Is it fair to hold UGA athletes to a higher standard than other students?
Aron White has stood up for a former teammate. (Associated Press)
The blogosphere can be pretty brutal, but there’s nothing like the columns and letters to the editor in a college newspaper when it comes to finger-pointing, moral absolutes and general snarkiness. The readers and writers are mostly students who’ve yet to experience the real world but have no doubt at all about the way things should be.
Believe me, I know. During my time at UGA I put in a stint editing and writing for The Red and Black’s opinions page.
Wading into a debate in such an environment can be a bruising experience, as Georgia tight end Aron White has found out.
White wrote a letter to The Red and Black recently taking issue with a column the student paper had run about Zach Mettenberger being kicked off the football team as a result of his drunken excursion to South Georgia on spring break.
The columnist, Bailey Keiger, a senior from Atlanta majoring in magazines, blasted Mettenberger for his “childish activities,” but also took a general shot at the school’s athletes, saying “this just shows the level of disrespect some student athletes — especially football players — have for their position at the university.”
She conceded that practice takes up a lot of the student athletes’ time but noted “they are given extra perks like a state-of-the-art training facility separate from the ‘regular’ student gym, and an exclusive studying center where they are given access to tutors and other academic resources.”
She declared herself a “huge sports fan” who has “attended almost every football game” in her four years at UGA and said her closet “has a disproportionate amount of red and black clothing.” And, she said, she understands what the athletics program does for UGA and “why these athletes are given special treatment; they hold a vital position in our university, one that is not easy to fill. They represent years of tradition and are often the face of our school. The special treatment is often justified and necessary to allow these players to fulfill both their academic and athletic duties.”
But, Keiger said, “I simply cannot understand why — after being given privilege after privilege after privilege — these athletes still continue to break rules and get themselves in trouble. Behavior like Mettenberger’s is unforgiveable … [and] shows a terrible ungratefulness of the benefits that have been bestowed upon athletes, and makes me almost want to burn the red and black in my closet.” She asked the athletes to “stop bringing shame to the Bulldog Nation.”
White responded with a letter to the editor in which he said that while he does not condone athletes breaking the rules, “I do not believe that a student athlete should be held to any higher standard than a normal student when being reprimanded for their actions.”
Athletes, he said, “are definitely in the spotlight and must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We have more stipulations put on our actions than non-athlete students and often have heavier loads as well. I agree that being a student athlete is a privilege. … I am more than grateful for the resources provided to me and my teammates. But the fact remains Zach Mettenberger is only a freshman. He should have used better judgment, but he would not be the first university student to get in trouble. He had a clean slate throughout high school and the rest of his freshman year of college.”
White’s main point: “If the staff of the Red & Black or any other student organization were watched as closely as our student athletes are then perhaps they would have more arrests and incidents too. So my advice to all UGA fans is to put this into perspective — UGA student athletes do not show a ‘terrible ungratefulness of the benefits that have been bestowed upon’ them. One mistake should not destroy Mettenberger or the rest of the student athletes’ characters.”
Keiger, White said, was “out of line” in her comments. He added a zinger that “A true fan would never think to ‘burn the red and black in her closet’ as she suggested in her column.”
White’s contention that athletes should be viewed like any other students drew a rebuke from R&B sportswriter Zach Dillard, who asked, “Come on, No. 81, are you really going to play that card?”
Said Dillard: “While Georgia fans should be proud to have such players as yourself who are making the most out of their college experience, other students are not going to feel sorry for a program who can not stay out of trouble — regardless of whether players are in a highly-scrutinized situation or not.”
On White’s point about athletes being viewed in the same light as other students, Dillard brought out the big hammer: “Feel free to keep petitioning on how the football program should be looked upon no differently than ‘any other student organization’ — then try to explain why football players’ average SAT scores were allowed to be 334 points lower than the average male student when your class was admitted back in 2007. So by all means, Mr. White, keep making insubstantial excuses as to why four Georgia players have been arrested in the past two months, and how the subsequent media attention is unjustified.”
