Punishment severe, but Georgia Tech made its own mess
Georgia Tech's athletic director Dan Radakovich (right) and president G.P."Bud" Peterson were upset with NCAA's findings and language, but admitted errors. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
There are a number of disturbing words that can be found in an NCAA news release. Booster. Agent. Academic fraud. The dreaded string: Lack of institutional control.
But this one ranks as one of the most troublesome: Manipulate.
If you believe the NCAA, Georgia Tech officials not only failed to cooperate with an investigation into possible impermissible benefits, they impeded, obstructed and tossed up road blocks.
The public infractions report reads like it was crafted by a performance-enhanced novelist. Claims that Tech attempted to “manipulate the information surrounding potential violations.” Claims that the school “hindered efforts to get to the truth.” Claims that former general counsel Randy Nordin, “adopted an obstructionist approach” to the investigation and referred to an NCAA staff member as “demonstratively untruthful.”
Maybe some of that is blather. But too much of it is truth.
Tech and its athletic department were slapped Thursday. They deserved to be.
While a case certainly can be made that the punishment is excessive – the Yellow Jackets effectively were stripped of their only ACC football championship in 2009 because one player received $312 worth of merchandise more than 20 months ago – a better case can be made that they had it coming.
Sorry. But a school whose title includes the words “Institute of Technology” should know how to read a manual.
Jackets coach Paul Johnson lost his ACC title. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
In 2005, Tech went on two years’ probation because it used 17 athletes in four sports (11 in football) that it should have ruled academically ineligible. It lost scholarships and was forced to vacate rules. Now it has been hit with four years’ probation in football and basketball, fined $100,000 and must vacate records from the last three games of the 2009 football season (including the ACC title-game win over Clemson) because it acted stupidly when confronted with charges of using an ineligible player (Demaryius Thomas) and having a former basketball grad assistant involved with an on-campus AAU tournament.
Tech president G.P. “Bud” Peterson and athletic director Dan Radakovich both largely disputed the findings of the NCAA. (Tech had an official 53-page response to a 26-page infractions report.) But they were remorseful and Radakovich even apologized to the football team for the lost ACC title.
Paul Parker, the Jackets’ compliance officer at the time of the infractions, left the school in April to take a job at (ironically) Auburn. Radakovich did not publicly place any blame on Parker. But neither he nor Peterson were as kind to the school’s former counsel, Nordin, who has since retired.
“Perhaps we should’ve done some things differently,” Peterson said. “He didn’t have a great deal of experience in issues like this, and I believe if we had to do this all over again we would’ve hired an outside consultant to advise us and serve as legal counsel.”
He also cited the NCAA report saying that Nordin failed to inform the players of the consequences for lying. “Someone who had the experience working with the NCAA would know that’s their expectation,” Peterson said.
Actually, that seems more like common sense.
So is this: When the NCAA told Peterson and Radakovich not to inform anybody in the football program that an investigation was coming, that wasn’t merely a suggestion. But Radakovich told coach Paul Johnson. It trickled down from there. Radakovich said he never intended to influence the investigation, but he admitted it was a mistake.
Tech’s hearing took place at the worst possible time: the off week before the Georgia game, two weeks before the ACC championship. Thomas, a wide receiver, and safety Morgan Burnett both were the focus of the investigation into the football team. The Jackets rolled the dice. That was a mistake. (Georgia, in a similar situation last year, held out A.J. Green in the season opener before the NCAA suspended him four games for “Jerseygate.”)
Peterson was led to believe the players were innocent. He now says the school should have at least declared Thomas ineligible and then appeal for his immediate reinstatement. (Thomas denied the clothes were given to him by former Tech player Calvin Booker, whom the NCAA considers a runner for an agent. There were no findings with Burnett, but the NCAA blames Tech for letting the players know that investigators were going to ask them questions.)
It all may seem way too convoluted and the punishment too severe for what the NCAA admits ultimately could be a secondary infraction. But the mess is Tech’s doing.
“We could’ve done better,” Peterson said.
A tough lesson to learn.
By Jeff Schultz
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431 comments Add your comment
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:00 pm
good stuff Roddy……..What else ya got. Geez
TheAntiMe
July 14th, 2011
9:01 pm
P.S. Tech gets stripped of an ACC title—(as we SEC fans all know, the ACC is the minor league of college football).
The UGA Bulldogs only wish that they can do anything other than blow Gamecocks every freaking year.
@Stinger
July 14th, 2011
9:03 pm
Here is $312, go get you a new caps key…. GO DAWGS!!! You cheat and still can’t win! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… @Stinger, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Longtimetechfan1980
July 14th, 2011
9:06 pm
It’s a hard pill to swallow, but Tech fans need to realize the athletic program deserves all the backlash it’s currently receiving. This is a disgrace, and some head might roll over this. So, I am going to take it like a man, and grow a tough skin for right now. However, I would remind the Bulldog Nation not to throw to many stones, you’ve got your own problems. As for the nerd jokes, they have long become old.
Paul in RDU
July 14th, 2011
9:06 pm
1962 DAWG
July 14th, 2011
8:53 pm
Jeff
Does this give UGA 10 wins in a row against Ga. Tech?
