It’s good to be back! What did I miss?
It’s good to be back! I enjoyed my time off but now that July 4 has come and gone, it’s time to start getting ready for the 2009 season. Just in case you’re counting it is:
**–16 days until SEC Media Days in Birmingham (July 22-24). There is no truth to the rumor that this year’s media days have been renamed “The Lane Kiffin Invitational.” Sorry. I couldn’t resist.
**–20 days until ACC Media Days in Greensboro, N.C. (July 26-27).
**–60 days until the season begins on Sept. 3 with South Carolina at N.C. State.
Let’s spend a few minutes today catching up on what we’ve missed during the break. Then we’ll be full speed ahead.
Every year my little June sabbatical reminds me that there is truly no offseason any more in college football. So what did it miss? Here are just the highlights:
Alabama appeal. The Tide has a (slight) shot: I’ll admit it. When Alabama was asked to vacate 21 wins by the NCAA because of a handful players were getting and distributing extra textbooks in violation of the rules, I thought there was no way the school would appeal. Just be glad that, given your recent history, that the NCAA didn’t put you on double secret probation and strip some scholarships away. As my good friend Ivan Maisel (espn.com) pointed out, it was TEXTBOOKS. No boosters were buying players or giving away cars.
What happened was still against the rules and Alabama should have had the mechanisms in place to prevent the abuse. And as soon as the school found out in 2007 it suspended the players and basically shut down the rest of the season. It was a pretty severe punishment. The problem Alabama has now is that burden of proof on the school for overturning a ruling by the Committee on Infractions is much higher than it used to be. Schools must now prove that the COI has “abused its discretion” in handing down its ruling.
The NCAA Infraction Appeals Committee recently did rule in favor of Alabama State, cutting its probation from five years until three. The appeals committee did rule that the COI had abused its discretion. Maybe that’s a good sign for Alabama.
Florida State appeal. The Seminoles have (virtually) no shot: First, let me get on the record that I don’t even like the concept of vacating victories. The school that won doesn’t get the win. The school that lost gets nothing. It’s like the games never happened. It’s silly.
So when the COI ruled that Florida State would have to vacate as many as 14 football victories because of the academic cheating scandal, I was convinced it would be overturned on appeal. After all, who is going to strip Bobby Bowden of 14 wins when he’s chasing Joe Paterno? That ain’t right.
But then I read the COI’s response to Florida State’s appeal. I won’t get into the finer points of the document, but basically the COI said: “Given the depth of the academic cheating going on, you’re damned lucky we didn’t hammer you harder.”
Florida State will appeal this thing until the very end because President T.K. Wetherell, who played for Bowden, is getting ready to retire. I still don’t think this is right but I think it will stand.
Can we leave the 13-year-olds alone? Let’s all make a deal right here. I know some of you like recruiting news as much as you like breathing. I get that. I don’t understand it, but I get it.
But can we all agree that we don’t need to be writing and talking about where a 13-year-old kid is going to college?
Reports surfaced last week that Evan Berry, the 13-year-old brother of Tennessee superstar Eric Berry, had verbally committed to Tennessee. Why a 13-year-old child would be talking to any reporter is an issue, but for now let’s set that aside.
There are a couple of facts that get in the way of this story. One fact is that you can’t commit to someone who has never offered you a scholarship. The other fact is that you can’t offer anyone a scholarship until they are registered with the NCAA Clearinghouse.
So if Tennessee has offered the kid a scholarship then the Vols have violated NCAA rules and the kid can’t commit. If Tennessee has not offered the kid a scholarship, then the kid can’t commit. Now he can SAY whatever he wants. He’s 13!!!!!!
So why was this a story? I’m not trying to be a smart aleck. I really want to know.
LSU closes out a great year for SEC: Here is an interesting little stat, courtesy of Charles Bloom of the SEC. With LSU’s national championship in baseball, the SEC has now won 179 national championships in various sports since its founding in 1933. But 63 of those championships, over one-third, have come since 2000. That’s because early in his tenure former Commissioner Roy Kramer (1990-2002) made a decision that changed the league forever. He told his athletics directors that the SEC should make the financial commitment to be nationally competitive in every sport that it sponsored. Then he went out and cut the TV deals to make it possible.
The SEC sponsors 20 men’s and women’s sports. In 10 of those sports the SEC either won the national championship or was the national runner-up during the 2008-2009 academic year. Here is the list:
NATIONAL CHAMPS, 2008-09
Football (Florida)—Third straight NC for the SEC
Men’s swimming and diving (Auburn)
Women’s indoor track & field (Tennessee)
Women’s gymnastics (Georgia)
Baseball (LSU)
NATIONAL RUNNERS-UP
Men’s Golf (Arkansas)
Gymnastics (Alabama)
Softball (Florida)
Women’s swimming & diving (Georgia)
Men’s indoor track & field (Florida)
Here is another fun stat: In this decade, the SEC has won at least one national championship in 16 of the 20 sports it sponsors. The four sports yet to win a national title in this decade are women’s cross country, volleyball, soccer, and softball.
Those who compete against the SEC know that is run is not going to end any time soon as the league will be fueled by the new 15-year television deals with CBS and ESPN.
