No more excuses — Georgia’s arrests fall on Mark Richt
Mark Richt has been buried in police reports since March.
(UPDATED at 3:30 p.m. with booking and suspension.)
Before you dismiss this as just another trivial arrest in a 24-7, TMZ flip-cam media world, ask yourself this:
What would you be thinking if this was Florida or Alabama or Tennessee? Would your first reaction be, “This is no big deal. Everybody is picking on us”?
What if this was Nick Saban or Urban Meyer or Houston “I’m Just Trying To Save The World One Quarterback At A Time” Nutt? Would you really be absolving the head coach — in this case, Mark Richt — of any responsibility?
Georgia’s football program has hit nine on the arrest chart. That’s nine since March.
Kickoff is Saturday. There’s still time to run out of fingers.
Here’s the latest: Campus police have booked freshman safety Alec Ogletree on misdemeanor charges of theft by taking and he has been suspended for the season opener. Ogletree, a prized member of their 2010 recruiting class, is charged with stealing a $35 scooter helmet from the Rankin Smith Center on June 15 (police discovering only this week that the helmet was in his possession).
Forget that we’re only talking about a $35 helmet. There’s no such thing as a minor incident any more. There’s a cumulative effect.
I realize this is difficult for some people to accept. We live for this time of year, not just because of our obsession with college football but because, as Richt said this week, “It’s good to be undefeated.” What you feel in Athens, they feel even in Starkville.
But when nine players get arrested between spring and opening kickoff, something is wrong.
Please, no more apologies.
I’ve had it with apologists. They live among the fan base (who claim police are just out to get athletes). They live among the coaching fraternity (because to blame another coach sets themselves up for higher standards). They live among the media (some of whom are too afraid of burning bridges with the program and not having the coach smile at them any more).
Bottom line: This falls on Richt. It’s his program. It’s his responsibility. It’s on his watch.
He doesn’t have to be the one drinking-and-driving. Or hitting-and-running. Or drinking-and-groping. Richt recruited these players, signed these players and ultimately determined, “They will represent the University of Georgia well.” Either he is picking too many of the wrong guys, or he’s not saying or doing enough of the right things when they get here. Regardless, don’t deny the problem.
Richt said Friday he was “disappointed” and that Ogletree is “responsible for a poor decision and will serve a minimum one-game suspension.” He was so angry when running back Washaun Ealey was arrested for a hit-and-run — which occurred while he was driving with a suspended license — that he didn’t even want to speak to Ealey. That anger is justified. The question is whether his suspension of Ealey will last beyond the Louisiana-Lafayette game — because that’s a small notch above running steps in Sanford Stadium.
Forcing Ealey to miss the South Carolina game — that would hurt. Of course, that also would hurt Georgia, and the South Carolina game is really important, right?
When asked at his news conference this week if, in so many words, there was a flaw in his discipline structure, Richt responded: “The flaw is if a guy does something that deserves to be disciplined and you don’t discipline him. That’s where the flaw is. The flaw is in us as humans. We’re flawed, we’re human, we make mistakes. When we make a mistake, then we get disciplined for it. As long as we have 18- to 22-year old guys who are human beings, they are going to make mistakes. That’s just all there is to it. If you don’t discipline it, you have a problem. If they don’t learn from it, then they have a problem.”
Actually, it goes beyond that. If players don’t learn from it, Richt has a problem. And he does.
No more excuses. This falls on him.
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1,737 comments Add your comment
Matty Ice....Real Name No Gimmicks
September 3rd, 2010
12:15 pm
And I seriously doubt we are considered the “Desspool of the South”. I have actually never heard that except from extremists on blogs who love to sit around and overreact to things like this
mcgdawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:16 pm
One way at stopping these arrests is to have THE ENTIRE TEAM running steps at 5:30 in the AM for the next person’s screw-up….it’s called PEER PRESSURE OPENING A CAN OF WHOOP A$$….SELAH!
Matty Ice....Real Name No Gimmicks
September 3rd, 2010
12:16 pm
Cesspool*
Gen Neyland
September 3rd, 2010
12:16 pm
Did the run for the Fulmer Cup go into overtime..?
doggyboy
September 3rd, 2010
12:16 pm
This is it for me. I am so embarrassed to claim my degree from Georgia right now with the way Richt has let our program degenerate into a laughingstock around the country. Richt says the “right thing” in public…but I now sincerely believe that he is just in it for the money and could care less about how UGA is seen and represented. I just hope our new AD will make the tough yet correct decision to let him go.