Valid points on both sides. As Mark Richt noted when I chatted with him recently about his program’s spring troubles, athletes do receive public scrutiny that other students don’t and some are more comfortable with that than others. But it’s hard to argue with the point that since athletes are admitted to UGA under a different standard from regular students and are the public face of the university, they should be held more accountable.
What do you think? Should the members of the football team be viewed in the same light as any other group of students at UGA when it comes to getting drunk and arrested? Or is that higher standard a legitimate part of the deal when they get that scholarship? Was White unwise making a public defense of Mettenberger?
And, finally, would any true Dogs fan really consider burning their red and black clothing?
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
193 comments Add your comment
Deliah
April 28th, 2010
11:23 am
A huge three-game sweep in baseball last night at Turner Field. What a great time to be a Yellow Jacket and own those Athens b*tches. Three wins in baseball more than trumps football and basketball.
Well, that’s the big news out of the way, so now we can go back on UGA arrest watch. It’s a tough job, but someone has to keep track of all the arrests in Athens.
And really, who cares about UGA QBs? They’ll most likely be arrested and thrown out of school long before game day. Mettenberger? Holding on to his mama’s apron strings whining like the baby he is, after getting a good spanking.
Deliah
April 28th, 2010
11:29 am
Bailey Keiger makes good sense, especially for someone at a party school like UGA.
The really stupid thing here is that UGA, the coaches, the players, break all the rules, and they still can’t be competitive in the SEC. Sorry, that just doesn’t compute.
yeah whatever!
April 28th, 2010
11:35 am
3rd
yeah whatever!
April 28th, 2010
11:36 am
deliah …good job staying on point …. baseball?
yeah whatever!
April 28th, 2010
11:39 am
under Richt
He is 24-7 against the SEC West.
He is 28-16 against the SEC East.
He is 38-4 against nonconference opponents.
He is 8-1 against Georgia Tech.
He won four of his first five games against Tennessee, but has lost three of the last four against the Vols since then.
He was born the same year as Chuck D of Public Enemy.
Ranks third in winning percentage among active college coaches that have coached for at least five years, now that Pete Carroll left USC for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.
He is 90-27, trailing only Urban Meyer (96-18) and Bob Stoops (117-29).
Mark Richt is one of only six coaches to win two SEC football championships in their first five years coaching. He is also one of only five head coaches in SEC history to record four straight 10-win seasons
Coach Richt’s Red and Black outfits have never posted a losing record in conference play and six of his last eight squads have finished 6-2 or better in regular-season SEC contests
Mark Richt’s overall success in Southeastern Conference action—including two SEC titles, three conference championship game appearances, and four finishes of no worse than tied for first place in the East, with no losing records in the process—is without parallel in Georgia football history.
yeah whatever!
April 28th, 2010
11:40 am
There are those in Bulldog Nation who would like to see Mark Richt run out of town on a rail. Such people should be turned over to the custody of Mike Leach, in the hope that he will treat their obvious head trauma the way he treated Adam James’s
Denver Dawg
April 28th, 2010
11:43 am
I think it’s hard to respond to the topic (as requested) WHEN EVERYTHING I WRITE IS BLOCKED, Mr. King!
Bradley G
April 28th, 2010
11:45 am
While I agree Aron would do well to keep his mouth shut, one could also agree that Bailey was clearly sensationalizing her article to bring home a point. Burning her red and black? Lumping “most” football student athletes in a box together? I think that was Aron’s point as much as anything.
As much as I think Mett made a huge error, I also agree he should not be defined by it either.
How2fish
April 28th, 2010
11:46 am
Good article Bill…I wonder if Ms Keiger spent some time in a weight room or running wind sprints before and after her classroom work it might help her understand the difference between a student athlete and a student..the added pressure of the spotlight and the added workload is huge..should the athlete’s strive to be figures of pride for the Bull Dog Nation of course but mistakes by 19 year olds will happen..I fully back CMR’s actions in response to these mistakes but if you think this is a UGA matter only well your fooling yourself . Also I applaud Aron White’s standing up for his team mate and as far as Zach Dillard’s comments …what is his 40 time?
Jay
April 28th, 2010
11:47 am
Never ever would a real DAWG fan burn the red and black!
