SEC media days: Waiting on Richt as NCAA hovers at Georgia (UPDATED)
Georgia coach Mark Richt will address the NCAA's inquiry into his program today. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
(UPDATED AT 10 a.m.)
HOOVER, Ala. — Good morning. Welcome back to SEC media days, which at some point in time I’m sure was a nice little gathering of writers from newspapers — yeah, yeah: which, were delivered by wagon train — to collect background information for the upcoming season.
But there’s nothing low key about it now. Day 1 seemed more like somebody fired a cannon.
A brief rundown, in case you missed it:
♦ The NCAA is conducting an “inquiry” -- I’m not sure if it qualifies as an investigation yet — into Georgia’s program. Officials have not said what they’re looking for but it’s believed to be related to all of the recent stories regarding illegal contact between college players and agents. For what it’s worth, wide receiver A.J. Green, whose name came up in a couple of internet stories, has denied involvement.
A small group of us are meeting with coach Mark Richt early this morning, prior to his scheduled major news conference with the rest of the media. Tim Tucker and I will post his comments as soon as we’re able. As always, I’ll be sending out Tweets throughout the day on Twitter. You can follow me @JeffSchultzAJC.
If you need to get caught up on the Georgia story, here’s a link to a blog I wrote yesterday when Tucker broke the story, and here’s Tim’s updated news story. My favorite part of Tim’s story might be the remark from former teammate Michael Moore, via Twitter: “Hahaha. This talk about A.J. is hilarious. That country boy ain’t never been to Miami!!! You can put those rumors to rest.”
♦ Alabama coach Nick Saban was a walking soundbite Wednesday on AgentGate. He likened agents to “pimps,” and I’m not sure if he was including his own agent, given his past movement from LSU to Miami (NFL) to Alabama. At one point, Saban also said, “Maybe we need to not be so self-absorbed,” when it comes to this issue. As several readers responded: Pot, meet kettle. Here’s the link to my column on Saban.
♦ Bill Hancock, executive director of the BCS, did a power point presentation, attempting to sell the world on why the BCS is such a great thing. Half the people in the room didn’t believe him. The other half were asleep. Here’s the link to the story.
♦ Lost in everything else yesterday was a great remark from Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen, who took offense to previous remarks from Saban that a drawback to the spread offense (which Mullen coaches at MSU and previously at Florida and Utah) is it doesn’t prepare quarterbacks for the NFL. Mullen’s response: “I’m not going to knock him. I don’t know his personal record. I’ve coached the spread offense and I have a lot of more first-round quarterbacks drafted than he has in his career as a head coach. Develop them for the NFL, I don’t know. In the last six years, I’ve had two of mine [Tim Tebow and Alex Smith] get drafted in the first round.”
That’s it for now. Check back later and I’ll have something new on Georgia.
♦
UPDATE: Threw this into comments below. Richt just met with a small group of reporters (he has yet to hold his formal news conference).
– In short, he said he has been asked by the NCAA not to speak publicly about the “inquiry” into the program, but all I can tell you is he didn’t act overly concerned about it.
– As for A.J. Green, he responded to some questions about his name being brought up in internet reports, saying he is not concerned and he has never even been to Miami (the reference being to stories of an agent’s party in South Beach). We’ll have more on this later.
– Richt, when asked if NCAA is looking at just one or more UGA players: “I don’t know at all and I’ve been asked not to to talk about it.”
– Unlike Saban, Richt said he doesn’t think “agent problem” is any worse now than it was before.
– Richt on “agent problem” “If there was an easy answer, I think we would’ve already found out what it is.”
♦
Previous SEC/Georgia posts
♦ NCAA inquiry is the last thing Georgia and Mark Richt need
♦ It’s no coincidence Saban suddenly is concerned about agents
♦ SEC media days: Hey, who let the BCS in here?
♦ We’re LIVE at SEC media days (with no shortage of storylines)
♦ NCAA reportedly investigating Florida (but temper excitement)
♦ Can Dogs end Alabama-Florida monopoly in SEC title game?