Jona
September 3rd, 2010
12:16 pm
I hate to say it but we might have to kick a few (more) of the players off the team until the point gets across. I love the Bulldogs and I’m getting sick of some punks giving the school a bad name. They’ve been coddled all through Pop Warner and high school and had they’re butts kissed all along the way. They already have a sense of entitlement. Unless they are given a serious dose of reality now, then nothing but trouble awaits in the future. I have been in full support of Coach Richt through all the previous BS going on with the team and realize it’s tough dealing with these issues but the time has come to draw a line in the sand and dare any freakin one of them to cross it. Not gassers, stadium steps etc. Their butts are gone. Junior College will be their alternative.
82Dawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:16 pm
Ok what the kid was wrong and this is getting old.BUT my question is why did it take 3 months for this to come out? Can someone with a legitimate answer please tell me. So all you haters that leaves you out….
Jimmy
September 3rd, 2010
12:16 pm
I would argue, sensationalism in journalism, contributing to the dumbing down of society, and curtailing critical thinking, and journalist putting blog hits above truth, is a much larger issue than a kid allegedly stealing a $35 helmet.
If I’m wrong, and Jeff is right, Richt will be fired shortly, if it’s as big of a deal as Jeff says, Richt should be fired.
c
September 3rd, 2010
12:17 pm
Why are my posts not coming through? Because I’m calling Jeff and the AJC and the media wh*res for making an issue out of such a non-issue?
When a story is worth telling, tell it. But these non-issues that become headlines. Shame on you. You are wh*res: being paid to get your jollies… Absurd…..
The laughingstocks in this issue: the media… the Athens police dept who obviously don’t have a dang better thing to do with their time and energy–who have no discretion, no common sense. And those of you on this blog calling these kids thugs and blaming Richt.
Underage alcohol issues? not worth a fart… 90%+ of underage students are guilty. A law that totally ignored is a meaningless law. And now a disagreement about a helmet… Dammmm….
This isn’t sensationalism? I mean, seriously: a journalist dares defend himself for this flatulence? And upset that he’s justifiably being called a wh*re?
Why do we not see stories in here about Ga Tech athletes? Because, for crying out loud (how obvious does this have to be???!!!) the Atlanta police have something to do! There jobs matter! Everyone who’s spend any time in Athens at all knows that police over there are pitiful. They must not have a thing to do worth doing……
a mom
September 3rd, 2010
12:17 pm
I find it impossible to believe that nothing, absolutley nothing, ever happens at a Tech campus, at a Bama campus at VA Tech. Of course it does! It is “reduced to a misdemeanor” or dealt with behind closed doors. For some reason, whether it is the ghost of Jan Kemp or the voodoo doll that Urban Myers still has in his back pocket from the dance in the end zone, EVERYTHING that UGA players do makes it to the headlines of the AJC. Cut me a freakin’ break!
wintervilledawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:18 pm
For goodness sakes relax! None of you have any idea of how Richt punishes these players. It’s all specualtion. You don’t even have the entire story of this situation yet you are ready to jump off the program. Please do so, so that the rest of us can get tickest to the game and don’t have to have our backyard trashed by a bunch of rich boy rednecks who have no standards for their own behavior, yet are so ready to point the finger.
GaDawgs7
September 3rd, 2010
12:18 pm
Another point…yes, richt, along with many other college coaches, recruited these kids. I’m sure they looked at character as well as talent, talked to coaches about the kids, looked at grades, etc. What most people miss, though, is that these kids were living at home then, and under the supervision of parents, grandparents, etc. Take any 18 yr old kid and move him away from home and give him freedom, and many will make mistakes. Some just don’t get caught, and may times, they make mistakes, get caught, and learn from it. forces them to grow up. Coaches have responsibility, but they can’t be with every kid every second of the day. With that said, I do think some control needs to be tightened down. The point, though, is that just because a kid makes a mistake doesn’t make him a bad kid necessarily, just means he made bade decisions. Everyone deserves a second chance…however, when they fail again, then I think its fair to consider releasing them from the program
AltamahaDawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:19 pm
I assume that you folks are perfectly fine if your kid happen to just be the one (ealey) to suffer the half year suspension for an offense that was clearly defined as a one game suspension, (and what the schedule says is irrelavant) because the fans and sports writers say so. Sure you would.
Want to change the rules going forward……..great. Maybe he should. WE alrady have stricter penalties than any of the other schools we compete with, but maybe UGA just needs to be disproportionately stricter for our own good. Great, make that decision going forward and let’s see how that works. But we have what are called contracts, understandings, and fairness issue in the real world, and you don’t hold a kid repsonsible for the silly crap before him.
ryan
September 3rd, 2010
12:20 pm
Lattimore is going to run all over UGA Connor Shaw is going to be special .
