My blog has moved!

You should be automatically redirected in 6 seconds. If not, visit
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/bulldogs-blog/
and update your bookmarks.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Green suspended four games (updated)

Word just came in that A.J. Green has been suspended four games, including the opener, when he was held out by Georgia.

Green was found to have sold a jersey - his Independence Bowl jersey - for $1,000 to someone later found to be an agent, according to the NCAA.

"According to NCAA rules, an agent is any individual who markets or promotes a student-athlete," the NCAA said in a release.

Georgia is appealing, but Green will be ineligible during that process. That basically ensures that the star receiver will miss Saturday's game at South Carolina, because if the suspension was reduced it would likely only be by two games.

If Green misses a full four games, he would be eligible to return for Georgia's Oct. 2 game at Colorado.

"I want to apologize to my coaches, teammates, and the Georgia fans for the mistake in judgment," Green said in a statement released by the school. "I very much regret all that has taken place and the distraction that's been caused. I've learned a valuable lesson and hope others can learn from my mistake. I can only focus my attention now on practicing and looking ahead to getting back with my teammates as quickly as possible."

Georgia head coach Mark Richt said in a statement that was "disappointed with the outcome."

"However, we have games to play and that's where our focus needs to be in the coming days and weeks," Richt said "Other players will have to step forward and I'm confident they will do that."

Here's the full release from the NCAA:

University of Georgia football student-athlete A.J. Green must miss four games as a condition of becoming eligible to play again, according to a decision today by the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff.

The university declared the student-athlete ineligible for violations of NCAA agent benefits rules. According to the facts of the case submitted by Georgia, the student-athlete sold his Independence Bowl game jersey to an individual who meets the NCAA definition of an agent. Green has repaid the $1,000 value of benefits to charity.

During the reinstatement process, the NCAA staff reviews each case on its own merits based on the specific facts. Staff decisions are made based on a number of factors including guidelines established by the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, the student-athlete¹s responsibility for the violation, as well as any mitigating factors presented by the university.

The university can appeal the decision to the Division I NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, an independent committee comprised of representatives from NCAA member colleges, universities and athletic conferences. This committee can reduce or remove the condition, but it cannot increase the staff-imposed conditions. If appealed, the student-athlete remains ineligible until the conclusion of the appeals process.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can't be for real.

Anonymous said...

The David Hale curse continues with Seth Emerson. Thanks, Seth.

Anonymous said...

If this is true, it makes sites like Dawgpost look like tabloids for jumping the gun without the facts.

Anonymous said...

How does a trip to Miami paid for by an agent to an agents party get you 2 games, but selling a jersey for a $1,000 (probably its true value) is worth 4 games?
Please explain Seth...

Anonymous said...

9 tennessee players put a cop in ICU, most get internal suspension.

AJ sells something he owns and gets 4 game suspension.

Anonymous said...

http://deadspin.com/5633141/aj-green-jersey-sales-and-the-ncaas-hypocrisy-in-eight-easy-pictures

King Jericho said...

"According to NCAA rules, an agent is any individual who markets or promotes a student-athlete"

That's rather vague. So if the person he sold it to turns around and sells it for more, does that make him an agent? He even repaid the money that he received to charity. That's got to count for something, right?

Lawdawg567 said...

I want these peoples names and I want their asses whooped.

Anonymous said...

How does Marcel Dareus only get 2 games for accepting over $1,000 in benefits?

Also, how do all of the S.Car players that received the discounted hotel rates (many of them received over $1,000 in discounts) receive little or no sanction?

Anonymous said...

So, if it wasn't an "agent" that bought it, would it not be a violation? Could he have sold it on e-bay to me, and been in compliance with the rules?

Anonymous said...

And if he could have, then how can the NCAA rationalize holding him liable for the person that bought it? Wouldn't that require proof that he had actual knowledge of the identity of the buyer as an agent?

Anonymous said...

AJ will definitely leave for the NFL after this year so that he can make some money and not put up with the NCAA's bs...four games is ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Does it have to be the next three games or could UGA spread it out?

Travis said...

please tell me the school will appeal this. This is asinine and exceeds every precedent set in place for situations like this in the past.

Anonymous said...

The suspension is retroactive.

UGA will not be able to pick and choose the games he misses.

He will miss the next 3 games.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Green, between your injuries and suspension you weren't on the field much and will not go down as one of the best receivers at UGA. Hope it was worth it.

Anonymous said...

You Georgia fans just need to hush and accept the fact and the fact is that AJ will miss the next 4 games and the Dawg will get beaten this Saturday by the Gamecocks by at least 20 points...lol...

Ozam said...

UNREAL.....the NCAA has lost its frigging mind in the application of its infinite rules...

What would be cool is if multiple players wore number 8 in honor of AJ. I think that is legal as long as they are not on the field at the same time!

On a side note, this is just one more embarrassment for UGA. Not good.

Todd said...

I'm very disappointed with Green's actions. I really thought this kid was different, but looks like success got the better of him. Maybe my expectations were unreasonable.

As for the NCAA's Wheel Of Suspension, I guess AJ just got a bad spin and it landed on 4. Meanwhile, Alabama and Carolina got off like bandits. Perhaps if AJ beat a cop and took all his money he would have gotten 1 game at most.

A 2-game suspension is fair for what he did. I hope he didn't lie to the coaches about this. If he did lie, then he should be gone.

Michael said...

Seth, after making a big deal about not wanting to report on this rumor (so much for it just being a rumor, eh?) could you please report the story with a little more care?

You wrote: "Green was found to have sold a jersey - his Independence Bowl jersey - for $1,000 to someone later found to be an agent"

That is inaccurate on a majorly important point.

It was someone who "met the DEFINITION of an agent." That is a lot different than someone who was actually an agent. The definition is extremely broad, and would include a collectibles dealer, for example, which is apparently who actually bought the jersey - not an actual agent.

Anonymous said...

Michael it's all semantics - the fact is AJ screwed up and he will pay a pretty stiff price as will his teammates.

Unknown said...

So let's see...

1. Attempt to poke someone's eye out: 0.5 game suspension (internal, player asked to extend to 1 game)
2. DUI - 1 game suspension (internal)
3. Hit and run - 1 game suspension (internal)
4. Accept 1k in benefits - 2 game suspension
5. Sell your own jersey - 4 game suspension.

Glad to see the NCAA priorities are straight...