Georgia can’t move on while A.J. Green is a walking rumor
Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green (crossing his arms) was forced to sit out Georgia's opener against Louisiana-Lafayette. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
ATHENS – If there was any doubt that Mark Richt has become a little gun shy when it comes to the game status of his players, consider this: When asked if all of Georgia’s suspended players would be returning this week, he said: “If they behave.”
When asked specifically about Washaun Ealey’s return, Richt said: “If nothing happens between now and then.”
Ever have a speeding ticket or an accident on your driving record and you were just waiting for the moment when it finally dropped off so insurance rates would go down? That’s sort of where the Bulldogs are at this week — or at least should be at kickoff Saturday at South Carolina. Three players (Ealey, Tavarres King, Alec Ogletree) return from suspensions. Others among the nine arrests since the spring have been either kicked out, transferred or are out of Bulldog timeout.
Only A.J. Green still has an issue.
He’s not free. He’s not suspended. It’s more like he’s in NCAA limbo.
Now, it would be very easy for me to fill the next few paragraphs with rumors about why Georgia held Green out of the season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette and why, when the team’s new depth chart came out Tuesday, his name was listed below the rest of the flankers, in italics, with an asterisk and adjacent to the notation, “Status TBD.”
But I won’t do it.
We hear rumors every day. I used to tell people that when it comes to rumors and the personal lives of athletes, I don’t write 90 percent of what I hear and/or see and know. Unfortunately, in today’s too often moronic, TMZ-obsessed world, where everybody has a camera phone, a blog or access to anonymous commenting on message boards, too much is thrown against the digital wall. Far more than 90 percent goes unreported. Media must constantly react to generally irrelevant, nonsensical and often baseless “reports,” like whether an NFL quarterback really took pictures of his nether regions and texted them to a woman.
If Ernie Pyle was subjected to today’s media, he would be asked to chase down a rumor about whether Churchill and Roosevelt once dated the same Hooters waitress.
Back to Green: We should have some resolution this week. Richt said as much Tuesday: “I’d be highly disappointed if we didn’t hear something this week.”
But understand this: The NCAA isn’t stalling. It’s not intentionally trying to make Green, Richt or Georgia fans miserable. There are reasons this is taking so long. If this investigation centered on something as simple as whether a player took a plane ticket to party with an agent in South Beach, it likely would have been resolved by now.
Is it certain Green did something against the rules? No. But there is a reasonable belief among NCAA investigators that he may have. He is being investigated for a reason. So please, no more conspiracy theories.
The most remarkable thing about of all this is that Green has not seemed openly worn down by the chain of events.
“I actually talk to him a lot because all of my roommates are receivers –Tavarres King and a couple of walk-ons,” center Ben Jones said. “He doesn’t really show his emotions. He doesn’t act like it’s affecting him much.”
When asked if Green was anxious to return this week, receiver Kris Durham said: “I’m sure he is, especially with this being South Carolina week and that’s his home state. I’m sure he’s ready to play. But unfortunately he has to wait and see what the ruling is. But he’s still preparing like he’s gonna play this week.”
Quarterback Aaron Murray said he sat with Green and King for a time during last week’s game. “I was like, ‘Hey, when you all get back to work, let’s have a great week of practice and get ready for the game.’ They definitely were upset that they weren’t out there, but it fueled them even more.”
At this point, dealing with the rumors and extended purgatory seems worse than any definite suspension Green may get. There’s a certain comfort in knowing what you’re dealing with — and why.
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311 comments Add your comment
Sammy B
September 7th, 2010
5:07 pm
Keep up the good work, Jeff. Except for a few loudmouths, everyone loves your column.
Go Grove
September 7th, 2010
5:08 pm
Jeff, are other papers around the country doing alternate versions of the sack schulz contest and that’s where the national contestants play in?
Heath
September 7th, 2010
5:08 pm
Rather, Vince Dooley was supposed to have submitted his findings this month.
Regarding A.J. Green, seems UGA did fine without him. Granted it was against a JV squad, but they usually only beat those teams by a field goal.
turkey caller
September 7th, 2010
5:08 pm
We will know what his status is when and if the NCAA makes a decision. This has been played out to the extent of being ridiculous. There was no need to play him last week as his services weren’t necessarily needed. I think he is an exceptional college receiver but there are others who can fill the position in case something happens. If your skilled playmaker can’t play for whatever reason or reasons then play some of these other kids that don’t have uncertainties casting a shadow. We seem to have a pretty fair receiving corp although I admit Green is a very talented athelete. I feel a bigger concern is whether the OL will open up a running game. I didn’t feel like we really established the rushing game much at all last week.