Big Red Machine
September 3rd, 2010
12:20 pm
Jeff:
What’s worse, journalists who try and get more hits to their website, regardless of the facts
or
Theft of an object with value less than $40 bucks?
Just Curious
September 3rd, 2010
12:20 pm
If this was your kid, and you just heard about this via Jeff’s column, would you (a) for-ever ban the child from ever stepping foot in your home again, (b) call the school, and demand the immediate firing of Richt, and all of the other coaches, (c) shoot yourself for being a parental failure, or (d) wait to you had more information before jumping to conclusions.
THEsidewalkfan
September 3rd, 2010
12:20 pm
all right yo yo ma – is there anyone out there who makes an effort to be wrong? be self righteous can also be walking the walk. or can no one have a differing opinion? whatever. Breaking rules is Cool™. you can use that.
Phildo
September 3rd, 2010
12:21 pm
St. Mark will will spout his well worn spiel, make him sit out a game and that’s it (unless maybe if he was a walk-on – which this guy is not – with no potential value and then, lower the boom). The problem is no longer the players, it’s the coach and the administration, and in this case the coach is proving to be a huge hypocirite. Yes, this is a minor transgression in a sense, but is it really when it comes to basic ethics? Perhaps not.
Matthews Dawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:21 pm
I just read on another blog that the helmet in question was seen by the owner in the possession of Alec Ogletree. Why didn’t the person have the guts/b@!!$ to go up to him and say “hey, where did you get that helmet? I had mine lost or stolen can I check it out?” But, noooooooo he ran to the UGA police and acted like he had his car/scooter stolen. Maybe he did say something to him and he was afraid, I don’t know. But, in college/high school/adult, I’m confronting the guy and not being a whoosy and running to the cops. There HAS to be more to this story than is reported. I’ll wait until then.
joemoedee
September 3rd, 2010
12:21 pm
College Football is under a microscope due to the amount of media coverage and money tied up in it. ESPN, ABC, CBS, Big Ten Network, SEC Network… 24/7 coverage on TV, Internet, Radio… it’s not like it was in the 80s or 90s for that matter. These things have always happened, there just wasn’t the coverage of it like there is now.
It’s just like crime, if you watch the news it appears the sky is falling with constant crime, and that its so much worse now than it use to be. However, statistically, it’s safer now than it was 30 years ago. College football players have committed stupid actions for years, it’s just now there’s many more outlets to report on it. When coverage included a 45 second snippet on the news, and possibly one article in the newspaper… many incidents such as this one would go unreported.
Nowadays with the increased level of coverage on competition between all media outlets, you see much more coverage of all aspects of college football. If journalists smell smoke, they look for the fire. Bad news sells (See my previous statement of crime reporting on the news), good news goes unnoticed. Out of the almost 100 players on the team, when was the last article of one of the players doing something decent? Are we to believe that it’s a bunch of guys that do nothing, and a handful of guys that screw up?
UGA’s football program has had an increased amount of players commit infractions, mostly small ones. To condemn Richt for it is laughable. Out of all of the infractions, who’s was actually serious? Mettenberger, who potentially was the starting QB for this year. In years past, the potential “star” would be off-limits to be disciplined. Richt kicked him off the team. The punishment needs to fit the crime, and it seems to me that is how Richt handles business.
dap01
September 3rd, 2010
12:21 pm
Jeff, are you the designated “anti UGA” writer or are you personally an anti UGA writer?
What would you do that CMR has not already do?
What additional punishments would you have done?
What words would you offer that would cover a helment?
Have you questioned the situation when it seems like there is some type of vendetta going on?
What recruit has CMR went after that you would have advised against?
Where is your column when CJP says G– D— on the sidelines on TV?
Really?
September 3rd, 2010
12:22 pm
Please stop pointing out that other programs have similar issues. It’s true and it’s not relevant. And to the people that keep pointing out Florida’s issues, where exactly did your new ad used to work? And for how long?
athensdawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:22 pm
mcgarity needs to rewrite richts contract……every legal incident = $100,000 fine for him and subsequent fines for the rest of the coaching staff.
maybe then he might get his head out of his bible and do something.
coach richt’s “witness” is going down the tubes along with any credibility that he has.
he recruits thugs and underachieves……barry switzer and jimmy johnson got thugs and won.
not to say that’s better…but i’m just saying.
