SEC punishes players, but why no reprimand for coaches?
Vanderbilt coach James Franklin stated his case to Mark Richt after the game.
(Updated with SEC statement on coaches.)
Georgia’s attempt to achieve a rare exacta — 1) beat Florida; 2) win the SEC East — just got a little more difficult.
The SEC, in an expected move, has suspended two Bulldogs defensive starters — safety Shawn Williams and nose tackle Kwame Geathers — for their actions in last week’s victory over Vanderbilt. Each must sit out the first half of the Florida game. Also suspended for a half was Vandy center Logan Stewart.
Meanwhile, the conference chose not to act on the actions of Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham or Vandy head coach James Franklin. That’s odd. It sends mixed messages.
This is not to suggest either Grantham or Franklin should have suspended, and a conference spokesman wasn’t even aware if there is precedent for a coach being fined for an on-field action. But the minimum of a public reprimand certainly seemed in order.
I sent an email to SEC associate commissioner Charles Bloom asking why there was no publish discipline of any kind for Grantham and Franklin. This was his emailed response: “Matter handled internally between league office and schools.”
Coaches should be held to at least as high a standard as players. Actually, higher. They are the adults in this scenario, at least theoretically.
As for the impact of the suspensions: The Dogs’ defense has improved this season — notwithstanding a poor second half against Vanderbilt — so the loss of Williams and Geathers, even just for a half, hurts. Williams has been one of the defense’s best players, but was flagged for a flagrant personal foul in the third quarter. Geathers drew two personal fouls, one stemming from a punch at Stewart, who clipped him from behind.
Williams reportedly also was one of the initial sparks to the post-game scrum involving the two teams. Various videos from news sites have popped up, the most recent indicating that Williams was popping off after the game to Franklin, who then returned verbal fire, which brought Grantham into it. Then things exploded.
WSMV television in Nashville released raw video footage on Tuesday that showed a post-game conversation between Franklin and Georgia coach Mark Richt, who apologizes to the Vandy coach for the actions of Williams and Grantham (while also calling each a name).
Suffice to say, Richt did not intend for those comments to become public, even if he probably was right.
Here’s the transcript from the news video:
Franklin: “36 comes up, after a tough game, talking **** to me!
Richt: “Okay.”
Franklin: “Rubbing our face in it right after the game!”
Richt: “He’s a dumb***.”
Franklin: “And then your coach when I tell him about it, then he goes after me and the fight starts.”
Richt: “That’s what I thought happened, I apologize. It’s horse **** horse ****.”
Then coach Franklin finds another coach to express his feelings to.
Franklin: ” Hey, 36 after a tough game, come over and going to talk **** in my face after the game. That’s NOT how my guys do it!”
This is two strikes for Grantham, including last year’s episode when he gave multiple choke signs to a Florida place kicker. But there has been no official statement from the school, and athletic director Greg McGarity has only referred to Richt’s post-game comments, in which the coach expressed regret for the way his team acted after the win.
On the field, the Dogs definitely will take a hit in the first half against Florida next week. But they take a hit off the field as well.
By Jeff Schultz
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724 comments Add your comment
straitroad
October 19th, 2011
3:00 pm
Schultz, have a little honor and quit writing about football. You and your big sister Bradley do not have the background required to understand the game. You are skilled at ginning up a story from a non-story but that’s about it. I’ve never met you but I can sense from reading your posts that you have never experienced a single training camp or know what a slobber knocker feels like. Quit shaming yourself and write about novels or summer camp and leave the men’s sports to those of us who can relate.
Fleming Island Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:00 pm
Live Free or Die. If the SEC suspended players from every game for these same infractions, like the Florida player punching in the AL game, there would be players being suspended every game. Why did the SEC pick this game and in fairness will they continue to pull players from every team?
