Georgia’s problems reaffirm NCAA needs uniform drug policy
Bobby Bowden supports Georgia's drug policy but says it might leave the team at a competitive disadvantage.
ATHENS – It’s fair to start with this: There is no excuse for doing something wrong.
There is no excuse for stealing money from a teammate’s dorm room, just because you’re short of cash. No excuse for getting into a physical altercation with a girlfriend, just because there was an argument. No excuse for getting high, just because … well, just because. No excuse for exploring the cannabis culinary arts and eating Alice B. Toklas brownies, just because you were on spring break and you were hungry and, really, honest, pinky-swear, you didn’t even know that there was marijuana in them (uh, right.)
These are some of the reasons why Georgia coach Mark Richt has been suspending or dismissing players at an alarming rate lately – eight since January. This is when nobody seems to remember how many stars were by a recruit’s name on national signing day. Funny how that works.
Richt has a problem. But only part of it has to do with the fact that too many of his players are doing really dumb things. The other has to do with a somewhat unlevel playing field.
Georgia has a fairly strict drug-and-alcohol policy for its student-athletes, relative to most other universities, particularly those in the SEC. UGA suspends players for at least one game (10 percent of schedule) after the first positive test. A second positive test mandates a suspension of at least 30 percent of the schedule (or four games) for a non-controlled substance or 50 percent (six games) for a controlled substance or DUI. A third positive results in dismissal.
An examination of schools in BCS conferences by AOL/Fanhouse in 2010 revealed Georgia and Kentucky were the only two SEC members that suspended players following the first positive drug test. Only six of 68 programs overall do so (Baylor, Cincinnati, Miami and Virginia Tech are the others).
Every time Mark Richt looks up, another player is getting into trouble. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
As a comparison, Florida has among the most lenient policies, with no suspension until the second positive test and no dismissal until the fifth positive.
How often and when, if at all, an athlete is tested also is up to each university. The NCAA, in fact, allows every school to set its own policy.
This is a problem. There needs to be uniformity among athletic programs’ drug-testing policy, not just within conferences but across the country. Anything short of that creates a competitive disadvantage for some.
Among those supporting the idea for uniformity is former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, Richt’s coaching mentor, who was in Athens on Friday for a high school coaches clinic.
Bowden had a reputation for being soft in the area of player discipline when he coached. But he acknowledges he would have to be tougher if he coached now, saying, “I would have to do a better job of educating the young men, trying to expose them to things where they would learn some moral issues that maybe they missed in their home.”
He supports Georgia’s policy, but doesn’t seem surprised Richt is having problems.
“One reason at Georgia [that] you hear so many boys getting out of line is because they’re so dog-gone restrictive,” he said. “I know a lot of schools — I don’t want to say something I shouldn’t say – but [they] don’t have to drug test. If you don’t want your boys to be caught with drugs, don’t drug-test them. And some schools do that. If you have a strict program, the way our society is, you’re going to have kids [test positive].”
Asked if he supported a universal policy, Bowden said: “Yes. That would be fair. There’s no doubt about it. … Georgia needs to do what’s best for Georgia. And you’ve got to soothe your conscience that you’re not letting bad things happen just because you don’t think somebody’s going to find out. But there’s an advantage if you’re a school that doesn’t test.”
In retirement, Bowden is able to laugh about some things he couldn’t before, such as when Florida State players were found to be receiving free athletic gear from a local sporting-goods store. Borrowing the line from his former thorn, Steve Spurrier, Bowden cracked, “You’ve all heard of Free Shoes University, haven’t you? I had a slogan on my desk: ‘This too shall pass.’”
That is all Richt can bank on right now. And maybe hope for a quieter summer.
By Jeff Schultz
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280 comments Add your comment
Umm
March 31st, 2012
11:10 pm
Keith T or The Monger? I am confused. Looks like you are posting under different names.
Outside of your pudding analogy, I would like to be informed on how you know that 90% of other schools either don’t test for drugs?
Again, nothing is fair and perfectly equal in college athletics. Calling out this one issue is just simply sour grapes.
All the players have to do is simply not do drugs. Period.
bill h
March 31st, 2012
11:27 pm
Big Crimson is usually respectful toard Georgia; and, I respect him for it….he, Crimson Crush, Blackout and The Bear are all great Bama posters and have very interesting and respectful insights on here regularly….they are not ther disrespectful haters like a couple of Bama posters…the main one being wet willie….guy is full of hatred for anything to do with Georgia, the state or the University….he is rall obsessed with his hatred….but, I think the UGA poster on here today who said Big Crimson 75 is not respectful is wrong, we appreciate you Big Crimson, continue to call em like you see em.
Dog in Nam
March 31st, 2012
11:34 pm
I mistakenly did not use my regular posting name, the only one I ever use in fact, it showed me as bill h which are my name and last initial that somehow was left in the box…..guess i have’nt commented on here, but I am Dog in Nam and i think Big Crimson is usually respectful toard Georgia; and, I respect him for it….he, Crimson Crush, Blackout and The Bear are all great Bama posters and have very interesting and respectful insights on here regularly….they are not ther disrespectful haters like a couple of Bama posters…the main one being wet willie….guy is full of hatred for anything to do with Georgia, the state or the University….he is rall obsessed with his hatred….but, I think the UGA poster on here today who said Big Crimson 75 is not respectful is wrong, we appreciate you Big Crimson, continue to call em like you see em.