SEC East Headlines – 4/28/10 « MrSEC.com
April 28th, 2010
11:51 am
[...] team was “probably worse at not getting turnovers than we were at giving them up.”7. Is it fair to hold Georgia’s athletes to a higher standard than the regular student body? 8. Kentucky native Jarrod Polson has chosen to walk-on for John [...]
Thirty Points To Your Twenty-Four Points
April 28th, 2010
11:53 am
do you have Key Words that get your whole post blocked Bill??
As a journalist on a freedom of speach blog, you should know better. I am about to stop following you.
Thirty Points To Your Twenty-Four Points
April 28th, 2010
11:54 am
mugged
This is a real pet peeve with me..
April 28th, 2010
11:58 am
…and Chip Towers is the worst offender of trying to make UGA athletes look bad when they are really no worse than the everyday student. The NCAA writes a 5000 page “guide” as to how not to treat athletes as “special”, yet when they screw up they ARE treated “special” by the media, which is totally unfair.
As to Mr. Dillards tirade about athletes being admitted with lower test scores than regular students, that argument is not valid in this context since both sets of students are just that, students, and I believe these United States of America were founded on the proposition that everyone deserves to be treated equally – the athletes may have “state of the art” facilities, but the students do, too, if only they would choose to participate instead of demoguoging (sp) those who are REQUIRED to use the athletic facilities.
dawginmemphis
April 28th, 2010
12:10 pm
I’m not sure you can make a causal connection that the benefit of a lowered SAT requirement compels the burden of more public scrutiny. We (alumni, fans, boosters) are the ones that create the great demand for athletic success at UGA. The lowered SAT requirement is something we have created through a byproduct of our own demands. The student-athletes themselves are only seeking to play football and get a good education at a place they enjoy.
When I was a freshmen, I probably could’ve/should’ve/would’ve been arrested for public intoxication 365 times. In fact, on one occasion, I came extremely close to having a laundry list of charges outside Sons of Italy. I did actually get two M-I-P’s in my teenage years. I am also now a member of the Tennessee Bar and practicing attorney. All of these charges were disclosed to the Board of Law Examiners before I was issued a license and, during a fitness interview, these charges were brought up in discussion. The Tennessee Bar officials concluded that these were not uncommon lapses in judgment that occurred during my adolescent years.
But apparently a college football team has higher moral standards than most state bar associations ? Unless Mettenberger lied to Richt, his dismissal is total B.S. This is all created by a politically correct climate at the university that fears the flames of media and blogosphere scrutiny that somehow lead outsiders to believe some jock kid getting arrested is going to make the academics at the university appear less worthy.
Also, wasn’t Richt a little bit of a deviant in his college days at Miami (before he came to Jesus)? I wonder if he ever did anything—caught or uncaught—that would’ve warranted dismissal from the team ? My guess is probably yes.
The D
April 28th, 2010
12:11 pm
I would never burn my red and black, but I must say the athletes need to drink in their apartment, ride the bus instead of mopeds, and stay away from cleat chasing girls who want to ride the wave of fame with them, and avoid Downtown, do this and you can stay out of trouble like I did from 2001-06. BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS
Delusional Dawg
April 28th, 2010
12:13 pm
On a serious note, student athletes are a very public face of any university and are given very specific priviledges. They are very well informed and continually educated by these schools to stay away from specific bad behaviors. It may seem unfair at times but the reality is that they ARE held to a higher standard because they have been given a scholarship (a significant investment by the school) and these priviledges under these provisions.
Bryan
April 28th, 2010
12:15 pm
Being an athlete is a privilege and if you don’t act responsibly you will lose it. I like the stance Mark Richt took, situations can be subjective at times, so I don’t think a zero-tolerance policy would be fair, but I would like to see more players dismissed when they act up. We have had WAY too many off season arrests that have been the result of poor judgement. If you can’t take care of yourself off the field, then you most likely aren’t going to work hard enough on the field. We should win the right way, and our players should understand that.
