Georgia Tech NCAA appeal denied
Georgia Tech’s appeal to the NCAA over sanctions handed out last July has been denied. The school will be required to return its 2009 ACC football championship trophy to the league office, one of the penalties for NCAA findings of failure to cooperate and failure to meet the conditions and obligations of membership in an investigation into possible impermissible benefits violations to former football players Demaryius Thomas and Morgan Burnett.
“In its appeal, Georgia Tech asserted the vacation of records penalty was not warranted based on its contention that it did not gain a competitive advantage, among other factors,” the NCAA wrote in a release. “After a comprehensive review of the case, the Infractions Appeals Committee found the facts of the case did support the findings of violations. The Infractions Appeals Committee also found it speculative to state a competitive advantage was not gained and the penalty was appropriate in this case.”
The verdict of the infractions appeals committee is final. The school has no other legal recourse on the appeal. The investigation began in November 2009 when an NCAA investigator learned of possible impermissible benefits, which turned out to be $312 worth of clothes given to Thomas by his cousin’s roommate. Burnett was not found to have violated NCAA rules.
The school faced significant odds for an overturn of any of the two findings or the revocation of the football championship. Since the NCAA toughened standards for appeal in 2008, only one out of at least 14 appeals has been granted.
“We are disappointed with the ruling of the NCAA appeals committee, but respect the process and the NCAA’s decision,” Georgia Tech president G.P. “Bud” Peterson said in a statement. “We felt we owed it to the Georgia Tech community and to our student-athletes to exercise the appeals process provided by the NCAA in order to defend the integrity of Georgia Tech and to reaffirm our commitment to the principles and obligations of the NCAA.”
Peterson was out of the country and unavailable for comment, according to a school spokeswoman. Athletic director Dan Radakovich declined comment.
In its appeal, the school conceded it had made mistakes during the investigation, but argued that the indiscretions didn’t want warrant a finding of improper conduct or the removal of the ACC title. Tech argued that the title removal was inappropriate and an abuse of discretion, one criterion for an overturn of an appeal. The school claimed that none of the factors typically associated with a penalty of vacated wins, including academic fraud and serious intentional violations, were met.
“The vacation penalty punishes an entire team of student-athletes by taking away a championship because of decisions made in good faith by institutional staff members,” the school contended in a written appeal filed last September.
To lodge the appeal, the school retained the services of the Birmingham-based law firm of Lightfoot, Franklin & White, including Gene Marsh, the former chair of the NCAA’s infractions committee. As of December, the school had paid $93,000, nearly all of it to Lightfoot, Franklin & White, for counsel.
A school statement released last July noted Tech’s “unwavering commitment to the integrity of its athletics program” and that “we feel that we owe it to the institution” and the football team to appeal.
In addition to the return of the trophy, Tech must vacate the win from coach Paul Johnson’s records and remove any public references to the ACC title.
More updates to come
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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518 comments Add your comment
Your Cheating Heart
March 9th, 2012
2:08 pm
Way to go Tech…and gotta give back the Tin Cup….hahaha….Way To Go Tech
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:08 pm
serious question for you here, Paraphrase…..do those hashbrowns cause skid marks?
HighTech
March 9th, 2012
2:08 pm
Here’s a string of twitter messages WnE sent to Vad Lee. I am trying to think up a title for this masterpiece. I was thinking of “The Wrexie Manifesto” or “The Weejina Monologues”. I am open to any and all suggestions for a title.
21 Jan 11 John Patrick Mason @WrecksNEffect
Since young Vad is confused I’ll help him. Vad if U don’t get 2 the NFL, it won’t matter how much U like GT & the Coaches. Also you can get the SAME BUSINESS Degree frm a sch.that WILL PASS THE BALL, that has GOOD WRs, BIG PASS-BLOCKING OLs, & “closer” to a Pro-Style O, so that U will at least have a “Some shot” @ the NFL, deep down inside Vad YOU KNOW that if U play QB 4 CPJ & GT you will have no chance @ the NFL.
