Georgia coach Kirby Smart opened his Monday press session with a few kind words for longtime sportswriter Murray Poole. Poole has been covering UGA for 54 years.

Smart presented Poole with a red No. 54 Georgia jersey to honor those years on the Georgia beat.

But then he addressed some other words he shared after that big 21-14 win at Auburn. Those came before he updated the injury front and the challenge this week with Texas A&M coming to Sanford Stadium.

Smart said, in part due to his wife Mary Beth’s urging, that the look he presented with his “How ’bout those f-in ‘Dawgs” comment from his Auburn press session wasn’t the best look.

Not for the University of Georgia. Not for his program. Not for Smart.

“Before I get started and move on, I would like to apologize for something I said after the game Saturday night,” Smart said. “That is not indicative of who I want to be or what I stand for.”

He said his better half pointed that out to him. Clearly.

“You know you messed up when you get home to your wife and she’s more upset that — you won the game — but she’s more upset at something you said and that’s not what I represent and that’s not the kind of behavior I want to have.”

Smart said he will need to do a better job of controlling his emotions going forward.