Saint Simons is my Caddy
April 28th, 2010
12:17 pm
Yes they should be held at a higher standard. Either they are on scholarship or have chosen to represent the schools athletics. That’s like saying is an elected official held to higher standards that an ordinary citizen. Hell yes they are. Especially the scholarship athletes. Free Ride Freddie better whistle the damn alma mater between classes! Now…..boys will be boys and expecting they won’t drink and get into trouble is just not realistic. Taking a tough stance is the proper way of handling it. I think we are starting to do this now. If the athlete is drinking, drunk…..slap them with a punishment. If they commit a crime/felony other than drinking while intoxicated, put them out of the program.
dawggrl
April 28th, 2010
12:20 pm
I think we should be accountable for our actions, but I also made mistakes while I was in college. Isn’t the whole point to learn from them?
The D
April 28th, 2010
12:25 pm
sure if you are a regular student, but when you are given a tutor from the start, free housing, food, and school, you can’t keep making the mistakes our players have, they need to learn how to not get caught if they want to make mistakes!!!!
Traditional Dawg
April 28th, 2010
12:26 pm
If we wear Black Helmets again, I may consider burning my donation check.
CSU
April 28th, 2010
12:39 pm
No, they should hold the same standards and rules, like every other student. However many time this is not the case because most of the time, Athletes really get to do whatever they want, knowing that they will not suffer consequences. In many cases, they also cheat their way through school by having other people write their papers and other work in order to keep their scholarships. In addition, it is usually the black athletes who are watched more closely and who also have higher standards, which leads to a whole different problem
CSU
April 28th, 2010
12:41 pm
I also know a particular UGA football player who cheated their way through and know plays pro football!
foolishness
April 28th, 2010
12:41 pm
Unfortunately, many UGA football players feel invincible because of their sudden fame. I remember when I was at Bourbon Street (the bar in Athens, not Nawlins) a few years ago when a 19 year old named Matt Stafford walked in, went behind the bar, and started making drinks for himself. He drank a few, yucked it up with the bar staff, then left with a mixed drink in hand.
Obviously, Matt didn’t get caught, but my point here is that athletes need to be more discrete when it comes to partying. Drinking is what it is, but there is no need to not take the necessary precautions. Hell, sneaking around is more than half the fun of underage drinking.
Diamond Dog's Parole Officer
April 28th, 2010
12:45 pm
Its obvious that scholarship athletes are held to a lower standard than non-scholarship athletes at UGA. Kinda weird how those athletes are immediately kicked off the team….
chazzo
April 28th, 2010
12:49 pm
Clear and concise…. Get your answer here.
Athletes are not held to a higher standard!!!!!
Athletes are held to Athletic Department standards.
A regular student will not be kicked ff the team for drinking and fighting because they are not on a team. But, they will get kicked out of school. I am living proof of that. Happened back in 85 when that sort of thing was acceptable.
People are getting busted drinking downtown. Don’t go drinking there. If you are underage. Don’t go drinking on a fake ID. If you can’t stop; get help.
ET
April 28th, 2010
12:51 pm
Yes you can hold football players to a higher standard simply because they are given a scholorship to play ball. They are representing the university on a team that is watched nationwide. What they do affects the school’s image. A regular UGA student getting jailed for DWI doesn’t make the front page of the sports page accross the nation. When the heir apparent to the QB job is jailed everyone in the country knows it. Hey just saying…
uuughh...
April 28th, 2010
12:53 pm
The grass is always greener I guess. Regular students would rather be football players with their free tuition, apartment, food, tutors, chicks, and the higher progile. Atheletes would rather have the less scrutinized regular student’s life.
The lower SAT score is absolutely a benefit. If they had to score what regular students did, they would not have been admitted. If somebody would’ve spotted me almost 400 points, I would have gone to Harvard.
DAWG258
April 28th, 2010
12:53 pm
I like to see 81 standing up for a teammate and I agree with him on most points. My question would be are we really bashing a 19 year old for doing the same thing 99% of us have done? I agree he should be punished to the same degree that we ALL were for doing the same thing and they definitely shouldnt be getting off scott free just for being a football player.
Obviously a football player getting into trouble will have to deal with everyone knowing the details of their crime and punishment, I think thats where they are held to a hire standard, but at least they are held to it.