Alabama Jack
September 3rd, 2010
12:22 pm
Well, at least now we know the color of the helmets they will wear – Panty Red. Will go well with black and white striped unis.
bjohndawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:22 pm
Why the hell would a football player want to steal a helmet?
Seems he could get one whenever he wanted
And it happened on June 15 and they are just now getting around to calling the police.
Something does not smell right on this one.
@BigUGAFan
September 3rd, 2010
12:22 pm
Yes, I have heard of a high school suspending their star quarterback … Butler High School in NC suspended their star qb, Christian LeMay. Oh that’s right, he is UGA’s #1 recruit for next season. No wonder he picked the Dawgs. He knows he will fit right in and be protected here.
mike bobofet
September 3rd, 2010
12:23 pm
you all do realize that this puts uga in the early lead for the 2011 fulmer cup right?
dawg no more
September 3rd, 2010
12:23 pm
The issue is not the latest event but the escalation of occurances over the past few years. The leadership at all universities have a responsibility to insure not only education but a safe environment. At UGA there is an imbalance in total student population crime level and athletic association crime levels. 9 of 85 scholarship football players is a rate of 15%.
How do you manage this situation? I offer several opinions. First, due diligence on your recruits. If there is a background issue, don’t ignore it because the offender is a great athlete. Next, create expectations of behavior. See examples at many other universities. Third, insure that penalties are attention getting not purely cosmetic. First offenders v multiple offenders receive different penalties. These penalties must escalate to the extent of expulsion, if the offender does not learn.
To excuse Coach Richt is not acceptable. He is the leader of the team. He is the person that must set and enforce the guidelines. A reputation of rightousness that he has tried to exhibit is becoming one of hypocrisy. You cannot talk the talk but must walk it.
dap01
September 3rd, 2010
12:23 pm
Is the AJC simply typing stuff to get hits on the blog?
daltondawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:23 pm
not saying this is an excuse but I know on several differnt occassions of athletes getting in trouble with campus police at different institutions and they were taking straight to there Coaches instead of Jail.This goes on everywhere and only a few places go by the law and arrest athletes. But Georgia needs to do something about this problem now>>>
Police Blotter
September 3rd, 2010
12:24 pm
Jeff.
These UGA so called fans in their “Glass Stadiums” should not be throwing footballs or “HELMETS”.
Jeff Schultz
September 3rd, 2010
12:24 pm
Lindsey — You’re right that Richt can’t make choices for his players (and yes I believe in free will, as somebody else commented). But this is his program and he’s responsible for all components of it. Even he would tell you that.
SEC1
September 3rd, 2010
12:24 pm
As a UGA alumnus and lifetime alumni club member, I must say that, for the first time, I am frankly ashamed of my university.
I will no longer be donating to UGA until I see a clear change in the collective behavior of the student athletes. Perhaps I will re-evaluate on an annual basis. If there are no arrests, then I would be happy to support UGA financially. I hope more Alumni follow my lead and send a STRONG message to the coaches and leadership that this will NOT be tolerated.
How much do we have to endure? Seriously…
Your thoughts, Jeff?
Reese
September 3rd, 2010
12:24 pm
85% of readers say it’s the player’s fault when arrests happen.
15% agree with Jeff.
Jeff is not in line with what 85% of people think here.
Here’s the survey:
http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2010/07/12/blame-mark-richt-hes-not-the-one-whos-embarrassing-uga/
Jeff Schultz
September 3rd, 2010
12:24 pm
Jimmy, the blog is not about one incident.
Confused
September 3rd, 2010
12:24 pm
I realize your job is to speak on the merits of UGA and other Georgia sports programs, but I can’t help but think other programs do MUCH LESS than UGA in the sense of punishment. For example, you chastise Richt’s punishment of Ealey for the LL game as a “small notch above running steps in Sanford Stadium.” However, Urban Meyer turned a blind eye as two of his new star players were arrested for underage consumption/possession and gave them NO suspension of any kind (The same charge that is forcing Tavarres King to miss the opening game). Notre Dame had like 11 players arrested for underage possession/consumption yet miss no game time. Tennessee had 7-12 players beat the ever living crap out of an off duty police officer at a bar and only, what, two guys got any punishment? Also, South Carolina’s Garcia got all this love and admiration from the media last night yet he was arrested three times while in school and never missed any game time; none whatsoever. If you go back and check, one of his arrests were for destruction of personal property (scratched or dented a professor’s vehicle).