♦ Listen up, Ole Miss: I’ve got Colonel Reb’s replacement
♦
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131 comments Add your comment
Jacob
July 22nd, 2010
9:33 am
NO I am saying 200 million people file returns moron.
TommyJack
July 22nd, 2010
9:34 am
No dawg fan, but I wouldn’t wish this on any SEC team.
GeoffDawg
July 22nd, 2010
9:35 am
Jacob, it’s called deterrence. I take it you’re not a tax payer either.
dan
July 22nd, 2010
9:36 am
no idiot. it’s called a general statement when you’re sure of something. something uga hasn’t been able to say or think when they play UF. 18/21 losers.
BugKiller
July 22nd, 2010
9:37 am
Jeff, you’re so desperate for any soundbite which tweaks Saban’s nose that you’re going to run with Mullens’ ridiculous statement?
Yeah, he’s had two QBs drafted in the first round. One is a pretty collosal bust that’s kept the 49ers out of the playoffs.
The other is a bust to be.
There is a reason why the NFL is shying away from spread QBs. Yeah, Football Jesus was drafted in the first round. All it takes is one desperate idiot (Josh McDaniels).
Timmy Christ will go the same was as Smith.
Jacob
July 22nd, 2010
9:38 am
deterrence? Theory of war?
Dude just stop now before you make yourself look more demented.
BugKiller
July 22nd, 2010
9:38 am
Jeff, you’re so desperate for any soundbite which tweaks Saban’s nose that you’re going to run with Mullens’ ridiculous statement?
Yeah, he’s had two QBs drafted in the first round. One is a pretty collosal bust that’s kept the 49ers out of the playoffs.
The other is a bust to be.
There is a reason why the NFL is shying away from spread QBs. Yeah, Football Jesus was drafted in the first round. All it takes is one desperate idiot (Josh McDaniels) who traded away a franchise QB and got a kicking tee in return (Kyle Orton).
Timmy Christ will go the same was as Smith.
Jacob
July 22nd, 2010
9:38 am
Just capital gains.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 22nd, 2010
9:39 am
Chad,
Being suspended for the season sure hurt Dez Bryant didnt it! I think he went in the first round, maybe a little bit latter, but to a helluva much better team than if he had played the season. So go back sit back in the corner you hater.
Tech Tony
July 22nd, 2010
9:40 am
Free advice to AJ Green:
If you were there in Miami, admit it. Lying (or not lying) to SI.com and other reporters is one thing, lying to the NCAA is another. The latter, if you’ll ask Dez Bryant, will get you suspended.
The thing I find troubling in all this is that Green’s name (among others) got out. Even if it’s proven he never went to Miami, the association with wrongdoing will outlast his honesty. That is a terrible burden to put on a kid. It’s just wrong.
Chad
July 22nd, 2010
9:42 am
Another idiotic post from a UGA moron. Dez was a top 10 pick. He went around 25th to Dallas. Falling that much cost him millions. Duh.
Ringleader
July 22nd, 2010
9:44 am
Dan……
You are a nobody who knows nothing…..
DawginLex
July 22nd, 2010
9:44 am
I love how the gators can only count to 20 so they say 17-3 or 17 out of 20.
See if any of the gators can decipher this?
15-5
15 out of 20
Hint: football was played before Spurrier arrived at florida
Chad
July 22nd, 2010
9:45 am
I be in Summavil. I don’t even no whar da beach is. riiiight. all your cronies go down there and you play coy. riiigh. the ncaa has some evidence you were there. either that or they are as bad as the gov’t when investigating something.
GeoffDawg
July 22nd, 2010
9:45 am
Jacob, I realize that you’re probably not actually that thick in the skull, but I’ll simplify it for you:
I’m not referring to a nuclear arms race, which I thought would’ve been fairly obvious. Regardless of the sample size, the principle of deterrence is the same. If the regulating body can make random and not “for cause” inquiries (not investigations) at a program, then other programs are more likely to keep their departments and teams as clean as possible fearful that even if their transgressions are not made public by outside sources, they could still be caught and sanctioned.