I’m still waiting to see what happens to the UT Safety that just got the same arrest. Also I wonder when UF will start suspending players for ALL the apparent failed drug test that are being covered up while in season, which I think deems a much harsher punishment. Not to mention this act by Zack is no where in the area code of a player using a dead girl’s credit card.
under 21 drinking is what it is and most of us have done it! I would only suggest only carrying 1 of the id’s at a time. Lets be real folks!
I look forward to your response!
uuughh...
April 28th, 2010
1:00 pm
I think we should set the football players up with some sort of Scarlet Letter that would make them stand out from everyone else even moreso that they do already. This way the players, the police, the coaches, and the fans all know that when you step out of line you are going to get caught without exception.
Why stop there though? Maybe we should brand them…or make them wear special collars and chain them up outside Butts Mehre at night.
gcs
April 28th, 2010
1:06 pm
Yes, it is fair to hold UGA athletes to a higher standard than other students. They are public representatives of the University. They are seen on national television by millions of people.
In return, they get the joy of playing their favorite game for free room & board, athletic gear, tuition and training for a job that could possibly make them millions of dollars.
.
uuughh...
April 28th, 2010
1:07 pm
I would think a football player stands out in Tuscaloosa like a sore thumb…just as they do in Athens. Are the cops in Tuscaloosa just looking the other way or paid off or something? Do we just have a bunch of Dudley Do Right’s in Athens?
All schools recruit from the same misbehaving pool of kids…you would think a certain number of arrests per offseason would occur across all schools. Why do we have an inordinate number?
DAwg
April 28th, 2010
1:09 pm
This is one of the top universities and athletic programs in the nation and these kids need to keep that in mind! Inexperience is not an excuse for foolish behavior.
chazzo
April 28th, 2010
1:13 pm
The drinking age is 21. If you drink under age, you are wllfully and knowingly breaking the law. Yeah, everbody does it, but you know it is illegal. Why is anybody surprised when they have to pay consequences. If I speed I don’t whine that it’s unfair that I got a ticket. Still, everybody speeds.
Figure it out, folks, d^^n. It is not a deep philosphical debate, here. Throw disorderly, assault, resisting, and posession of multiple fake IDs on top of it. Then the question really becomes why do athletes think they deserve special treatment.
I feel for Mett. I wish him all the best. but, he screwed the pooch. Who’s next? Do you want play football, or do you want to drink and party? Get your priorities straight.
collegeballfan
April 28th, 2010
1:16 pm
Yes they should be held to a higher standard than “regular” students.
Students on Academic scholarships are also held to a higher standard.
Getting a free ride equals higher standards. If Mr. White does not like the higher standard, then he can turn in his scholarship.
kwitchawinin
April 28th, 2010
1:28 pm
What a bunch of hypocrites!
Had Logan Gray gotten caught doing this stuff and was kicked off the team, no one would question the “fairness” of the rules. All the Georgia fans would go…tough luck, kid….we got Mettenberger and Murray.
But when the object of everyone’s man crush gets booted, it’s a different story……
Lowcountry Bulldawg
April 28th, 2010
1:37 pm
What Bradley G. said!
1eyedJack
April 28th, 2010
1:48 pm
uuughh…
Harvard ain’t what it used to be, and never was. Unless you need to be liberalized with the Obama koolaid.
DoubleDownDawgFan
April 28th, 2010
1:52 pm
I just hope we don’t get swept in Football and Basketball like we did in Baseball. Dad’gumit them GT boys can hit that ball! We’re starting out 0-3 this year to them GT boys….I hope we right this ship soon!
How2fish
April 28th, 2010
2:00 pm
DoubleDownDawgFan relax November is coming and the one given in College football is that UGA will stomp a mudhole in the Bugs once again this year.We may only field a team of 11 midgets but we will again beat the Bugs.
ChuckWDawg
April 28th, 2010
2:15 pm
It doesn’t matter what writers and the Red and Black think the standards of behavrior for atheletes should be. Or what fans think. Or what players like Aron White think. What matters is what the coaches standards are. Mark Richt has kicked four of his players off the team this year. The Red and Black is just a newpaper with opinions that only carry as much weight as you allow them to in your own mind. If I’m Aron White or any other Bulldog football player I would just make sure I stay in the Coaches’ good graces.