Boca Baby
September 7th, 2010
5:09 pm
Thanks Jeff for the response. I will be glad when you can take this story to its conclusion. Hopefully Mr Green has not jeopardized his college career.
WIndale
September 7th, 2010
5:09 pm
OK so here it is….I talked to a guy that knows a guy that knows AJ. He said AJ will be cleared Friday and there is no investigation and that we were just saving AJ for Spurrier. That CMR is clever!
Beast from the East
September 7th, 2010
5:11 pm
You guys kill me with your AJC bashing. If you hate it so much, then why read it? Schultz didn’t blast Goergia on here. There’s nothing negative written in the post except for the mention of the nine arrests and the outcomes. That’s not negative….it’s just the facts. Old news anyway.
Back to the subject at hand, I really hope they give UGA an answer this week on AJ’s status. The Dawgs will survive, but it’s really not fair to the young man in question if he is cleared and has already had to miss one game. How can give that back to him? Really a shame beacuse he’s one of the best WR’s in the country.
Blackberry Cobbler
September 7th, 2010
5:14 pm
Schultz– I get through the night just fine thank you. It’s your daily dose of Dawg bashing that we could all live without. Have you ever thought of writing something that requires real brain power? It’s called “journalism”. Your stuff is more suited for ET or TMZ.
superDawg
September 7th, 2010
5:14 pm
Jeff why don’t you investigate the ncaa and find the truth first.You could become a hero.
thanks Jeff
September 7th, 2010
5:15 pm
keep the updates coming and please keep bashing these conspiracy guys
Double Rainbow Guy
September 7th, 2010
5:19 pm
What does it mean Jeff? What does it mean?
WestOfAthens
September 7th, 2010
5:19 pm
One would assume they are “protecting” not only A.J’s availability down the road, but also the possible forfeiture of any games as an entire program.
I commend the patience. After last Saturday’s game, the depth chart is still impressive.
BTW: South Carolina gave up 400 yards of offense to So. Miss, UGA should be just fine. And when AJ returns, look out SEC. NOTE: that last sentence is completely biased, fair example.
Boca Baby
September 7th, 2010
5:19 pm
For all you Schultz bashers: How soon you forget what we had to put up with Terrence Moore. Jeff, glad you are here!
What?
September 7th, 2010
5:19 pm
Jeff, the biggest thing that bothers me is it appeasrs the AJC “Sports” writers think the morons who never actually graduated from UGA or spent a qtr hour on campus academically, represent the “BullDawg Nation” – whatever the “h” that is. These bloggers represent about 250 “fans”, many who we wish we could lose.
Boca Baby
September 7th, 2010
5:23 pm
What?: You are giving away your age or the fact that you are out of touch. UGA has not been on the quarter system for some time now.
ryan
September 7th, 2010
5:23 pm
The rumor is Green’s father lost his job and AJ may have been selling his jerseys to to help his family out.
Brace on my Neck for Impact
September 7th, 2010
5:24 pm
NESBITT FOR HEISMAN – going for 10 yds passing next week
FalconUGAFan
September 7th, 2010
5:26 pm
HA Jeff admits he has an agenda! Wait…oh it was a joke.
Beast…I’m with you. It really isn’t fair to these kids. Let em play if he is clear..if he isn’t, then announce it and be done with it.
Delbert D.
September 7th, 2010
5:27 pm
This is getting ridiculous. What is the NCAA’s basis for investigation, original sin?
What?
September 7th, 2010
5:27 pm
Boca, it’s called a “metaphor”. Look deeper next time….
Brace on my Neck for Impact
September 7th, 2010
5:31 pm
Look AJ Green has put up with enough of this NCAA witch hunt. Move on.
Gator Bob
September 7th, 2010
5:35 pm
Let me start off by saying that I HOPE UGA IS UNDEFEATED coming into the COCKTAIL PARTY!
However – there is a different VIBE out of Columbia this year – and I think USC will beat the dogs. This is always a tough, tough game for both teams.