Mid Ga Retiree
October 19th, 2011
3:00 pm
I have just decided that AJC columnists are paid proportionally to the number of comments that they get from their columns. If that is indeed true then Mr. Schultz and Mr. Bookman are close to being in the group of millionaires that President Obama wants to tax.
td
October 19th, 2011
3:01 pm
CSS is running a replay of the game starting right now. I am going to re watch the game and what Williams did.
Jeff Schultz
October 19th, 2011
3:02 pm
Straitroad — “Schultz, have a little honor and quit writing about football. You and your big sister Bradley do not have the background required to understand the game.”
… Oh, this is beautiful. OK, Lombardi. Explain to me what I’m missing about the game. I’ll hang up and listen.
Chris K
October 19th, 2011
3:03 pm
Schultz,
Did they change the link b/c I do not ever hear Richt say anything about Horse **** or Dumb **** and I listened to it a few times! Get over it!! Find something else to report you slacker!
JRW7
October 19th, 2011
3:05 pm
Why is CMR calling his own players, “DUMB ASS’S” ? I don’t think UGA players will appreciate that one bit! Christians don’t call others DUMB ASS’S!
Done
October 19th, 2011
3:05 pm
Serioiusly! Franklin deserves fault as well. It’s safe to assume he verbally assualted #36 as well. We just don’t have Nashville video to prove it. Then he cries to Richt.
BG
October 19th, 2011
3:05 pm
Well I guess the AJC should be happy about the suspensions. The AJC has kept this whole thing brewing.
Confused UGA Fan
October 19th, 2011
3:05 pm
Why is all the conversation about UGA and Vandy’s little princesses did nothing wrong!
Concrete Pete
October 19th, 2011
3:05 pm
As a UGA fan that’s been tired of Richt’s passive, always take the high road approach, I disagree with the “two strikes” statement referring to Grantham. I consider it two check marks. Football is a mean, aggressive, violent game. We NEED a coach like Grantham. If you go back and look, Saban, Meyer, Spurrier all have had similar incidents.
GATA
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
October 19th, 2011
3:05 pm
Jeff, if I could pull your ears and make you feel better I would. I know when I am down and out and listening to all this UGA fan blather I like to have my ears pulled. Big Bad Bruce and some of the other Ugas liked the ear pulling but being so inbred sometimes their ears would come off. I like reading your articles and I just want you to know that 9 of my little dog friends have just subscribed to the AJC so they can read your stuff. If Coach Grantham ever gets suspended he may blow a fuse and start shooting. I am always wary of going onto the field if the State Patrol is not there because of the bad element on our team and coaching staff. A little dog must be careful.
Noles Rule
October 19th, 2011
3:06 pm
Schultz,
Again, have the balls to ask the SEC why B.J. Bostic of Florida wasn’t suspended for his punch?
Also, how about putting an intern in charge of reading the Gainesville police blotter everyday like you do in Athens so we won’t have to find out weeks later about their arrests.
You guys love to sensationalize any story about UGA. I’m a Nole fan, but it’s seriously the most overtly angered reporting I’ve seen of any local team in the country. The media in most state’s generally have a good relationship with their Universities!
Troof
October 19th, 2011
3:06 pm
Well you thought wrong. Why are Dawg fans so testy? Perhaps if UGA was winning more????
knock-down,drag-out
October 19th, 2011
3:06 pm
The cocktail party in Jacksonville will be boring until the second half guests arrive.
Jeff
October 19th, 2011
3:07 pm
I still do not here Richt say dumbass. I dont think that is accurate. Do you really here that when you listen to the video?
Weather Channel Expert
October 19th, 2011
3:07 pm
Schultz:
I was on your side with all the Don Wad bashing but on this issue: COME ON MAN!
Noles Rule
October 19th, 2011
3:07 pm
This is a terrible piece of journalism Schultz. How in the hell would you even try to attempt to transcribe word for word what Richt said in that video when it’s not clear at all!?
Typical AJC
RunningDog
October 19th, 2011
3:07 pm
I understand, but I disagree. I respect your opinion though, which seems to be a problem for some folks.