Old Dawg
April 28th, 2010
2:22 pm
Plain and simple, scholarship athletes should be held to a higher standard than the rest of the student body. Arguably, they are the face of the university on TV, on blogs and in print. Arguably, their actions reflect those of the university when recruits are making decisions on where to play and go to school. Arguably, their actions after they leave school are a reflection on the school they played for.
If these issues aren’t burned into their brains in the years before attending college, parents, families, coaches and administrators are also to blame.
To borrow a line from a well-known movie, with great talent comes great responsibility. As complicated as we make this, it really is that simple.
SOGADOG
April 28th, 2010
2:33 pm
I agree with Mr. White, but he will soon learn you cant win a debate with people that buy paper by the ton and ink by the barrel.
Dbalcer
April 28th, 2010
2:37 pm
I think Mark Richt should decide on the appropriate punishment for his students. I disapprove of underage drinking but I do think that athletes are held to higher standards than regular students. Hope scholarship is a free tuition given to students for performance much like an athletic scholarship is to an athlete and no student would loss that scholarship for what happened to Mettenberger. I do believe that there is more to story we did not hear about. I believe zero tolerance can have a double edge that hurts people who make a mistake as well as those who continually make bad choices. I believe that second chances are necessary in life. I also believe that all journalist now days go for sensationalism and that is what the Red and Black writer was doing. I applaud Aron for sticking up for his friend. I hope Mettenberger gets a chance some where else it would be a shame for one bad decision to ruin his chances at a career he loves. I am sure most of us would not want that standard applied to our children.
ARdawg
April 28th, 2010
2:37 pm
YEAH! What Bradley G said
ARdawg
April 28th, 2010
2:41 pm
I feel bad for Mett. He had and still has one heck of a future to look forward to but, hey, if you are going to dance there does come a time to pay the fiddler. I know of Remerton well and the Keystone cop situation. There must have been more to the story than what we have been told. I really cannot see CMR kicking him off the team for this incident alone.
ARdawg
April 28th, 2010
2:44 pm
Yes Georgia athletes should be held to a higher standard. They are being allowed to represent the school which is providing them a free education. Thats the difference Aron. There are rules to follow, break the rules and deal with the consequences or do not break the rules. It’s not rocket science
St. Richt
April 28th, 2010
2:46 pm
Good to know that per the change made by Michael Adams yesterday to the alcohol and drug policy, that student athletes are now going to be held to lower standards than they were before. That should help!
RxDawg
April 28th, 2010
3:15 pm
What White did wasn’t “unwise”. I thought it was a well thought out letter actually and I was glad that he somewhat defended his position as a UGA football player over scruitinized. Doesn’t mean he is completely right, but it’s nice to see him speak out a little bit. It might make that next article written by the R&B a little less self rightous.
Really this all comes to Zach Mettenberger. We still don’t know exactly why he was kicked off. Getting drunk and restless in a bar doesn’t warrent getting kicked off the team. At least as a first offense and only incident. Something else had to of happened and fans, media, and apparently the football team still don’t know exactly why Metts got the boot. Speculation will continue to fly around until this is cleared up. Honestly I’m kind of saddened that Richt feels the need to keep this thing on the hush hush. I’d like to think he’s doing this to protect Zach.
Decatur Tech Fan
April 28th, 2010
3:32 pm
Grats to UGA for setting an example. If these kids dont take advantege of the $40k plus FREE education they are getting fine, but while they are representing the school, they should at least try to pretend they are human…I think we all know what I mean. Believe me, Tech could use an BIG enema shot through its atheltic dorm, especially the Basketball wing.
UGADAWGZ
April 28th, 2010
3:32 pm
Deliah- sorry but baseball does not beat football or tech’s best sport basketball
also were is tech’s world series? don’t have one? that is what i thought
ugaaccountant
April 28th, 2010
3:35 pm
Ah, the Red & Black – Still just as liberal a rag as when I attended. The couple of folks I knew writing for it back then wouldn’t have written anything this stupid though. But I guess they see what “real” papers are putting out these days and adapt their writing style to fit it. So kudos for that I guess.
ugaaccountant
April 28th, 2010
3:37 pm
while they are representing the school, they should at least try to pretend they are human…I think we all know what I mean.