Programming note: Tonight I’ll be making an appearance on “SportsNite” on CSS to talk ACC football. The show runs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Next Monday, July 13, I’ll be back to talk about the SEC. Should be fun. Hope you can tune in.
Coming Tuesday: The U.S. Senate, prompted by Utah’s Orrin Hatch, will hold hearings to discuss whether or not the BCS is in violation of antitrust law. Among those scheduled to testify are University of Utah president Michael Young. Do we detect a pattern here? We’ll get into the details in our next visit.
If you get a chance, please follow me on Twitter:
See you Tuesday.
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146 comments Add your comment
Atticus
July 6th, 2009
8:38 am
Just shows you why the Congress has such low approval ratings. A joke that they are spending ANY time on this when the budget isn’t balanced and so much other stuff going on.
Atticus
July 6th, 2009
8:39 am
Oh, and welcome back Tony!
RAMBLE ON!!!
July 6th, 2009
8:40 am
Getting an early start on your SEC bias, Tony.
Mr. Skynyrd
July 6th, 2009
8:45 am
What did you miss?
You missed Georgia Tech fans calling Georgia fans toothless rednecks, and Georgia fans calling Tech fans nerd terrorists.
Also, the ACC apparently still sucks and the SEC is still the only conference in the country where real football is played.
Georgia will win at least 10 games this year without Moreno and Stafford and has a chance to play for the National Championship. Tech will be lucky to win six games.
That about sums it up. Pretty much same ‘ol same ‘ol.
Welcome back.
Eric
July 6th, 2009
8:47 am
Tony;
Wanna hear a good Auburn joke?
Football
Gen Neyland
July 6th, 2009
9:06 am
The Evan Berry Story will air on ESPN2 Wednesday 08JUL at 2000 hrs. All questions will be answered…
THWUGA
July 6th, 2009
9:10 am
MrCFB – I don’t always agree with you, but I respect you (probably one of the few things we Tech fans and those other fans can agree upon). And your comments as to why Berry’s comments were a story is why you have that respect. I’m a “recruitnik”; I follow it more closely than most CFB fans. But for some reason, recruiting reporting lacks the same integrity and standards than regular CFB reporting, and the AJC is one of the biggest offenders. The AJC is notorious for taking a 17-year-old’s comments as fact and reporting it as such (i.e., reporting that such and such has an offer rather than reporting that he claims an offer). Many Scout and Rivals writers do the same, although there are others who do a better job and either attribute quotes appropriately or actually do some research before reporting a claim as fact. I guess that’s where journalism in general has been headed for some time though — sell subscriptions first; check your facts and biases later.
Atlanta Gator
July 6th, 2009
9:10 am
Welcome back, Tony. As always, we look forward to your insightful comments on college football.
For the record, the Gators were the runners-up in men’s indoor track & field, too. It’s a separate sport, you know. = )
m
July 6th, 2009
9:25 am
One more thing Tony…
Thank God and greyhound that chan gomer gailey, the worst coach in the history of the world, is gone forever. The hushpuppies over there at athens correctional institute are really going to miss him.
45-42….just the beginning.
Cuz
July 6th, 2009
9:26 am
I hear there is an 11 year old kid in Dacula who can throw a football through a tire swing at fifty yards. I heard he has offers from Notre Dame, USC and East Pennsylvannia State.
SickandTired
July 6th, 2009
9:31 am
Welcome back Tony. I hope you are rested and ready for the long haul here because this Georgia fan base is gonna be so juicy for your writing and reporting skills this fall. A year after they entered the season ranked #1 and looking forward to a cake walk to the national title they are in various stages of denial and fear of what will come this fall. As Mark Richt enters his 9th season after the disasterous 8th season they are in effect rebuilding. But they hold the hope of every fall that they can handle the Gators. However the problem this year is they have to handle a bunch of teams and I would really love to read an article by you on how the Wisconsin of the SEC can be so happy with a coach that showed so much promise early has wandered into the also rans of the SEC with a program that has as many resources as any in the SEC. National Title seems as far away as the next President being from Wasilla.
UGASlobberknocker
July 6th, 2009
9:34 am
Call me crazy, but doesnt Congress have enough real problems going on today to spend even one second on the BCS? Good Lord, Isnt the BCS system already screwed up enough without getting the government involved? What are they going to do, bail out the Sun Belt Conference? Or declare the ACC a disaster area ? Maybe they could authorize an invasion of NCAA HQ in Kansas City; in a search for weapons of mass stupidity (me, I’d check the Enforcement office for that one).
Same thing with steroids; Congress is shocked that someone might lie to them (Gasp!) , so now they say they will bring back back Sosa for more testimony to prove perjury. Rather than that, I think we should be testing some members of Congress for drugs instead..by their actions it appears that many of them are quite f’d up..
Too Easy
July 6th, 2009
9:36 am
I heard that m knows a thing or two about 13-year-olds.
MattDawg
July 6th, 2009
9:37 am
Hey Tony, why no mention of the 8 recruits Georgia got while you were gone. I mean it is a Georgia newspaper and sports section is it not?
Too Easy
July 6th, 2009
9:38 am
I should clarify that the 13-year-olds are his peers – but you can take it either way.