Seriously, how far in life has playing stupid gotten you?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 22nd, 2010
9:46 am
Chad-
Reading comprehension moron! Learn it. He may have made more up front, but long term playing with the Cowboys, in his backyard, with the elite group of offensive players they have will allow him to be more successful than going to play for the the Chiefs or Browns.
Obviously you know next to nothing about football, and your hate for anything UGA deludes you from rationale thinking. DUH!
alpharettadawg
July 22nd, 2010
9:48 am
Schultz, we needed you at the Ted last night to land a picture of Brooklyn Decker.
Tweets that mention SEC media days: Catching a breath and waiting on Richt | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
July 22nd, 2010
9:49 am
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Dawg Days
July 22nd, 2010
9:52 am
Georgia fans–still living off herschel, buck and lindsey from 1980! 1 title, 30 years ago, but the arrogance continues. Ga loses 3-4 games in 2010—mark it down, while Tech wins the ACC!
GeoffDawg
July 22nd, 2010
9:53 am
Winning the ACC would be equivalent to losing about 4 in the SEC Dawg Days.
juvenal
July 22nd, 2010
10:02 am
trial by media…any group has sinners(i.e., judas iscariot), just pray for them…
Crimedog
July 22nd, 2010
10:04 am
As usual, Richt has his sanctimonious head stuck in the sand.
dobearsbare
July 22nd, 2010
10:05 am
I wouldn’t read anything into Richt not seeming “overly concerned.” The man keeps his cool no matter what’s going on. I hope he doesn’t have reason to be concerned, but his demeanor is like Tom Glavine’s.
Tech Tony: Thanks for being a voice of reason on here.
TUCK FECH
July 22nd, 2010
10:10 am
I saw all the TECH players in Miami….getting Beat Down by IOWA!
Clay
July 22nd, 2010
10:12 am
Hey Dawg Daze, thanks for reminding us! 1980 – 12-0-0 AP and UPI National Champions. you nerds done anything remotely as great as that?
Oh year, a piece of a championship (in a MINOR bowl) in a season where you lost to (caugh, caugh) Virginia.
Since 2001, we’ve only won 2 SEC titles, played for another, won 90 games, finished 2nd, 3rd and a host of top 10s in final polls, oh and won the State title 8 of 9 times.
Hey, you brought it up!!
Charles
July 22nd, 2010
10:15 am
Saddens me that this stuff is the focus of what should have been a good session to talk about actual football…ie, Murray and new-look defense. Hope we can actually get around to that. As far as UGA players being at the party, no chance Green was there…not his style. I’m guessing we probably had a former LB and maybe one or two DTs there, all of whom were either seniors or declared. Much ado about nothing. And Jeff, I’m glad you at least attempted to distinguish between ‘inquiry’ and ‘investigation’…vastly different terms when you’re talking about the NCAA. Now, let’s get to the fun questions.
Riiight
July 22nd, 2010
10:16 am
AJ is just following what he learned from Damon. LIE! Who’s the girl? Oh were just friends. Why are you holding her panties? Oh she asked me to while I drove her home!
Use Powerade..not G_ _ _ _ ade
July 22nd, 2010
10:17 am
I cant even say the name it makes me so sick.
I hate FL that much.
AlwaysAVol
July 22nd, 2010
10:18 am
The NCAA sanctioning Vandy, Kentucky, UGA or UT would be like cutting the legs off a lame horse.
Riiight
July 22nd, 2010
10:22 am
I think he confused Miami with Miami Ohio!
Boo Radley
July 22nd, 2010
10:23 am
Wow. The collective IQ of this blog is dropping by the minute. Here are some really special gems from the mouth breathers above….
“Why would they spend the time and money if they didn’t have some kind of evidence that he was likely or definitely there?” — So, every police investigation or DA inquirey is always correct, otherwise if the person wasn’t guilty why would they spend money investigating? I mean, before the begin investigating they just somehow know before hand that the person is “likely or definately” guilty. Right? Brilliant.