Dog in Nam
March 31st, 2012
11:37 pm
and sorry my posts are so late, but I’m living on the other side of the clock from you guys!
Evansdawg
April 1st, 2012
8:31 am
I love how the haters say things like UGA has a discipline problem, its all Richt, UGA is corrupt, etc. etc. Fact is, our stict policy is what PUTS THIS STUFF IN THE PAPER. It makes it seem like the problem is at UGA and its larger there than anywhere else. Fact is, if other schools did the same…the same crap would be happening there. No…the guys should do th e right thing and stay away from the trouble….but…its the offseason, they are kids…and they are bored. I wonder how many schools administer a drug test right when players return from spring break. Yes….that is shooting yourself in the foot these days. And Richt cannot go on spring break with these guys. Its a sad…SAD reality. All of these suspensions and dismissals (more are sure to come) will surely derail what could have been a special season. This crap will cost us at least 2 games.
ugab
April 1st, 2012
8:49 am
I BELIEVE UGA’S DRUG TESTING POLICY IS RACIST AND UNFAIR.. WHY WOULD ANY SCHOOL TEST PLAYERS THE WEEK AFTER SPRING BREAK.. DOES ANYONE THINK ALABAMA AND ANY OTHER SCHOOL WOULD TEST THEIR PLAYERS AFTER SPRING BREAK.. THIS POLICY NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY.. PLAYERS ARE GOING TO SMOKE AND DRINK. I BET THAT OTHER SCHOOLS LET THEIR PLAYERS KNOW WHEN A TEST IS COMING UP/
ugab
April 1st, 2012
8:49 am
CMR IS A JOKE FOR LETTING ANY OF HIS PLAYERS GET TESTED AFTER SPRING BREAK.
takedowndawg
April 1st, 2012
8:54 am
As others have eluded, this is sickening. What, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina and Florida have not had any players disciplined for M.J. use in the past few years? Boy, Saban, Miles and Steve Spurrier are truely “Miracle Workers” at their respective football programs. Miracle Workers…….
ugab
April 1st, 2012
9:09 am
CMR is a fool
ugab
April 1st, 2012
9:14 am
takedowndawg; You are right. Why aren’t any other SEC school testing players after spring break? Are we trying to win, or tryn to get players suspended or kicked off the team? Young college kids are going to get high and drink.. I think it is a racist policy..
ugab
April 1st, 2012
9:14 am
oh yeh, and I am white.
realitycheck
April 1st, 2012
3:16 pm
takedowndawg………Todays pot use is yesterday’s six pack and don’t expect other schools to cut their own heads off like UGA is doing. Pot is basically already legal in Colorado, California, and other states too. UGA better loosen their policys or they’ll be fighting to stay out of the SEC basement because these strict policys are going to be a big fat negative in regards to recruiting going forward.
DanielH
April 1st, 2012
3:29 pm
I disagree 100% with this article. It’s 2012 and we don’t live in a Islamic society. Drugs should be legal and UGA should stop being stupid and hurting our football team for no good reason.
bama dawg
April 1st, 2012
5:48 pm
A racist policy? You realy believe they only test players that are of one race? That card is so old and overplayed
BILLDAWG
April 1st, 2012
7:39 pm
This is stupid of UGA to put itself at a disadvantage to the competition. What “genius” thought of this?
tell me again
April 2nd, 2012
7:14 am
Academic Man – if all colleges had the same academic standards as Vandy or say Yale, the college populations would drop to a fraction of what they are now – football players or no. The vast majority of the population does not rank a 130 or higher IQ and neither are they able to ace SAT’s or what test you choose as a qualifier. Colleges have always had differeing standards of admission regardless of football. Having said that, I have previously written that a college should not allow ANYONE admission unless they meet the criteria they set for ALL students. That would level the playing field a great deal and return the college game to the level of true amatur sports and get rid of the insane expectations for these teams and players – it’s suspposed to be for fun, afterall.
Columbus Dawg
April 2nd, 2012
7:53 am
If everyone stays away from Sanford Stadium this season it will send a huge message to the idiots that be in Athens. There is not a single game on Georgia’s schedule that any average Georgia team should lose. Not one. If Richt loses any game on this 2012 schedule he should be fired. If the idiots that be suspend the whole team, that is their business as long as NO games are lost.
I know that all the old fart, Richt loving D.A.’s will still show up every week to support the mediocre B.S., but if the University of Georgia Football team loses ONE game on this schedule then every one with a brain should boycott every game at Sanford Stadium. There are a LOT of people who work hard for their money who support this nonsense in Athens, and just like the FAILING days of Ray Goff, we should see large gaping holes in the seating at Sanford if every single game is not won. These idiots are also spending tax payer money from many Georgians who could care less about how inept UGA’s coaching staff is. This is a travesty. This man Richt has taken more money from this STATE sponsored university than any one man in the state’s history.