Anonymous
July 6th, 2009
9:47 am
m,
In light of Clemson, FSU, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Miami’s major NCAA infractions in the last 25 years (as well as lesser violations by other ACC schools), I think you’re being a little sanctimonious and lit bit hypocritical. When you live in a glass house . . . .
Denver Dog
July 6th, 2009
9:49 am
People like m ruin blogs. M can not spell, uses poor grammar, and does not know anything about sports. Everyone knows how to spell Alabama, except for m.
I said it here in December, that the congress would be after the BCS becuase the victims were not represented properly. It appears that now congress will intervene and make sure that if you play a weak schedule and have to prepare for one game a year you should be in the championship game.
The ACC will be arguing for a playoff, since they brought FSU down a few levels by playing in that conference, they don’t really have a “big team” again.
I guess since you took your short break, the more things change, they more they stay the same.
GT Dog
July 6th, 2009
9:52 am
It’s always fun to hear people maon and complain about a coach who’s program is:
1. consistently ranked in the Top Ten
2. averages over ten wins a year
3. is getting stronger and stronger in recruiting, and
4. hasn’t had any issues with the NCAA cops
Add to the mix that Richt espouses high moral values and openly professes his faith.
Hmmm, who do you replace him with? Tuberville or Fulmer…lol?
UGASlobberknocker
July 6th, 2009
9:54 am
Is it true that in Tech Geekland the calculators only have two numbers …45 and 42?
Call it a coincidence..but the difference in those two numbers exactly equals the total number of good looking women to ever attend Tech.
Crow
July 6th, 2009
9:58 am
Welcome back Tony! I’m a Tech fan and I appreciate your writings. I agree that vacating wins is pointless and has no effect on the school or coach unless you are a Bowden or Paterno. Slap em’ with Probation and restrict some schollies and be done with it. You do kinda lean to the SEC and Georgie, but anyone with eyes and ears can see that things are changing. The epicenter is just off North Ave and pretty soon everyone will feel the shock waves. You’ll come around
THWG! GO Jackets!
Archie
July 6th, 2009
10:01 am
Why is there so much outrage over Congressional hearings on the BCS? It’s a multi billion dollar a year enterprise that funnels millions of dollars into public universities. I’d say that’s important enough for Congress to regulate.
Mr. Academics
July 6th, 2009
10:03 am
Florida State and Alabama are both THUG programs, they are the hardest working cheaters in the nation.
Nachos
July 6th, 2009
10:04 am
Here is a funny joke…
Q -Did you hear who Allbarn hired as their football coach?
A – Gene Chizik
BILLY JACK
July 6th, 2009
10:10 am
Hey m-The question is not why is Tony talking ACC football it is why is anyone talking about ACC football.If it was not for the stupid jackasses at Tennesee tring to sign a 13 yr old,you techies would still be at the top of the moron chain.Just try and sign a top 100 recruiting class for a change and remember next win over UGA is in the year 2016.
Cuz
July 6th, 2009
10:18 am
One tin soldier rides away.
Herschel Talker
July 6th, 2009
10:24 am
RAMBLE ON!!! likes men
One-Liners For 7/6/09 | MrSEC.com
July 6th, 2009
10:29 am
[...] game this year.The AJC’s Tony Barnhart is back from his month-long vacation and gives his thoughts on a number of June’s biggest stories.Kentucky’s Darius Miller and Team USA are still perfect at the FIBA Under-19 World [...]
bb
July 6th, 2009
10:32 am
All (especially UGA fans),
I am a Tech fan and would suggest you do like I do; when you see a post written by M, skip over it without reading it. There are other commenters that get the same treatment (on both sides of the fence). You won’t miss anything worth reading.
Atlanta Gator
July 6th, 2009
10:34 am
Yes, Cuz, but how many Dawgs have sworn they will have the treasure on the Gators’ mountain for their very own?!
Paddy
July 6th, 2009
10:37 am
What Congress should be upset with is Al Sharpton trying to get a postage stamp approved for Michael Jackson. He is a “short eyes” people. No stamps commererating and tacid approval of “short eyes”. I am so upset I can’t even think football right now. Please tell me this country has not lost its way.
TommyJack
July 6th, 2009
10:41 am
To Billy Jack. Try to keep up, rube. The Berry kid only said that TN is is favorite team and he would like to go there. As for TN whipping GA, get real. GA is the most undercoached team in the SEC.
HH
July 6th, 2009
10:43 am
I rather doubt old Urban would be satisfied, much less be impressed, by a National Championship in gymnastics. Maybe Willie, but not old Urban.
m
July 6th, 2009
10:46 am
Tony, a few questions that you should have put out for discussion are these:
Will Utah repeat as sec west champions?!?!
How many losses in a row to Tech can Mark Richt withstand?? Donnan only made it to 3.
Is there more inbreeding in athens or tuscaloosa?
45-42….only the beginning.
ATTENTION to congress….BAN the BSbcs.
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
10:54 am
Tony,
The Alabama or Florida girls will most likely win the softball this next season so we can probably add that sport as yet another national title won by the SEC. I’m surprised one of them didn’t win it this past year when most of the season one or the other was ranked number 1, 2, or 3 and I think UF went to the championship series.