Rocky Mountain Bulldog
July 22nd, 2010
10:24 am
Agents are lawyers are they not. Enough said.
Swimming Plans
July 22nd, 2010
10:37 am
Richt is furious at his players for taking money! He’s so mad, he may not take these players swimming during the summer practice sessions!
DP
July 22nd, 2010
10:39 am
Jeff, you’re showing an astonishing lack of character with the continuing misleading comments on Saban. You say you’re not sure if he was talking about his own agent. I saw his Q&A yesterday and he couldn’t have been more clear that he was not talking about most agents, just a few rogues. He said the established agents with good reputations don’t do things to jeopardize the eligibility of college athletes and that it was unfair to them for the sleazy ones to go after college players that are off limits to them.
Jeff, your distortion of Saban’s comments puts you in the company of the conservative website that intentionally clipped the speech of Shirley Sherrod to quote her out of context. You’re becoming another Paul Finebaum, a muckraking bomb thrower. Can’t you remember back to when you had ideals and wanted to be a real journalist?
Sweet Home Alabama
July 22nd, 2010
10:41 am
Every day a different story for the MUTTS.Congrats you are the number one outlaw school in the southeast and probably the whoele world.
its dont have too be like this MUTTS,dont you have any pride left.
Please come visit us sometime ,I promise you that you will need more than 1 QB.
ROLL TIDE ROLL………….
Tide Rising
July 22nd, 2010
10:47 am
“and I’m not sure if he was including his own agent, given his past movement from LSU to Miami (NFL) to Alabama”
Never miss a chance to take potshots at Saban do ya?
As far as Saban’s agent being a pimp I guess we can now say the same about Spurrier-Fa-to nfl-to USCe, Bill Parcells and his various moves, Pete Carroll-pros to USCw-to pros again-, and really just any coach out there who has changed jobs as a natural progression through a coaching career.
HugoStiglitz
July 22nd, 2010
10:50 am
Im inclined to believe AJ. If he were lying then he would be putting the UGA program in danger and sacrificing millions of dollars as his draft stock would completely plummet. I dont think he is that stupid. If he was there then it will come out, he wont be able to hide it so lying about it now would be more then stupid. As for Richt, he is certainly earning his paycheck this offseason. UGA cant stay out of the news.
DP
July 22nd, 2010
11:12 am
Jeff writes:
“Alabama coach Nick Saban was a walking soundbite Wednesday on AgentGate. He likened agents to “pimps,” and I’m not sure if he was including his own agent, given his past movement from LSU to Miami (NFL) to Alabama.”
Jeff is a liar. He doesn’t like Saban and he’s an “opinion” columnist, which in the internet age has come to mean traditional standards of journalism like accuracy and context are out the window. Jeff knows Saban was not talking about his own agent because Saban made it clear he was only talking about a relative handful of rogue agents who go after college athletes with remaining eligibility. Here’s what Saban said yesterday at his press conference on the subject of agents:
“Somebody has to control and police what agents do, which is the responsibility of the NFL Player’s Association, which ultimately is the responsibility of the NFL. And because it’s not even fair to their peers, and other agents, because the good guys and good agents don’t do this kind of stuff. They don’t break the rules and recruit guys and give them money and fly them all over the country and do things like that, that create eligibility issues for players which affects their future, and it breaks the rules of their own organization. And it’s not fair to the players, it’s not fair to the institutions who are penalized by this and it’s not even fair to the professionalism in their own organization because they’re being unfair to their peers.”
Jeff, it’s OK to say you hate Saban, it’s not OK to lie about him or anybody else.
GeoffDawg
July 22nd, 2010
11:17 am
Ok DP, we get it! You’re in love with Saban. Sheesh.
Tide Rising
July 22nd, 2010
11:22 am
GeoffDawg,
Its a matter of fairness and accuracy. You probably wouldn’t like it if Schultz made misleading or inaccurate comments about Richt.
DP
July 22nd, 2010
11:23 am
No GeoffDawg, you don’t get it. What I think about Saban has nothing to do with it. I don’t think it’s reasonable for a newspaper writer to intentionally lie about a public figure who was very clear in his comments.