Suspend them all, Richt, but you had better not lose a game.
FLA DAWG
April 2nd, 2012
2:13 pm
It’s a valid point you make Mark – and I make no excuses for my Dawgs.
But unless the testing is done by an outside contractor that fully verifies identification of the player we can never rely on the universities to do it themselves legitimately.
Tim
April 2nd, 2012
5:45 pm
A 21-year old College student should be able to smoke marijuana legally. Just legalize it. It makes no sense that these football players can go to the local bar and drink 10 shots of tequila, but if they smoke half a joint they get suspended. Alcohol is much more harmful anyway. The drug laws are insane. Every year there are college students from some fraternity dying because of alcohol poisoning. There are zero deaths from pot. The drug war is asinine. How long will we allow this foolishness to continue?
Tim
April 2nd, 2012
5:54 pm
Seriously, why would any athlete want to go to UGA? Most schools give there athletes plenty of leeway. But the University of Georgia police and Athens police target athletes in a way that I’ve never seen at ANY OTHER SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY.
Ruining an athlete’s life because of pot. It’s never for the dangerous toxic drugs like cocaine, meth, or heroin. These UGA athletes keep getting arrested for Bull**** crimes like underage drinking and marijuana possession. I’ve never seen the police in any college town that literally TARGETS ITS ATHLETES like they do in Athens.
FLA DAWG
April 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
Tim,
Has anyone told you that you are out of touch with reality?
Doyle Hargraves JR
April 2nd, 2012
9:10 pm
Booby Latrino was finally whacked this weekend. I have been trying to tell you all this for years but no one believes me. He didn’t just loose control and wreck that motorcycle. He was attacked by the same deers that attacked Rod Coldman on that jet ski at Lake Lanier. Arthur Blank keeps them in a private stable at Flowery Branch and until now they were trained by Mike Mularkey. Now that he is gone the new OC has been working with them and they took care of buisness toot sweet. Hopefully Goodell doesn’t find out or else this will make the Saints look like saints. Wait
FLA DAWG
April 2nd, 2012
9:12 pm
Tim,
Are you aware of how many people are killed every year by drivers under the influence of alcohol or marajuana?
Check your facts and you might reconsider your position.
I have been Richt’s biggest critic but enforcement of the law is paramount and enevitable.
In the long run The Dawgs (hopefully) will be better, the school will be better and we will all be better for this.
Doyle Hargraves JR
April 2nd, 2012
9:23 pm
How many people are killed by drivers under the influence of marijuana? Compared to deaths due to speeding, texting or not wearing a seat belt? Not so many I bet, but very difficult to determine.
Fact is, it is an illegal drug according to the laws of this country and to me the point is that if you don’t obey the laws and then get caught, you suffer the consequences. Move to Amersterdam if you want to smoke pot everyday. Nothing wrong with it IMO, but unless you live by yourself on a private island in the middle of nowhere, your freedom is predicated on following the rules of the country you live in.
FLA DAWG
April 2nd, 2012
9:36 pm
Doyle,
You seem to be speaking out of both sides of your mouth in my opinion.
Exactly what is your point?
Doyle Hargraves JR
April 2nd, 2012
10:25 pm
Point is, I don’t think marijuana poses much of threat to the general public compared to many other things. However, unless those that want it legalized can overturn the laws regarding its possession, it remains a criminal offense and should be treated that way. Also, I am pretty sure Ron Coleman was smoking weed when he was attacked by Arthur Banks deers, so that is why I mentioned it. I hope Arthur gave Dirk Kutter a bonus for taking out Latrino. He deserves it. Jimmy Williams better have eyes in the back of his bong.
Coach Dooley
April 4th, 2012
9:49 pm
On top of everything Jeff wrote, leave it to UGA to drug test the Monday following spring break. It’s like we want to do everything we can to do ourselves in. Anyone who thinks UGA’s not at a major disadvantage with this drug policy is a pluperfect fool. It’s no secret that lots of the brothers smoke weed, and I can assure you that don’t all wear the red and black.
NCBulldawg86
April 6th, 2012
11:19 pm
This is not a Mark Richt policy, but University of Georgia policy. President Adams has been trying to clean up the UGA “party school” reputation, and after a few incidents and issues, has turned the page and is doing his best by going after the students and athletes with more restrictive policies. That is the bottom line. I am not sure where I read the article, but it was a very interesting read and makes total sense. The “blame”, if one needs to point a finger, deserves to be aimed at President Adams. CMR is handcuffed and can only implement the policy, as Adams runs the University at Georgia, unlike Saban at Alabama.
Smoke Em
April 8th, 2012
7:21 pm
Georgia weed — higher quality than florida weed — that make ga players smoke more than fla players. that not fair.
LwDawg
April 9th, 2012
5:33 pm
Who cares if these kids smoke a little weed on their off time. That policy is stupid and they’re ruining these kids’ lives for no good reason.