Every time I read about a different sport I see SEC teams at or near the top so its nice to finally see someone come up with some stats on conference success. Thanks for those stats. Its great to see that in overall sports programs the conference is seeing such unparalleled success. Rols tides.
Nachos
July 6th, 2009
10:56 am
I agree Paddy. This country is going down the toilet. How can “those people” celebrate the life of a child molester? I love how the media (including the AJC) fails to mention his child molestation charges. He paid a family $21 million to stay out of jail people! I hope MJ burns in hell for an eternity. If anyone deserves a stamp, its Patrick Swayze. Road House and Point Break were awesome movies.
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
10:56 am
Tony,
I almost forgot. You missed m’s daily rants about the dogs and all things sec. That’s about it though.
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
10:58 am
m,
It perplexes me as to why you care so much about the bcs anyway? You’re never going to be a factor in it so why do you care?
Joey
July 6th, 2009
10:59 am
m, what did the LSU – Tech game expose?
Eric
July 6th, 2009
11:01 am
Did you hear about Saban breaking his arm when he fell out of a tree? He was raking leaves.
Okefenokee Dawg
July 6th, 2009
11:06 am
The most important thing you missed is the fact that there will be no drinking at the Georgia-Florida game. The President of Florida has so ordained. But mabey that just applies to the Gators. Can you imagine a Georgia-Florida game where only Georgia fans drink? We’ve finally found an edge.
Tigers rule
July 6th, 2009
11:10 am
The LSU-Tech game exposed a lot of mutts posing as LSU fans because they couldn’t find anything about their own team to brag about. THWG
TurkeyTacos
July 6th, 2009
11:10 am
TideRising -
I wouldn’t rule out the youngest team in the WCWS (2 Srs, 0 Jrs). Those Lady Dawgs came into their own during that tournament and looked every bit as good as UF or UA IMHO.
One way or another, I agree that we’ll lock that one up soon.
buckblue
July 6th, 2009
11:14 am
Its all about the Tigers…aka…LSU…CWS champs again……!!
Geaux Tigers
Pi$$onaDawg
July 6th, 2009
11:18 am
UGAslobberknocker if my calculator only had 2#’s how could I type 45-42? That looks like 3#’s to me. A 2,a 4, and a 5. Keep showing that UGA brain. By the time the Berry twins can commit to a college team they may have a rap sheet longer than a 40 yrd dash. I live in Fairburn and they hae a great deal going against them.
Gen Neyland
July 6th, 2009
11:22 am
Archie : More regulation is just what we need…Matter of fact, I think the guv’ment ought to put all student-athletes and coaches on their payrolls. You know, equal pay for equal work…
MattDawg : Mr. College Football expands our horizons by offering up all things college football…Please note he does not go by Mr. UGA Football, LTD…
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
11:25 am
Eric, when is Auburn going to hire a head football coach?
Pi$$onaDawg
July 6th, 2009
11:26 am
CUZ hope you had a good 4th with your girl and family and friends. I hope the season gets here. We need to talk real CRAP about wins and loses not pie in the sky dreams.
m
July 6th, 2009
11:31 am
Joey asked…
July 6th, 2009
10:59 am
“m, what did the LSU – Tech game expose?”
Glad you asked. It exposed the fact that after you stomp the dawgshiite out of your state rival, that was ranked preseason #1 and was playing on their home field at sanford and son stadium, that you shouldn’t take a month off to celebrate and then overlook your next opponent.
But make no mistake about it…the game was a wakeup call and will be a positive for Tech in never taking an opponent for granted again.
Also, it funny as helle to listen to the ugag fans brag about lswho when the pitiful pups couldn’t beat Tech on their home field.
dawgies…there is a new sheriff in town…and his name is Paul Johnson. 45-42…that’s right, you already met him, and it is only the beginning.
whitx2
July 6th, 2009
11:33 am
Welcome back Tony.
m
July 6th, 2009
11:34 am
Also, you sec idiots talking about winning the girls softball next year. Washington beat ugag and floriduh to win the title this year and their star pitcher is back.
So you idiots can forget about the title next year.
#1 BAMA FAN
July 6th, 2009
11:40 am
NCAA – National Council Against Alabama! Mr.Academics….bite me
Me
July 6th, 2009
11:45 am
Welcome back! I’m sure those few precious weeks went by fast! Anyway, why would it surprise anyone that Tenn would start going after 13 year olds? Between the Head Coaches maturity level and UT WildBoyz you have to figure there is a lot of common ground that the young recruit could directly relate to…
TurkeyTacos
July 6th, 2009
11:51 am
M (old chick from James Bond?) -
Actually, my young dawgs were the only team that roughed her up, for 9 runs I believe…a game we won btw.
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
12:00 pm
m,
As usual you miss the point. We’re talking about softball as a backdrop to Tony’s comments about SEC overall dominance in the 20 major sports. The point we were making is that with 3 strong teams Bama, Fla, and UGA that the conference has a very legit chance of adding yet another national title to its burgeoning trophy chest. Bama has its star pitcher back as well as most of the team, same with Florida, and according to turkey dogs UGA also had a very young team. Grow up a little bit dude.