USC should have won last year – totally outplayed UGA – but UGA found a way!
A big gut feeling that USC wins this game.
Should be a great game to watch!
Brace on my Neck for Impact
September 7th, 2010
5:36 pm
Hey, Schultz have you considered moving out to LA and working for TMZ? Your articles are written with as much journalistic skill as chasing down a celebrity coming out of a restaurant.
Red Panties
September 7th, 2010
5:36 pm
Can’t believe Richt would allow Ogletree to return prior to his case being
resolved. Winning with a convicted thief (if that proves true) is why you sit
Ogletree. At least the NCAA will teach Richt how to discipline players, Greene in particular.
Boca Baby
September 7th, 2010
5:37 pm
What?: I should look a little deeper next time into your anthropomorphic perspective of us little people who are not UGA grads. In case you don’t know there are institutions of higher learning which are far superior to The University of Georgia. And I am a puny little dawg fan but not an alum.
Bug Zapper
September 7th, 2010
5:38 pm
Boca…You’re right!….I forgot how bad Terrance Moore was…..talk about someone with an agenda!…..My problem is that no matter Schultz pi$$e$ me off I still read his crap….my problem I guess!
Chuy Dawg
September 7th, 2010
5:39 pm
Per Chuck Oliver;
AJ to be cleared within the next 2 days. I really hope that articles like these would wait until all the facts come out, but I understand given todays media. This hasn’t been confirmed so I guess its still up in the air, hopefully we get an answer this week one way or another.
Jeff, who’s articles I enjoy reading, still can’t get over what CMR did to him. I would hope he would address that in an article. The bias is there but not as blatant sometimes. It’s almost like FOX NEWS statement of “Fair and Balanced.”
Old Dawg
September 7th, 2010
5:40 pm
I heard a rumor at the Vet school in early August that AJ was selling UGA’s poop to help his dad out and to let everyone know that UGA has the best s…t on the planet. Before that, CMR was selling tapes of his wife serving water from previous seasons with the $$$ paying for Jonathan Richt’s honeymoon.
And before that … a very exclusive tape of Willie M actually designing a great defensive game plan for the Boise State game. Back at the varsity, Larry Munson is rumored to be giving out free frosted orange shakes with the purchase of his new book, “Adventures in Positive Thinking.”
And lest we forget, Lewis Grizzard’s lost book “UGA XII and other Wild Animals I Fathered” is now on sale at Barnes & Nobles, Amazon.com and LuIu.com .
Geez, people. I thought I created great rumors!
Bruce Mac
September 7th, 2010
5:41 pm
Thanks Jeff for reminding us of the 9 arrests. I had almost thought we could turn the page and play football. Also, thanks to all of you juvenile Tech fans who are so overwhelming jealous of everything Red and Black that you must post something irrelavent at every opportunity.
Bruce Mac
September 7th, 2010
5:46 pm
overwhelmingly, don’t want to get chastized by spelling police.
Alabama Jack
September 7th, 2010
5:46 pm
Jeff, I know the Athens Goobers won’t like it, but all in all one of the better takes on all this sorry mess. Well done.
Red Panties
September 7th, 2010
5:47 pm
Schultzy
I like you articles, these homers can stand anyone that doesn’t constantly
heap praise on the second tier bulldogs, they are so jealous of the the elite
SEC schools, Alabama and Florida and several other about to past the dogs.
Georgia will never get back to the glory days with Richt, he is just too nice
a person and a lousy disciplinarian.
.
Paul in RDU
September 7th, 2010
5:49 pm
Jeff – Your point about AJ Green not being worn down by all of the uncertainty is an excellent one. Marvin Austin and Weslye Saunders both started acting up and were suspended indefinitely by Davis and Spurrier, respectively. The fact that Green is still working hard is a credit to him.
Ted Striker
September 7th, 2010
5:53 pm
I don’t know what he did or didn’t do. But what I do know is this — once he declares for the draft, Kim Kardashian is going to be blowing his phone up trying to get a date.
Chuy Dawg
September 7th, 2010
5:57 pm
Funny to see the Bammers and the Turds holding hands all of the sudden.