Umm, no, we don’t. Is it “inhuman” to drink a beer or ride a scooter?
W/E
April 28th, 2010
3:43 pm
Athletes should be held to a higher standard because though they put in much physical work, most on UGA’s team wouldn’t be eligible for UGA if they were under the same admissions standards as other students. (Same at most SEC schools) Dillard’s point about SAT scores is perfect. I know people with 1200+ on their 2-part SAT along with 4.0 GPA’s who were denied at UGA. I know for a fact that Deangelo Tyson (likely starting DL this year) graduated with a 2-part SAT under 800 and a 2.1 GPA. For that reason Athletes need to be held to higher standards because they are receiving FREE education where if it were not for their atheletic prowess, wouldn’t be feasible. You don’t see every student attending UGA or other schools getting full rides to college simply for being there. That’s why athletes deserve to be held to higher standards and should face harsher penalties if they embarass a institute of higher education.
chazzo
April 28th, 2010
3:45 pm
ugaaccountant,
What does thinking that student athletes should have to behave have to with conservative or liberal politics?
An athlete posted a response to an article. Who is the liberal the tightend or the writer?
I just don’t follow your logic.
ARdawg
April 28th, 2010
3:49 pm
I commend Aron White for writing the letter. His opinion and his passion doesn’t make him right but he made some excellent points. Bottom line here is, Yes they should be held to a higher standard. Isn’t it obvious they have to work harder and also have much more to lose?
shane#1
April 28th, 2010
4:11 pm
Enter your comments here
Minnesota Dawg
April 28th, 2010
4:15 pm
As the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Players play before the WORLD! Yes, they will be judged by a higher standard just as our politicans are. These players should realize that they are just like anyone who has name recognition. What they do in secret will be shouted from the housetops. Character does count and they should be willing to take personal responsibility for their actions. This is something that will never change because we expect our heroes to be good citizens and good examples for our children to follow.
Dawg 39
April 28th, 2010
4:17 pm
The Dawgs should hold themselves to a higher standard. Is it worse for an athlete to indulge than any other college student? Probably not. It does not make them Thugs. They should not be judged more harshly. However, they know that they should not be doing certain things & should expect to pay the consequences if they are caught. Personally I do not understand why an athlete would be drinkng under any circumstances. I did not when I attempted to be an athlete many years ago.
As to CMR. He is the best HC (not man) but HC that the Dawgs have ever had.
76-Dawg
April 28th, 2010
4:18 pm
When my son went to UGA as a freshman a few years ago the average SAT score that year for incoming freshman was 1250 and the average grade point average was 3.8. I wonder how many of the athletes at UGA would have gotten in if it wasn’t for their athletic ability. So when they come in they are already on a different standard.That doesn’t include a free $50,000 education that you get by” PlAYING “and my i emphasize” PLAYING” a sport that you love and have been doing for many years with the hopes of going to the next level. So hell yes the UGA athletes should be on a different standard. The reason it has to be a higher standard is the same philosophy as the arm forces. When you do anything as a team you need to work as a team and have respect for the people in charge and the most important reason is DISCIPLINE.
chazzo
April 28th, 2010
4:24 pm
76 Dawg. You make a heck of a point.
Minnesota Dawg
April 28th, 2010
4:25 pm
Those who chose to live in the lights will be responsible for every action they make by those same lights!
ugaaccountant
April 28th, 2010
4:30 pm
Liberals tear other people down for things they do themselves. They want a great team and don’t care if it forces the athletes to live as slaves to rules they would never accept for themselves. Basically they believe that “the man” should do everything they want and they themselves should have no responsibilities at all. And you’ll find that liberals are the first ones to start grumbling and cursing when things go bad. They want coaches fired on the spot and the starter yanked immediately.
Libertarians believe none of this stuff should be a crime in the first place, which is a very good point on most of the players in discussion for any school.