Too Easy
July 6th, 2009
12:02 pm
Good call, TTacos. m just didn’t want to remember that his team couldn’t handle her in the regionals.
m
July 6th, 2009
12:08 pm
I remember very well that the pitcher from Washington beat Tech and ugag and floriduh to win the title.
And she is back next year. That is why it is simply a pipe dream that you idiot sec fans think you can win the title in girls softball next year….you can’t.
Pi$$onaDawg
July 6th, 2009
12:10 pm
Too Eazy Lawrie will probably win the Female of the Year in the NCAA. I do hate the C. Kupets might lose out to the Left coast pitcher, but she beat you too. Unlike Gymnastics or Male Pitchers she would pitch back-to-back games with little or no rest. You have to admit that is impressive.
ATL. HAWKS 101
July 6th, 2009
12:13 pm
Here is a good joke. The Parole Tide losing to Utah.
TurkeyTacos
July 6th, 2009
12:18 pm
She was very impressive. No doubt about it. Just saying the Lady Dawgs aren’t scared and will probably still show up to play the games this coming season, whether they be against Lawrie or whoever.
jarvis
July 6th, 2009
12:21 pm
Beware of Geeks with formulas. — Warren Buffett
AFDawg
July 6th, 2009
12:22 pm
Welcome Back. As a SEC Homer, I appreciate the conference facts. It does seem like the SEC is on TV a lot.
IMHO, The SEC has 1 elite program (high chance of being undefeated) e.g. Florida. There are 4 very good programs (high chance of 10 or more wins) e.g. LSU, Alabama, Georgia, and Ole Miss(?). However, my colleagues and I do not agree on the “Monster team” (No one wants to play them) e.g.Ole Miss 2008. Do you see Arkansas coming away with 9 wins?
It’s too easy to pick on Lane Kiffin, you’re better than that.
TurkeyTacos
July 6th, 2009
12:23 pm
BTW, while I admire the fact that these athletes can pitch day-in and day-out. I think they should make a rule against it. A team should have to be able to field more than one pitcher to win a chammpionship. As is, a team like UW just rides the coattails of one pitcher. Where’s the TEAM in that. It could only make things more competitive.
Just a thought.
Promise, this is the last post about softball.
IveyLeaguer
July 6th, 2009
12:37 pm
Tony, why isn’t it right for FSU to have to vacate the 14 wins (I agree with you they should be forfeits)? This was substantial cheating, an academic variety at that, the sort of thing that’s been going on there for years. That’s one reason why FSU doesn’t deem it to be such a big deal.
It’s also a lack of control by Bowden and the administration. A lack of control created by the same standard that has been there since Bowden arrived – the look-the-other-way, keep them eligible and happy standard.
After all these years Bowden still doesn’t get it, which is why this sort of thing could happen in the first place. He still doesn’t understand that he is responsible for the actions of his players and the program. And that should be part of what he gets paid for. He doesn’t have a clue that, had he implemented the right standard for his program, those staff members way under him, many of who he may not even know, would never have allowed the academic sleaze to occur.
And that’s the best-case scenario, assuming no one above that level knew anything about it.
His former player, boss, and Bowden team-member, FSU president T.K.Wetherell, is as blind as Bowden. Bowden thinks because he didn’t know about it, he shouldn’t be punished for it. And when the blind lead the blind, they both fall into the ditch.
Bowden and Wetherell will never get it because they are corrupt. What I don’t understand is why you don’t get it, either.
~~~
Atlanta Gator
July 6th, 2009
12:39 pm
HH—-Urban and Jeremy not only want another BCS title, the Gators finally want a piece of the NCAA women’s gymnastics title, too. No more always being second fiddle to UGA, no more top-10 in the country and second in our own conference. Now that UGA Coach Yoculan has retired and Courtney Kupets has graduated, the Gators will finally get their chance . . .
[Any similarity between the foregoing deranged rant of "Atlanta Gator" and that of certain Dawg football fans regarding Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow is merely coincidental.]
BTW, did you hear about the Gators’ new women’s lacrosse team? The first recruiting class has six high school All-Americans . . . .
FL Gator
July 6th, 2009
12:41 pm
Welcome Back Mr.CFB. While you was out, Florida got more stronger at the receiver position with 2010 commitments from Solomon Patton and Stephen Alli.
Solomon Patton: A 5′10″ 175 pound speedster from Mobile, Alabama, A definite candidate for the “Percy Position”.
Stephen Alli: A 6′5″ receiver with speeds of his own, A Football Threat against Defensive Backs.
A message to Georgia and LSU, Florida is still the strongest team in the conference and will once again be the kings of SEC Football ! !
To the SEC Media Day you referred to as “The Lane Kiffin Invitational.”, i’ll second that vote, but i would like to call it “The Lame Kitten Invitational.”.
Nachos
July 6th, 2009
12:55 pm
Where does Auburn take their recruits on their tour of the area? HEY LOOK KIDS WE HAVE A KROGER AND A FLYING J TRUCKSTOP! LOOK OVER THERE, ITS THE LARGEST COW FIELD IN ALABAMA! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AND WE HAVE MR. 5-19 GENE CHIZIK.