Yes
———–
You are off a year with the vacated games.
Longtimetechfan1980
July 14th, 2011
9:07 pm
That should say too many stones, sorry for the typo. My English skills are usually better than that.
@whocares
July 14th, 2011
9:09 pm
Since your engineering program is so great, why don’t you guys come up with a coffee pot that can pour right? Haven’t you heard the expression “they don’t make ‘em like they use too”? Well, that is because of the shotty engineers coming out of your joke of a school. Just build something right… There is a reason that NASA is scrapping their shuttle program…
TheAntiMe
July 14th, 2011
9:11 pm
The comments by some of these Dawg fans on here really make them look like Jerry Springer rejects. It seems that some of you Dawgs are the ones who were actually cheated out of a 6th-grade education. I guess it just makes sense that you would be bitter.
Spike
July 14th, 2011
9:11 pm
Maybe Georgie O’Leary can add this to his resume.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:12 pm
Nerd Jokes you say: Like flipping burgers, living in a trailer. UGA not a real college, Thugs, Super size my order mutt…………….Those kind of jokes people getting tired of. It cuts both ways.
Worm
July 14th, 2011
9:12 pm
Tech acted as always-Arrogant…Lack of Institutional Control at the Institute..
One only needs to look to Athens and the fact Georgia sat A.J. Green under similar circumstances.
This was the best kept secret since “Awnold’s” love child..Where were you AJC?..Tech thought this would NEVER come to light..Bunch of arrogant sob’s.
thwg
July 14th, 2011
9:13 pm
All I can say is that if this is the punishment for GT, then UNC and USC, and particularly Ohio State should get the death penalty.
juvenal
July 14th, 2011
9:14 pm
getting rid of braine & oleary kept me from just going hunting in the fall-don’t clean house of these bozos,& we’re just like everybody else, keeping up this insanely corrupt farce-the rest of the world, pro level atheletes go pro in their teens, you think oxford has a sports team? drad must go……….no wonder knapp & clough bailed out…….may not get basketball tix, may send all my football tix back, people too obcessed by what in the real football world is mostly just the U20 league…1/2 Deutsch, may spend my sports $ on der Mannschaft, they play for more than money when they put on the weiss und schwartz…..
steven o
July 14th, 2011
9:16 pm
What’s funny is Thomas had 2 catches in the clemson game. One was for a td but hardly a big impact. Idiots should have sat him even though the rules are insane. Clothes? I can understand cars, jewelry, money. But clothes. And how do you even find out about clothes? Why not just give the freaking shirt and jeans to the players mom and dad and have them give it. This story is ridic on so many levels.
Rick
July 14th, 2011
9:16 pm
$312… ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!
$312…. What is that nowadays two varsity dogs and a coke.
1eyedJack
July 14th, 2011
9:16 pm
“Maybe Georgie O’Leary can add this to his resume.”
Bet Coach Fishfry would trade it for O’Leary’s win over the Dawgs last season.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:17 pm
I think Tech has a reputation at the NCAA.I think it caught up with them…….
slapAjacket
July 14th, 2011
9:17 pm
Does tech have any recruits that are worth taking a 2nd look at? Especially offensive lineman?
Heels Rock and Rule
July 14th, 2011
9:17 pm
If you give them the chance the NCAA will grab your short hairs and will not let go. The NCAA is becoming a monster.
Greg
July 14th, 2011
9:18 pm
wrom go eff yourself. there wasn’t any arrogance. it’s clothes you dope. i don’t blame them for acting that way. and speaking of arrogance, your idiotic loser fan base is the epitome of arrogance and delusional behavior. every year you morons talk how this is the year. you have the second best recruiting class over the past decade and you haven’t even sniffed a nat champ game. talk about loserville. keep thinking and touting this is the year. perhaps once this century you will be right. 31 years and counting.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:19 pm
Maybe a lineman or two and a RB or two will transfer to Athens………….Bring your own clothes though.
michael jordan
July 14th, 2011
9:19 pm
Somebody left a pack of hanes whitey-tighties in my dorm at UNC. Is that reportable?
Beast from the East
July 14th, 2011
9:19 pm
“Jeff – I can’t disagree with the basic premise of your post. GT took a situation with a minor problem and converted it into a disaster. It sounds like a bad case of “institutional arrogance” to me.”
Paul in RDU,
Couldn’t have said it any better. Why are some fans mad at the NCAA? The AD did exactly what they told him not to and now the university is sporting a back-eye. Cut him loose and then appeal. Maybe GT could keep their title if they did that?
Saban
July 14th, 2011
9:20 pm
After Boise State beat the dawgs 66 to 0, they will have something else to worry about.
You're my boy Blue
July 14th, 2011
9:20 pm
Guess this proves that Moobs Johnson is indeed not smarter than Richt.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:21 pm
Boise playing Georgia, not Tech.
TheAntiMe
July 14th, 2011
9:22 pm
The 2009 ACC Title is the least of Tech’s worries. That is ancient history. It’s the sanctions that will be felt the most.