SOUTHGADAWG88
September 7th, 2010
5:59 pm
I don’t think we need AJ to beat SC.UGA is loaded on offense.If you didn’t know that you will find out sat.This is the most potent offensive group CMR has ever had in Athens.Of course that’s with AJ but even without him they still will score often on the gamecocks
St. Clarkston
September 7th, 2010
6:00 pm
Maybe columnists should refrain from feeding into the rumor mill for the sake of self aggrandization.
1eyedJack
September 7th, 2010
6:00 pm
Me and you Schultz, we’ve had our disagreements, and I’m about as big a Bulldog homer as you’ll ever run across.
I read over the article while the Ball & Chain was bitching to me about some stupid stuff her kid had done, and then I read about an hour and a half of the blog and you know what? I didn’t see what everybody was getting their panties in a wad for. So I went back and re-read it.
I think what has everyone on edge is that this thing has gone on long enough with AJ and we want some closure. And every AJC writer having to either write an article about it or include it in their articles without bringing anything new to the discussion but instead just stirring the same old cabbage is just plain irritating.
By the way, there was really no need to bring up the “nine arrests since the spring” since, again, we have already read it in every article the AJC prints about UGA. Is that some kind of journalism rule?
Other than that I really didn’t take exception to anything except for the fact that I wasted about 5 minutes reading much ado about nothing.
1eyedJack
September 7th, 2010
6:06 pm
Does anybody else feel like you’re waiting for a new Pope to be chosen?
1eyedJack
September 7th, 2010
6:07 pm
And why would AJ be worried? If he never plays another down for UGA his ticket is punched.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 7th, 2010
6:12 pm
Schultz
Give me a break, this is taking to long just like the USC crap
The NCAA likes to sit on its Ivory tower and play the law
Either he did it or not, were not having to wait on DNA here and that only takes 2-3 weeks
They just want to sit and watch you, me, espn, etc. debate on when the ruling will come out while those doing the investigation are kicking it up in Hawaii or some nice vacation spot laughing all the way.
Bottom line the NCAA is a joke JOKE JOKE and I’ll say it again JOKE.
Class dissmissed
Reshad Jones
September 7th, 2010
6:13 pm
I noted last week that this would blow up. Idiots with handles like “Law Dawg” said on this forum – “All is well – AJ cleared before La-Laf game”.
AJ Green lied ot the NCAA – no worse offense in their minds. he’s gone for this season – which of course means gone forever.
Brace on my Neck for Impact
September 7th, 2010
6:15 pm
Maybe columnists should refrain from feeding into the rumor mill for the sake of self aggrandization.
It’s called Sports Talk Radio.
Yellow Fuzz
September 7th, 2010
6:15 pm
My sources tell me that it’s NOT the Miami issue but that the NCAA also uncovered some MAJOR (and I mean MAJOR) rules volations within the football program. It seems that MANY boosters purchased rings for players after last year’s victory over Tech.
Briley Parkway
September 7th, 2010
6:18 pm
Boca Baby, “at least he’s better than Terrence Moore” isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 7th, 2010
6:22 pm
Well, that’s 10 arrests, not 9. I spent a little time in the hoosegow after Saturday’s game, you know. They called it public indecency, but when a mascot’s got to go, he’s got to go. Seems to me the Athens cops are just running wild. Anyhow, the UGA section of the Athens jail isn’t bad; it just lacks a little je ne sais quois.
The good news is that Richt hasn’t said a word or even frowned at me. He doesn’t give me this business about how I’m going to Columbia with the team if I behave. He knows I know a little more than the players about the activities of the coaches. Let’s just say red panties aren’t the only faux pas of the coaching staff. Sorry to use so much French, but I’m the only one on the entire team that can recognize a word of it.
Boca Baby
September 7th, 2010
6:26 pm
Briley Parkway: I am not endorsing Shultz. But at least you can carry on a blog conversation with him. T. Moore didn’t give a rat’s rear end about what you thought about what he said.
Boca Baby
September 7th, 2010
6:28 pm
Yellow Fuzz: As a form of self imposed sanctions the University of Georgia Athletic Association will pay for the rings by refunding the money by using some of the 65 mil we have in the bank.
ryan
September 7th, 2010
6:30 pm
You haters fear AJ Green and thats why you want him gone he is considered the next Andre Johnson.
1eyedJack
September 7th, 2010
6:30 pm
Terrance Moore was a retarded racist. Schultz is not a racist.