AltamahaDawg
July 6th, 2009
12:55 pm
“Can we leave the 13-year-olds alone”. Are you telling everyone to stop responding to the tech fans in here?
Anonymous
July 6th, 2009
1:01 pm
November 17, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has placed the Georgia Institute of Technology on two years probation and vacated records in several sports after the school improperly certified academically ineligible student-athletes to compete.
The violations and penalties involve the sports of football, men’s and women’s track and field and women’s swimming between the 1998-99 and 2004-05 academic years. The committee also adopted a number of scholarship reductions self-imposed by the institution.
The case involves 17 student-athletes over a six-year period being certified as making satisfactory progress toward their degrees, even though they didn’t meet the standards contained in NCAA bylaws.
The NCAA membership adopted its progress-toward-degree bylaws to ensure student-athletes make significant progress toward graduation each academic year before they’re allowed to compete in sports. For example, student-athletes at schools using the semester system are required to complete 24 hours of credit toward their degree prior to their second year of enrollment.
At Georgia Tech, the annual certification process is initiated by the director of compliance, who checks the seasons of eligibility remaining and the amount of athletically related financial aid awarded for each returning student-athlete. The director then sends Certification of Eligibility forms to each student-athlete’s academic advisor, who fills out the form with the number of hours each student-athlete has earned toward graduation, the percentage of degree requirements attained and eligibility status.
The forms are then sent to the registrar, who confirms their accuracy and sends them to the faculty athletics representative for final approval.
All 17 student-athletes – 11 of whom were on the football team — were certified and received signatures from the four campus officials. However, a large number of non-degree-applicable courses were included.
In one case, 17 of a student-athlete’s 24 hours did not count toward a degree. Another used 12 non-degree-applicable courses in two consecutive years. There were also several examples of nine or 10 non-degree courses being used in a single year.
In addition, six student-athletes were allowed to count courses for which they received grades of D, even though their majors required a C to count toward graduation.
“Many of these student-athletes were prominent members of the team, including multiple-year starters who had received conference and national recognition for their athletic performances,” Marsh said.
The committee pointed out that allowing these student-athletes to compete without holding them to the same academic standards as their opponents gave Georgia Tech a substantial competitive advantage.
In its public infractions report, the Committee on Infractions noted that during the hearing for this case, the compliance coordinator and faculty athletics representative indicated they signed off on the Certification of Eligibility forms without reviewing their content. That meant progress-toward-degree certification decisions were left solely in the hands of advisors and the registrar, none of whom were adequately trained to make such decisions, according to the committee.
The report also noted that the institution investigated the matter in 2003, but failed to uncover the full scope of the problem. It was only after an investigation by the NCAA enforcement staff that the full details of the case came to light.
The failure to have properly trained certification officers and the institution’s inability to adequately investigate itself compelled the committee to determine that this case constituted a lack of institutional control over its athletics program.
. . .
In addition to the two-year probation, details of the vacated records, scholarship reductions and other penalties include:
* Public reprimand and censure
* The institution self-imposed a reduction of six initial football grants-in-aid for each of the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years. The committee added a limit of 79 total grants-in-aid for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 academic years, after determining that the limit on initial grants-in-aid did not affect total grants-in-aid for 2005-06.
* The institution self-imposed a grants-in-aid reduction of 3.90 in men’s track and field for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years.
* The institution self-imposed a grants-in-aid reduction of two for women’s track and field for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years.
* The institution shall vacate the performance of its football team for all contests in which the 11 ineligible student-athletes competed.
* The points contributed to team totals by ineligible student-athletes in men’s and women’s track and field and women’s swimming shall be vacated. Team scores shall be reconfigured accordingly.
* The institution self-imposed a $5,000 fine, payable to the NCAA, for allowing ineligible student-athletes to compete in NCAA championships/bowl games.
GT Rich
July 6th, 2009
1:03 pm
Congress is not raising the BcS issue, Orin Hatch (R-Utah) is — note the R-Utah. His state’s public university has been denied an equal opportunity at “funding” for their public school. You can imagine that his seat in Congress is hotter than Charlie Weiss’ seat in South Bend.
A no-strings 8 team playoff would be more fair. If the BcS conferences are worried about losing their profit-sharing, then they better show up when a non-BcS team like Utah gets a playoff invite. Ask Bama what happens when you phone it in…
NCAA Committee on Infractions
July 6th, 2009
1:04 pm
m,
That’s a fancy way of saying the Techies are CHEATERS!
COI
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
1:04 pm
Atlanta Gator,
Glad to see you back but my friend I must take issue with you on the gymnastics. UGA has been the best in the conference winning 4 straight I think at one point and I think 5 or 6 national titles. But the other bigtime gymnastics program in the conference has always been Bama and in gymnastics the dawgs consider us to be their big rival not Florida.
We won 2 national titles ourselves and it seems every single year that we finish in the top 5 and usually 2nd or 3rd to either UGA, Utah, or UCLA. But looking back I can’t remember the last time our girls finished outside the top 4 or 5. This year I think we placed 2nd again nationally. Its funny but I think our gym team may have even outdrawn the men’s basketball team.