Z-Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:07 pm
Schultz,
Speaking of a media outlet not doing their job what ever happened with those Tech Sanctions?
Your outlet is a joke that can only report on the low hanging fruit!
td
October 19th, 2011
3:07 pm
Jeff Schultz
October 19th, 2011
2:58 pm
I take it you do not read what the other sports writers do in the SEC? And this paper wonders why its circulation has diminished.
Joel
October 19th, 2011
3:08 pm
Does the AJC suggest that all the their bloggers take offense with to negative comments and then engage?
MH
October 19th, 2011
3:08 pm
Jeff, you really are a Homer!!
Joel
October 19th, 2011
3:09 pm
Jeff has her panties in a bunch today folks, go easy on her…
Troof
October 19th, 2011
3:09 pm
Concrete Pete, please name me a game where Saban or Meyer confronted another coach and screamed at him? Saban is more than animated on his own sideline but I don’t recall him ever getting in another coach’s face the same way Grantham did.
Almix77
October 19th, 2011
3:09 pm
@Fleming Island Dawg
Its all PR… the incident post game put it on the radar
straitroad
October 19th, 2011
3:10 pm
Just answer this question: Have you ever played organized football? I just want to know where you get your perspective. It’s my suspicion that you have never experienced the intensity, the pain, the smell of a field, etc. If you have the guts to answer this and expose yourself to those of us who suspect your deficiency in this area, I’ll explain to you how experience is relevant. I don’t expect to hear back from you.
Evansdawg
October 19th, 2011
3:10 pm
Absolutely, Jeff! UGA is very poorly represented by the comments from fans on here. I doubt many ofhtem are fans at all. All of the sudden its “Richt must be fired now.” Why???? Because of this situation?? Coach Grantham is the exact emotional opposite of Richt and I would imagine that is much like a mouse trying to tame a lion. I do believe that Franklin said something to Grantham that escalated the situation. Both of these coaches are obviously very immature. Richt is the voice of reason. But, I will side firmly with Geathers. That Vandy player blatantly tried to end his career and yes indeed, after the hit he looks back at his coaches and gives a ‘thumbs-up’ sign. I believe that late hit to Geathers was intentional and ordered by the Vandy coaches. If Geathers knew he was going to be suspended, he should have really taken it out on the guy instead of a simple punch to the side. I would have twisted the guys helmet by the face mask. Grantham needs to take a valium or smoke a joint. Chill out, dude!
ty webb
October 19th, 2011
3:10 pm
still going? Between Schultz, Bradley, and Carvell, who gets to eat the soggy biscuit?
South Ga Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:11 pm
Jeff,
How can you sit there and support Kwame’s suspension? Have you actually looked at what caused him to act the way he did? Have you actually looked? How do you think you would have reacted if that cheap, possibly season/career ending shot had been taken on you? I think Kwame showed great constraint not to have done anymore that what he did in that situation. As far as Grantham, who actually started that? It was Franklin!!!! Franklin started it and Grantham was ready to finish it. TG was taking up for his players. Tell me this, how in the hell can the SEC suspend Williams for a personal foul when Nick Fairly got away with all of his dirty playing last year?? SEC is a big crock of crap. I’d love a chance to get one on one with Mike Slive. And another thing, Coach Richt needs to be supporting his players. He wants to act like a daddy to all of these kids…..arent parents supppose to support their kids right or wrong?? Sure, get on their tails in private but he needss to be taking up for them in public the way Grantham did. If Grantham ever gets the ax for something like this, then the whole damn staff needs to go too.
Calhoundawg
October 19th, 2011
3:11 pm
Still waiting ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Troof
October 19th, 2011
3:12 pm
OK, so since UGA and UF are not very good this year let’s change up the WLOCP. Gladiator style battle of coaching staffs. Grantham and Muschamp cancel each other out in terms of craziness and anger. Would this format allow UGA to do better against the Gators than they have in the past?