That’s the reason you keep looking around Vad, you know what U R thinking deep down inside, Vandy’s HC was Md.’s OC & he’ll run a Pro-Style
The same 4 NCST & Minn., think Vad, if U R lookn @ MINNESOTA 4 cryin’ out loud, then U really don’t wanna play in CPJ’s Triple-SLOPtion Off.
Vad U R merely DELAYNG the inevitable, if U choose CPJ’s Triple SLOPtion Off., U’ll always ask yourslf could I have made the NFL@ NCST, etc
So FOR YOUR SAKE Vad, ask yourself WHY would CPJ change his Offense 4 U, when he wouldn’t change it 4 a 3-yr Starter & All-ACC QB?
Do you really think CPJ will change things up for a 18-y/o kid, when he wouldn’t change it up for a 22-y/o “grown ass man” like Josh?
You know the answers Vad, you’re just SCARED as to what DECISION will result if you answer these Questions honestly to yourself.
Of all the GT Fans that have writtn about your Recruitment, NOT-1, other than ME has taken N2 account YOUR DESIRES, 2 B a passn QB @ the NFL
So Vad WHY don’t the folks @ stink-talk and other places care about YOU realizing YOUR DREAM, being a passing QB & playing N the NFL?
So IF I’m the 1 that considers YOUR DREAMS, & they tlk about Recruit’s moms & playing QB where U can’t go Pro, whose advice is better 4 Vad?
Once U sign an LOI, Clock starts ticking, you’ll have 5-yrs. 2play 4 seasons 2 PROVE, U should B N the NFL, sign w/the WRONG sch. and you’ll LOSE one of those 5 precious years trying to transfer, those yrs. are PRECIOUS, because that’s ain’t much time 2 show NFL scouts what U got!
Of all the GT fans & COACHES & former GT PLAYERS, I’m the one talkn the most “cents”/sense, PUN INTENDED. Vad worry about your $$$ & not GT
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:09 pm
Super- check your email….
Moobs Johnson
March 9th, 2012
2:10 pm
Amusing that Tech has to cheat to win the Asheshe.
George Stein
March 9th, 2012
2:10 pm
Awesome, FLJ.
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:10 pm
HT, I like the Weejina Monologues. LOL
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:10 pm
Watch out, HT-your already on weenie’s hate list….how about The Weenie Monologues….
Had enough
March 9th, 2012
2:10 pm
Can’t win a bowl game,can’t recruit and can’t stop paying their players to cheat.This is ga tech.
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:11 pm
ooops-that’s you’re….
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:11 pm
Still obsessed with the male anatomy I see, Moobs. PITIFUL!!!!
George Stein
March 9th, 2012
2:11 pm
But not quite as amusing as the failure of Moobs’s general existence.
FL Jacket
March 9th, 2012
2:12 pm
George…Anna Watson looks like they dressed John Basedow in a uGA cheerleader outfit and superimposed a normal looking girl’s face on top…
RopeDawg
March 9th, 2012
2:12 pm
Maybe this is why GT can’t get any football players to accept a football scholarship… Or maybe this is just one of the many reasons.
FL Jacket
March 9th, 2012
2:13 pm
Haha…Moobs McFish Fry is back! I needed a good laugh…
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:13 pm
Super, pan-ties and hashbrowns are a SEPARATE t-shirt…..
HighTech
March 9th, 2012
2:14 pm
Of all the GT Fans that have writtn about your Recruitment, NOT-1, other than ME has taken N2 account YOUR DESIRES
———————————–
That sounds creepy.
GymJacket
March 9th, 2012
2:14 pm
Bud,
Just say NO. Don’t send the trophy back. $312 in clothes – a competitive advantage, my @$$.
What’s the NEW good word – To Hell with the NCAA!
George Stein
March 9th, 2012
2:14 pm
She’s a little, ahem, handsome for my tastes, FLJ.
George Stein
March 9th, 2012
2:15 pm
HA! That’s creppy as hell, HT.