I suspect though that just like the softball that we were talking about that gymnastics will also be even more competitive with 3,4, or maybe even more teams being nationally competitive in any given year from the SEC.
Nachos
July 6th, 2009
1:05 pm
Are there any hot chicks @ ALLBARN ?(besides the cattle). They are all fat slobs IMO.
5-19 Gene Chizik: Allbarn Head Coach
36-0 Barners
Fear Saban
Supersize that order, mutt
July 6th, 2009
1:11 pm
Anonymous, so what’s your point? That’s all past history. In addition, Tech appealed the vacated games and won the appeal, so no (I, repeat NO) games were vacated. The record for those years stands intact. Tech screwed up, admitted it, paid the penalties that were upheld upon appeal, and moved on. Don’t you think it’s time for you to move on too?
jumbeauxtiger
July 6th, 2009
1:16 pm
Welcome back Tony.
Tide Rising, I think you have to include LSU’s softball team among the top teams next year. LSU made the tourney this season and the nation’s top recruit and arguably the most accomplished hs sofball pitcher ever, Rachele Fico, will be on the mound for the Tigers next season. She holds the alltime record for perfect games and finished her career with a record of 103-2 I believe.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
NCAA Committee on Infractions
July 6th, 2009
1:24 pm
Tide Rising—-My comment was intended as parody, but I’m sure the Gator gymnasts will get their chance soon . . . against all comers (including Bama).
goober
July 6th, 2009
1:31 pm
BREAKING NEWS! In a news conference called by University of Tennessee head coach Lame Kiffin in Snotsville, UT’s Eric Berry announced that his unborn weeks-old fetus, whose name, gender, mother and place of residence is yet unknown, has committed to play football for the Volunteers in the year 2028. Berry sidestepped the question of what might happen if the fetus turns out to be female, or something other than a male. His father James told reporters that the fetus was already farther along in its developmental stages than Eric and his younger brothers Evan and Eliot were at the same stage of their lives, unborn or born. The fetus is listed at 1”, 5 oz., plays noseguard, and has not made its grades yet.
The fetus was reportedly seen working out in the extensive UT weight room, prompting an investigation by the NCAA which was allegedly alerted to the situation by Florida’s Urban Meyer and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier. Neither coach would confirm or deny this, but people close to the situation reported that Meyer and Spurrier, along with Georgia coach Mark Richt, had already filed a lawsuit against Berry the father-to-be, Berry the fetus, the unnamed and unknown Ms. Berry the Mama, Berry the grandfather, Evan Berry, Eliot Berry, Straw Berry, Black Berry, Berry Gordy, Berry Obama, Berry White, Berry Lame Kiffin, former UT coach Phat Philip “Berry” Phulmer, and the estate of General Robert Neyland.
In a related announcement, Eric Berry also stated that several of his unmated and unidentified sperm cells located somewhere in his testicles, have announced they have also committed to play for the University of Tennessee at some time in the future. This assumes, Berry stated, the sperm get deposited into a female, survive the acidic and poisonous environment of the uterus and fallopian tubes, successfully mate with her egg, grow into a male, be born, and pass the SAT and ACT tests. Lame Kiffin welcomed the sperm into the Volunteer family, stating that “these guys will make great contributions to the UT Nation, I am sure. I believe we have established a record for having the earliest commitment for a recruiting prospect in the history of the NCAA. I have asked the NCAA for permission to visit these guys and let them know how much we expect out of them.”
Supersize that order, mutt
July 6th, 2009
1:49 pm
goober, I don’t know or care what team you support, but that was HILARIOUS. You should get a job as a writer for comedians. Based on that, you would sure do a better job than most of the ones currently getting paid to write. Keep it up, bud.
Nachos
July 6th, 2009
1:53 pm
I HATE LONG POSTS, KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET people
Geno
July 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
Iveyleager…I feel your frustration but your facts are wrong.Coach Bowden and his staff had no control over the people who committed these infractions. They were university tudors/instructors with no affiliation to the athletic dept. The NCAA admitted that fact in their ruling. You are right. Bobby would not know them if he saw them because he would never have reason to talk or see them. You are not allowed to play ineligible players even though you didn’t know they were ineligible. That sounds about right for the NCAA. FSU is being punished for past sins not caught by the NCAA, good I don’t like FSU anyway.
Anonymous
July 6th, 2009
2:16 pm
Tudors — Royal dynasty of England of the 16th century, including Henry VII, Henry VIII, Mary I, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I.
Tutors — Teachers, instructors, dons; term often used to connote a non-classroom instructor who helps students cram for examinations; what FSU athletes and Geno need to improve their spelling and knowledge of music history and spelling.
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
2:17 pm
Atlanta gator,
Aaaaah! Your keen sense of humor and I just didn’t get it. I thought you were serious because it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if UF was also strong in gymnastics.
jumbeauxtiger,
Good for LSU. I guess that just means that the SEC is even deeper and better than I thought. Rols Tides
Atanta Gator
July 6th, 2009
2:27 pm
Geno:
Actually, the FSU tutors in question were employees of the FSU athletic department.
