I know off-field, behavioral problems aren't what anybody wanted to be talking about four days before the season opener. But hey, blame Washaun Ealey and Damon Evans for that.
Greg McGarity, the new athletics director, and head coach Mark Richt both addressed the issue in their press conferences today.
McGarity discussed the problem of player arrests on Monday. But a day later he was asked his approach considering what happened to his predecessor, Evans.
The new boss said he was aware that he's now in the spotlight.
"I think those of us in leadership positions take on a huge responsibility. Probably a life-changing responsibility," McGarity said. "Regardless of what happened in the past, I think the eyes are on you. Now with the advent of cell phone cameras and things of that nature, your life totally changes. I've been sort of in the shadows for 18 years, heck I could go in restaurants and nobody would know me. It was just like a life where you didn't have to worry about some of the public things."
Now, McGarity knows he's representing Georgia, and he has to "do as I say." (Like, say, don't get picked up for a DUI when you tell crowds before a home game not to drink and drive.)
"I know that coming in. There's no surprises there," McGarity said. "So you've got to always be aware that the eyes are on you, whatever you say."
On the heels of the Ealey arrest, the eighth time a Georgia player has been cited this year, Richt was asked Tuesday about dealing with the issue.
Richt's answer was that the only "flaw" is if players aren't being disciplined.
“As long as we have 18-22 year old guys who are human beings, they are going to make mistakes. That’s just all there is to it," Richt said. "If you don’t discipline it, you have a problem. If they don’t learn from it, then they have a problem. If it’s severe enough that they don’t belong on the team, then they go, that’s just the way it is."
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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6 comments:
I totally agree with Richt's statements. he is in charge of 70+ football players. Unless he gives them all curfews, installs cameras in their dorm rooms and generally acts as a tyrant, he's not going to be able to control everything they do. He can control how he disciplines them and no one can deny he's up there with the harshest in the league when it comes to punishment.
Any word on when the stadium construction will be finished? They sure are cutting it close.
As our new AD has lots of experience dealing with the felonies committed by gators, he should be able to handle the misdemeanors offenses committed by our players. How that gator shooting the AK47 in the parking lot after an argument with another driver did not go to jail was amazing. In fact he played for the team the following year.
When you've worked for UF in Gainesville the new AD will need to be told that there is no special wink wink nod nod with the ACCPD or with his own University police. If you can committe felonies in Gainsville and play or if you can put a cop in the ICU at UT and play then those are special police forces. He better get ready to feel our pain when the cops start the dragnet of football players.
It would be an even playing field if the S E C would legislate the punishment for the offenses. I am an UGA fan that is sick of some schools brushing felonies under the rug while big media market UGA student athletes get reemed for misdemeanors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This leaves UGA at a huge disadvantage!!!
How can Coach Richt who recruited these players here, not be responsible for what they do ?
He gets the credit for having the # 7 recruiting class every year in football recruiting rankings. He doesn't get the responsibility then for this ? He is as accountable for this as he is accountable for having a 10-10 Record vs SEC East the last 4 years, and having never beat a Top 10 Final AP Poll team in ANY bowl game EVER.
It is a SORRY combination, according to the NEW A.D. who today stated that we should be in the hunt for championship every year; yet, we have not even been to The SEC Championship Game since 2005. This is 2010.
Greg McGarity said: “I’m going to learn about our structure, what we have set up as far as education of student-athletes. I want to learn exactly, why is this happening? Yeah, I think there are too many arrests. I think when it happens, it’s embarrassing to the institution [and] it takes away from team unity. . . . I think it’s a problem, and I don’t like the excuse, ‘Well, that’s going to happen [with] college students; it’s just part of the deal.’ I don’t buy that.”
All-time scoreboard for the Fulmer Cup :
All-Time Fulmer Cup Standings starting 2006 :
# 1 Illinois Fighting Illini 51 points 1 Fulmer Cup 2007
# 2 Georgia Bulldogs 48 points 1 Fulmer Cup 2010
# 2 Florida Gators 48 points
# 4 Penn State Nittany Lions 42 points
# 5 Arkansas Razorbacks 38 points
# 5 Missouri Tigers 38 points
# 7 Alabama Crimson Tide 37 points 1 Fulmer Cup 2008
# 8 Iowa Hawkeyes 36 points
# 8 Tennessee Volunteers 36 points
#10 Marshall Thundering Herd 35 points 1 Fulmer Cup 2006
#11 Nebraska Cornhuskers 33 points
#12 Florida State Seminoles 32 points
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