Your Cheating Heart
March 9th, 2012
2:15 pm
Tech is still the joke
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:16 pm
@ GT Lee, read and responded
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:16 pm
HT- how about the weenie diatribes?
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:17 pm
@ Your Cheating Heart, I will ask you the same thing I asked Paraphrase…..do those hashbrowns cause skid marks?
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:17 pm
Troll hard, Cheating Heart….
FL Jacket
March 9th, 2012
2:17 pm
Rope…
Now that JHC is signed with UGA, they can put him on the field immediately as the starting Bail Bondsman!
NCAA
March 9th, 2012
2:18 pm
DENIED!!!
FL Jacket
March 9th, 2012
2:18 pm
HT…to borrow from the late Al Davis
“Just WnE Baby”
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:19 pm
OK, guys, time for me to get outta here. Keep the trolls under control.
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:19 pm
LOL @ FLJ
George Stein
March 9th, 2012
2:19 pm
This is just for you, Your Cheating Heart:
http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/dismissivewank.gif
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:19 pm
LOL @ FLJ
GTBob
March 9th, 2012
2:19 pm
Yawn. I forgot the appeal was even still going. Did anyone actually think it being overturned was even possible? We don’t have the kind of money to make something like that happen.
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:20 pm
GEORGE !!!! You didn’t !!! LOL
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:20 pm
HT- how bout A Day In The Life of a Psycho???????
George Stein
March 9th, 2012
2:21 pm
No sense beating around the bush with them anymore, Supersize.
RopeDawg
March 9th, 2012
2:21 pm
Good one FLJ. I wonder why he wasn’t interested in GT? Seems like with all the crime around North Ave, his bail bondsman business would have been booming. I guess the thought of going an entire career without beating your in state rival really soured that idea. Oh well.
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:21 pm
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
George Stein
March 9th, 2012
2:23 pm
@ RopeDawg:
http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/dismissivewank.gif
GT Lee
March 9th, 2012
2:24 pm
No Rope, he wasn’t interested in GT because CPJ wouldn’t go down there and hug him and sing Happy Birthday to him…..
FL Jacket
March 9th, 2012
2:24 pm
Rope…
Anyone brought up by Woodrow Clemons in the shadow of a jail…makes perfect sense for them make a “football” decision about where they want to go to college. After all, if he doesn’t make the NFL like 98% of all the other D1 athletes, he can always continue being a bail bonsdman in Athens instead of anything more…
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:25 pm
Damn, it’s hard to leave when I know I have to. George, that’s going to be your new trademark now for responses to the trolls. I LOVE IT !!!
RopeDawg
March 9th, 2012
2:26 pm
You guys are so much fun. It’s so easy to get you guys to respond
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:26 pm
FLJ, he could bail out all those hashbrown stealers in Athens
HighTech
March 9th, 2012
2:26 pm
I am very disappointed in the quality of the trolling today. Here we have an embarrassing headline about Georgia Tech and this is the best you can do?
————————————————————————-
RopeDawg
March 9th, 2012
2:12 pm
Maybe this is why GT can’t get any football players to accept a football scholarship… Or maybe this is just one of the many reasons.
—————————————————————-
Not only is it not funny, it’s stupid.
My thanks for the classy comments from true Dawg fans. However, the dwags that post this garbage are probably the same fans who defile your North Campus on game day.
George Stein
March 9th, 2012
2:27 pm
It might, Supersize.
So, RopeDawg, are you an adult?
Supersize that order, mutt
March 9th, 2012
2:28 pm
more likely an adult – terer, George
Bill
March 9th, 2012
2:29 pm
NCAA sucks …period!
GTBob
March 9th, 2012
2:30 pm
You guys are so much fun. It’s so easy to get you guys to respond
I didn’t even realize you were trolling. You should get some tips from dawgfan and WnE.
NCAA appeal report on Georgia Tech | Georgia Tech
March 9th, 2012
2:30 pm
[...] The following are excerpts from the NCAA infractions appeals committee report. For the story. on the NCAA turning down Georgia Tech’s appeal, read here. [...]