JRW7
October 19th, 2011
3:12 pm
We can can see how CMR stands up for his player! CMR has no heart and no intensity! CMR acts and coaches like a WIMP!
Confused UGA Fan
October 19th, 2011
3:12 pm
Can anyone tell me why we are not discussing the GA-FL game?
robodawg
October 19th, 2011
3:13 pm
Public reprimands (for both coaches) would’ve been sufficient.
But when is the league office ever consistent? Just like last year, they prefer making an example of one or two schools to issuing the same penalty consistently to every school.
The player suspensions are also in order. What’s ridiculous is the SEC doesn’t systematically tackle this stuff. It just makes an example of one game to put some fear out there. Do something dirty that’s caught on film and you MIGHT get suspended. See? SEE?! We took a stand! We suspended some players!
And chances are the only reason the SEC is handing out suspensions in this case is b/c of what happened AFTER the game that raised the profile of the incidents DURING the game.
Just be consistent. If you’re going to issue these suspensions, then review EVERY game played and apply the same penalty for EVERY infraction. The SEC’s enforcement is horse ****.
Clay
October 19th, 2011
3:13 pm
Jeff must hate horses–because this one is dead and he continues to beat it. I wish I knew what UGA did to him to make him harp on and ridicule anything and everything UGA every chance he gets.
South Ga Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:13 pm
And btw Jeff, you are a moron.
straitroad
October 19th, 2011
3:13 pm
Jeff, you wouldn’t catch so much grief if you made an attempt to see two sides of an issue. When you don’t do that, it just appears that you are trying to generate traffic.
ARdawg
October 19th, 2011
3:14 pm
The SEC is obviously attempting to deflect and cover the ineptness of it’s Officials. If they had done their job, it wouldn’t have gotten this far.
Schultzie. Sack the Schultzie page isn’t working. Call somebody to call somebody
Troof
October 19th, 2011
3:15 pm
S GA Dawg, the whole staff needs to go regards if UGA wants to think about winning BCS titles any time in your lifetime. Richt and boys ain’t getting it done.
And no, you can’t have our coaches from Bama!
rally
October 19th, 2011
3:15 pm
Poor DAWGies. Everybody is picking on you. Vandy, the SEC commissioner, Auburn, Florida, writers, journalists, the national media. I bet you were unaware that there even was a whole world outside of your inbred backwoods state.
JRW7
October 19th, 2011
3:16 pm
CTG has probably had enough of this “STUFF”, coaching for a WIMP, like CMR, CTG might leave at end of season and go back to NFL!
South Ga Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:17 pm
@ Troof…..why dont you go the hell on!!! You are obviously a sexually deprived Tech assclown. You and Shultz need to go get a room somewhere.
Troof
October 19th, 2011
3:17 pm
Another option for WLOCP: Mascot battle.
Russ vs. whatever the Gator’s real mascot is named.
That one may actually be worth the price of admission, unlike the football game!
Bamaslama
October 19th, 2011
3:17 pm
This is the most hype UGA has received in years. Whatever it takes to be relavant, huh? Just keep fighting it out among the second tier to see who becomes the sacrificial lambs in Atlanta.
Weather Channel Expert
October 19th, 2011
3:18 pm
The Gator mascot is named “Freddy” I think.
T3
October 19th, 2011
3:18 pm
Richt seems to have said all that’s necessary.
I kind of get the feeling that Richt has had enough of all this,
and might just decide to do something different and voluntarily leave UGA.
McGarrity, quite obviously, is not a big supporter of Richt.
South Ga Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:18 pm
Troof….we don want your coahces. we had a chance at kirby and didnt give in to his demands. Thats why he didnt come to us two years ago. much rather have TG on staff.
South Ga Dawg
October 19th, 2011
3:18 pm
Troof….we don want your coahces. we had a chance at kirby and didnt give in to his demands. Thats why he didnt come to us two years ago. much rather have TG on staff.
straitroad
October 19th, 2011
3:18 pm
So, Schultz, can you just simply post on this blog if you have in fact ever played organized football?