of the good vibes that seem to emanate from each team and fanbase. Nobody has proven what they are yet and nobody has been exposed for what they aren't.

That's what comes in the next few days - or as Richt commented shortly after touting his team's unbeaten record, "Now we have to play."

On that front, however, is another reason for Richt to wear a grin these days.

He quietly seems to think he's got a heck of a team on his hands. Of course, he thinks that most every season - and most of the time he's been right.

Ignore that hot-seat nonsense that dominated the dreary days of summer when everyone apparently h