With the hiring of Col. Randy Spetman, USAF ret., as the new FSU athletic director, I suspect that FSU will experience fewer of these problems in the future. Spetman was the chief planner for the bombing campaign during the First Gulf War, and was athletic director at the Air Force Academy. Exactly the kind of guy you want when you’re trying to correct a history of compliance problems—-squared-away and by-the-book.
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
2:39 pm
Atlanta gator,
Are you sure its not tooters instead of tutors or tudors? Maybe he was trying to make the point that they have a lot of gas. Rols Tides
Atanta Gator
July 6th, 2009
2:43 pm
Tide Rising,
Ah, but the Gators are strong in gymnastics. Historically, just not quite as strong as UGA and Alabama. This year’s NCAA “Super Six” final gymnastics tournament standings were:
(1) Georgia
(2) Alabama
(3) Utah
(4) Florida
(5) Arkansas
(6) LSU
One might ask what Utah was doing in there? Probably looking to upset Alabama. LOL
Roll Toomer’s Corner!
Atanta Gator
July 6th, 2009
2:47 pm
Tide Rising,
Geno can spell “tutor” any way he wants. I’m more amused by someone who calls himself “Ivey Leaguer.” I’m betting he did not attend Harvard.
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
Atlanta gator,
Can ya keep it hush? I was kinda hoping nobody would notice that football wasn’t the only thing Utah rolled us in.
Tide Rising
July 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
Actually I guess we finished ahead of them this year. But I think Utah beat us a couple of other times in gymnastics. They have been a national power in that sport just like us and UGA. Its usually those 3 teams and maybe UCLA year in and year out.
As for Geno I reckon he can spell ivy any way he wants to. I spell it IV
shane#1
July 6th, 2009
3:35 pm
Anonymous, Henry III was a song by “Herman’s Hermits”. What happened, have you been skipping your meetings? Atlanta Gator, Ivey Leaguer could be a girls name, or the writer could have graduated from Kudzu State, a Div II school in Alabama. Doesn’t UF play Kudzu State in 2011? Oh, welcome back Tony!
shane#1
July 6th, 2009
3:36 pm
I meant Henry VIII, Henry III was not musical at all.
Eric
July 6th, 2009
3:39 pm
Nachos–What do you have against Auburn? Nevermind, It’s (and you) are probably stupid anyway. War Eagle!
shane#1
July 6th, 2009
3:39 pm
Now, Henry V could give one hejj of a pre-game speech. The guy should have been a football coach.
Tin Soldier
July 6th, 2009
3:40 pm
You can justify it in the end
We happy few . . .
July 6th, 2009
4:29 pm
SHANE#1 — Henry V was a real kick-ass king, the medieval equivalent of Erk Russell. Henry V had no problem getting some grass stains on his uniform and mixing it up with the boys on the field.
Henry III was more of a Jim Donnan. Not bad, but Shakespeare never wrote a play about him. Henry III’s dad, King John, was definitely the Ray Goff of English kings. John lost the empire in France.
BILLY JACK
July 6th, 2009
5:18 pm
Good post anonymous-perhaps a little long.I will break it down to laymans terms-Tech cheats and still cant win anything.Thank you
To-anonymous
July 6th, 2009
5:31 pm
We should have known what really mattered. The Bulldogs were giving football scholarships to non-qualifiers because of their size, speed and strength. This was reaffirmed when Kemp’s superior, Leroy Ervin, was secretly taped at a faculty meeting, saying recruits were “used as kind of a raw material in the production of some goods to be sold as whatever product, and they get nothing in return.”
There was the dreaded opening statement by the school’s attorney, Hale Almand, who acknowledged: “We may not make a university student out of him, but if we teach him to read and write, maybe he can work at the post office rather than as a garbage man …”
How’s that glass house anonymous?
shane#1
July 6th, 2009
5:33 pm
Out, out, dam spot! That was for the Techies. Happy few, I guess anyone wouyld sound like a world beater if the Bard wrote his speeches. Still, becoming a “Band of Brothers” would be a worthy goal for any football team. I don’t like discussing English kings, most of them were very unpopular with my Highland Scots ancestors.
Anonymous
July 6th, 2009
5:38 pm
Waaaahhhh. I didn’t attend classes in the hallowed halls of the University of Georgia, but I don’t appreciate fans who run their mouths about the faults of others, but can’t see their own.
HH
July 6th, 2009
5:39 pm
Atlanta Gator:
Stick another million bucks in front of old Urban’s face and see if he’ll coach the gymnastics team, too. Better yet, wave that million in front of Willie’s face and see if he’ll coach’em.
Play sweet.
HH
Atlanta Gator
July 6th, 2009
5:47 pm
Okay, the funnymen have hijacked this blog. Here are some real football opinions:
(1) The Gators will win the SEC East. Georgia will finish second, and South Carolina will be the spoiler.
(2) The Tide will win the SEC West, but will finish with 2 losses. LSU and Ole Miss will fight it out for second, and Arkansas will be the spoiler.
Atlanta Gator
July 6th, 2009
5:48 pm
(3) The Gators will defeat the Tide in an SEC rematch, but the score will not be as close as 2008.