Maybe that’s too subtle a point for you to grasp.
Jeff has turned into a Paul Finebaum, more interested in stirring the pot than being a journalist with integrity.
Lee Corso
July 22nd, 2010
11:28 am
To paraphrase Jerry Tarkanian, the NCAA is so mad at Florida and Alabama that they are going to give Vanderbilt the death penalty.
GeoffDawg
July 22nd, 2010
11:28 am
I think if something is demonstrably false, that’s one thing but misleading comments are a matter of opinion. It’s obvious that Schultz doesn’t care for Saban personally but in hearing him talk about Saban on 790 this morning, he has a great respect for him as a coach. That being said, I think Schultz, along with just about every blogging columnist at the ajc, has now and then made misleading or provocative comments about Coach Richt or the Georgia program. You can’t easily change somebody’s opinion, especially if you’re confrontational in your response, so for the most part I like to just take it in stride, state my reasoning and have fun with it.
GeoffDawg
July 22nd, 2010
11:30 am
Just making a joke DP. I think you might be a bit oversensitive this morning.
Layla Kiffin
July 22nd, 2010
11:32 am
DP, step away from the computer, take a deep breath and count to ten. Okay now big fella, ask mommy for a juicebox and then take a nice long nap- I promise everything will be all better when you wake up. Maybe you can even watch Spongebob!
Knute Rockne
July 22nd, 2010
11:37 am
Nck Saban 2006- I will not be the coach at Alabama
Sleazy Agents 2010- We learned everything we know about being sleazy from you Nick!
TampaGator
July 22nd, 2010
11:46 am
Interesting…….Mike Pouncey stood before the media (and Maurkice made a direct statement with a lawyer to the media) that neither he or nor his brother had anything to do with the agent/money issue….but AJ Jones has “no comment” about the Miami issue??? Honestly…..that does not put the best picture forward for AJ…..even if he is innocent. How come he didn’t completely and infatically deny the charge and go on with the football questions??? Not saying he is guilty….but…..it sure seems like “it is” his place to comment on the story….all he had to say, if it is the truth, is “I never have been to Miami” and we can believe him. Again…I am not saying AJ is guilty of anything….but I do not understand the “no comment” strategy….it just seems to make the situation more explosive for him…and the U of GA. If he is innocent…why not say so in front of the entire nation?
TampaGator
July 22nd, 2010
11:54 am
Boy….the exitment is building….Vandy is up next. Here’s the first question from the media:
“Coach Caldwell…..how many of your players spent the night in the girls dorm…and we know that breaks the rules because no agent will be able to find them there….studying for the recent chemistry exam….and did any of the girls present help the players with understanding the relationship between….?”
Tide Rising
July 22nd, 2010
11:58 am
Geoffdawg,
I’m probably just a little more sensitive about the Saban issue because of the constant disinformation that is bantered about him and the whole Miami situation. 2 days ago I was in my car listening to .680 and a guy(didn’t listen long enough to see who it was) was ranting about Nick Saban. He said Saban lied to Wayne Heizenga’s face and then got on a plane to Tuscaloosa a couple hours later. Complete and total BS. Saban left on good terms with Heizenga in Hiezenga’s own words and Saban kept him fully abreast of the situation after the nfl season was over. He also had enough respect for Wayne to refuse to even talk to Bama till after the completion of the NFL season. But yet now anyone listening to that program has the completely wrong idea of what happened because this guy was either too lazy to look up the facts or simply said stuff that he thinks happened. Is it any wonder that when sports columnists and radio personalities simply make stuff up as they think it happened that Saban is one of the 10 most hated sports people in the US?
GeoffDawg
July 22nd, 2010
11:59 am
TampaGator, that may be because Claude Felton has asked that people associated with the football team and/or athletic department to make no further comments until the inquiry is complete. Besides, he’s already told his coach and others involved that he’s never been to Miami which in turn has been highly publicized by the media. How many times does he need to say it?