Additionally, a lot of coaches pick and choose the games that players must sit out (meaning they skip a big game in order to sit for an easier game). I know Spurrier has done this in the past, but I’m sure other coaches do this as well. Just seems a bit strange that Richt catches all of this heat for his punishment (which he punishes the players EVERY TIME) whereas other coaches are much worse and you and everyone knows it. Now, this isn’t to say that these arrests aren’t embarrassing as they are. Especially for someone who has two degrees from UGA. I’m just confused why you write with such vitriol for a guy who is, without a doubt, punishing his players for mistakes and he, unfortunately, has to continue to do it in a public setting.
Should Richt put us at a recruiting/performance disadvantage by kicking every player arrested (whether it is DUI or Underage Consumption) off the team? That would just allow you and the rest of the writers to talk about how terrible our football team is. Doesn’t make sense to me.
AltamahaDawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:25 pm
BTW the other papers in the state are already reporting the details….
76-DAWG
September 3rd, 2010
12:25 pm
Don’t blame CMR for character traits missing in 18 to 23 year old kids. Put the blame where it belongs on the PARENTS. These kids came to UGA with no discipline. They have been spoiled so long by their family’s actions or inaction, letting them know they can do no wrong, that when they get to college rules that keep things organized and peaceful have been none existent in their life. CMR does need to realize one thing , that every kid was not raised like his kids in the church ,humble and knowing right from wrong.You have to treat a lot of kids like the military does when they turn anti-social kids into well disciplined and organized men with values they will need to peacefully and productively live in today’s world.
Lefty LaRue
September 3rd, 2010
12:25 pm
Bill Bennett wrote a book entitled, “Where’s the Outrage?”
Where is the outrage proud Georgia fans?
The UGA program has gone awry Big Time. Instead of condoning the multiple arrests and thugisms why not become outraged that the program is out of control and embarrassing to all and blame the Coach and the players and, yes, the new AD. Get some accountability going.
It is laughable that you are blaming the victims, the police, and the press when the outrage should be with the university and its student/athletes, student/inmates, and the coaches.
Georgia State has more going for it right now than UGA. What’s next, an arrest on national TV?
Through th
dap01
September 3rd, 2010
12:25 pm
This blog is about as journalistic as ESPN’s coverage of a golf tourneyment where Tiger finishes 37th, yet gets more coverage than the winner of the event.
Can we have journalism without obvious bias?
Jeff Schultz
September 3rd, 2010
12:25 pm
Scott — Yes, I’m responsible for the decline of newspapers. You got me.
Alphare
September 3rd, 2010
12:25 pm
Jeff, when you say 9, do you include Damon and LeMay?
Pepe Frias played here.
September 3rd, 2010
12:26 pm
I have not read who is really to blame for all of this . This isnt just a Ga, or Tenn. or UF problem. It is a NCAA problem. Ever since those geniuses legislated athletic dorms out of existance, this has been a problem with athletics. These are kids and they need discipline.
Restablish the athletic dorm s, let the coach or coaches live in the living quarters, run bed checks, make sure they are going to class and earning good grades and that they show up to practice on time.
See, it isnt that hard. Maybe , when they become seniors , they can live in the general student population.
Until then, you are going to hear about arrests of college athletes for years to come.
There is not a thing a coach can do about it.
Andrew
September 3rd, 2010
12:26 pm
So someone in Athens told the police to quit turning a blind eye to the football players. The only thing that’s changed here is that they don’t get away with what they used to.
Police Blotter
September 3rd, 2010
12:26 pm
Jeff.
To many of these Bone Heads..if you did not report it, it would all go away. However if you did not report it and ESPN, College Football News, Rivals or Scout reported it, you would be accused of not doing your job or being a “homer”..You know you can not win with UGA fans,,,and whose fans are the worst in the SEC?
joemoedee
September 3rd, 2010
12:26 pm
Top 20 recruit Christian LeMay? Who had consensual sex with a female? He’s clearly a full on delinquent and must be stopped.
82Dawg
September 3rd, 2010
12:26 pm
Alabama Jack ….guess there is nothing but saints at Bama
Bride of Chucky Knapp
September 3rd, 2010
12:27 pm
Basically you’re forced to recruit people who do not belong in college to be competitive, or even attempt to be competitive. Until there’s an actual NFL farm system, college football will continue to have problems.
Reese
September 3rd, 2010
12:27 pm
Jeff-
Why not include a survey question to see how many readers agree wiht you, that it’s Richt’s fault when a player gets arrested?
Perhaps you’re right.
THEsidewalkfan
September 3rd, 2010
12:27 pm
this blog is on fire