Spike
July 14th, 2011
9:22 pm
@Greg.. Maybe you can beat UGA more than once this century. Nine out of ten and counting.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:24 pm
You gotta laugh a little at this. It’s like finding out your snobby rich neighbors are really broke. Tech does a lot of chest pounding on the UGA blogs about how above board and clean they run their program. Karma is a bitch.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:26 pm
This ought to move Tech in the top 5 I’d say.
TheAntiMe
July 14th, 2011
9:28 pm
@Spike: Maybe you can beat the Gators more than 3 times out of 21 years. No, I don’t think so.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:30 pm
TheAntiMe………….The difference……….We don’t camp on a Gator blog and poke a stick at them everyday and pretend it doesn’t happen.
Paul in RDU
July 14th, 2011
9:30 pm
Beast
Thanks for the comments. After the disaster that was Dave Braine, I am not sure Peterson and the trustees have the gonads to discipline the AD. If I messed up my responsibilities as badly as D-Rad has in this case, my President would have taken me to the woodshed.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:31 pm
Any de-commits announced yet?
Trip
July 14th, 2011
9:31 pm
Shultz sure sounds kin to putz…
Old Blind Dawg
July 14th, 2011
9:33 pm
What’s with you GT folks hating on Schultz for doing his job. GT screwed up – Schultz put the facts out – Techies go ballistic. If you guys want to get angry call your AD or CPJ.
Oh yeah I’m not a big Schultz fan but I am a seeker of truth.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:34 pm
“Truth………………..You can’t handle the truth”………………..Great movie by the way.
GTGreg
July 14th, 2011
9:34 pm
This is absolutely laughable. The only way it could be any better is if the NCAA gave the ACC title to UNC. The Oregon “Phil Knight” Ducks and Auburn “Cam’s our man (for 240K)” Tigers are still the 2010 pac-10 and national champions respectively, and their coaches were both intimately involved in the dissemination of improper benefits several orders of magnitude greater than someone receiving 300 dollars in clothes (and then returning them from whence they came, which you failed to mention). Butch Davis is still employed and UNC hasn’t received any penalties, and he essentially knowingly employed an agent in a coaching position.
Schultz, you are a buffoon. You’re mortgaging your journalistic integrity for stirring the pot and generating page views… all signs that the AJC has been relegated to the fishwrap category of print news. The fact that some nebulous governing body is making an attempt to charge a state institution 100 thousand dollars (!) with a paper tiger argument should anger real journalists, and not at some kid who received and gave back 300 bucks worth of clothes, but at the idiots in suits running this sham. Shame on you.
Spike
July 14th, 2011
9:34 pm
@AntiMe. Typical dork. Living vicariously thru someone else because you have nothing to say about your pitiful record. Pathetic, but not unexpected.
TheAntiMe
July 14th, 2011
9:35 pm
TheAntiMe………….The difference……….We don’t camp on a Gator blog and poke a stick at them everyday and pretend it doesn’t happen.
Really, JB? So this blog of Schultzie’s was actually about the Georgia Bulldogs and not about the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets? I guess I totally was confused about that by reading the headline “Punishment severe, but Georgia Tech made its own mess”.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:36 pm
Gt greg…………Nice try……………..Tech got called out by the NCAA. They told them to pound sand. This is a result.
Beast from the East
July 14th, 2011
9:36 pm
Paul in RDU,
If I embarassed my employer like that along with a $100,000 fine I’m sure I’d be told to hit the bricks. You can’t draw that type of salary and make those kinds of poor decisions. Not if you expect to remain employed.
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:39 pm
Maybe Tech ought to got the route of all walk ons ?
John
July 14th, 2011
9:39 pm
Schultz – moronic opinion. this is nothing more than the NCAA being the bully on the block – and being able to use the “GT example” as a scare tactic for other schools.
If there was anything to the NCAA case – the actual penalties would have been more severe. But instead – they ‘took away the trophies’ because they were pissed and had nothing on actual infractions.
Seminole Backer
July 14th, 2011
9:39 pm
It’s kind of funny that Tech cheats……and still has a mediocre football program. I’ve never seen a more arrogant, holier-than-thou athletic program than Georgia Tech……….they have mediocre coaches and players from the top down…..except in baseball with Danny Hall. He’s a class act. Other than that, Tech is made of low-life CHEATERS!!!!!!
TheAntiMe
July 14th, 2011
9:39 pm
Did I hurt your little, Dawgie feelings, Spike? I suggest that you console yourself like bulldogs are famous for doing by licking your doo-dads.
Nelson
July 14th, 2011
9:40 pm
Haa-Haa
JB
July 14th, 2011
9:40 pm
I think the only feeling hurt tonight are around North Ave.
John
July 14th, 2011
9:42 pm
SeminoleBacker – that’s funny coming from Free Shoes U. Read the NCAA document carefully – basically it says ‘we are pissed they didn’t help us find more and because there isn’t much there, we’ll make-up penalties’
Note – the punishment is because of the attitude – not the infractions. The lesson here is – make sure you bend over and kiss a.. when the NCAA comes calling because they really don’t have to find anything to sanction your program.
Reality
July 14th, 2011
9:42 pm
Tech gets slammed with probation and their fans want to insult UGA-pathetic losers