Conservatives support their team/school and forgive others for things they don’t find to be a big deal. They recognize talent and effort and support players that are working towards a mutual goal they have, a great team. Conservatives put rational goals together, like those that noticed Bobo had performed better on the sidelines than in the pressbox. Notice when he recently moved back down on the field his playcalling got better. Conservatives gave Martinez several years worth of chances despite never having thought he was the best hire in the first place. They were more than happy to keep him as a person if he’d just adjust his scheme to a more effective one.
shane#1
April 28th, 2010
4:34 pm
I posted the “enter your comments here” on purpose. My posts haven’t shown up lately and I thought Bill had me blocked. Anywho, athletes represent the school in a most public way so they should be held to a higher standard than less well known students. Fair or not, when you aspire to be a high profile figure of some celebrity you WILL be scrutinized. In the NFL you represent the shield, at UGA you represent all those folks in red and black. Both bring major perks, and a duty to act with class and a measure of dignity. Mess up and you can find yourself out on the street in either case. The Commish said playing in the NFL was not a right, neither is playing in Sanford stadium. Mett took a major hit, but he put himself in a posistion to be a leader and he let his coaches and team mates that down. Now he has to pay a price. As for the two walk ons, if you just saw a four star QB get kicked out and you knew the coaching staff was po-ed, getting drunk was the height of stupidity.
patrick
April 28th, 2010
4:37 pm
Free education? Have u ever trained at that high a level and still study? No. What they do is not free. Szome come away with serious injury. They get into UGA because its a business. The players…not the students account for the majority of cash pouring into UGA. U like the nice facilities? Then shut up and be happy they make the sacrifices they do to help support the school.
patrick
April 28th, 2010
4:40 pm
UGA is the most profitable sports program in the nation. Be happy u have that.
AltamahaDawg
April 28th, 2010
4:47 pm
are we there yet?
patrick
April 28th, 2010
4:52 pm
What would u have UGA do. Have nerds play sports. Then they would bring in the ‘profits’ of Vandy?
Bulldoogmaniac
April 28th, 2010
4:52 pm
To all of you GT fans that always come to the boards to to bash UGA about “thugs” please go to the front page of AJC.COM and see the crimes on record for each Georgia school.
Much, Much more crime at GT!
GaDawg
April 28th, 2010
4:53 pm
shane#1
April 28th, 2010
4:34 pm
I’ve been having the same problems with posting, In fact, this message is a test itself.
Bulldoogmaniac
April 28th, 2010
4:54 pm
As far as this topic…yes, it is ok to hold them to a higher standard.
1. They are role models for young sports fans
2. The have a “free ride” which cost the rest of us 10’s of thousands of $
TROTTINGHOME
April 28th, 2010
4:58 pm
Absolutley it’s fair to hold student athlets to a higher standard.
They get better food, more individual help, and many get discounted tuition.
Not to mention access to the finest facilities the university can offer.
No question about it. Lame question from someone who covered sports for so long.
patrick
April 28th, 2010
4:59 pm
Costs u money? They are soley resposible for millions in PROFITS. Do u understand what profit means?
patrick
April 28th, 2010
5:01 pm
…and the ‘finest facilities’ are paid for their on field action…..not tuition
patrick
April 28th, 2010
5:11 pm
Let’s see…….. 35 million dollars in PROFITS generated by student athletes ……. for those that can’t grasp the concept of profit I will explain…….that’s AFTER their tuition….AFTER their food….AFTER paying for the use of facilities….AFTER well……EVERYTHING. U DON’T PAY Anything for them….NOTHING
patrick
April 28th, 2010
5:14 pm
Oh that’s 35 million A YEAR. So actually they (their efforts on field) pay for the fine facilities YOU use
AltamahaDawg
April 28th, 2010
5:16 pm
A higher standard? As far as morality or ethics. NO.
But contractually, YES. And that a decision they made.
She is getting her arguments crossed. The “perks” as she calls them (but seems to conceed they are really just part of the process for being a S/A) are not part of this equation. That case is closed, that price is paid. Self contained.
The staying out of trouble is a completely different matter.
ugaaccountant
April 28th, 2010
5:16 pm
Patrick – You can tell which bloggers actually purchase tickets and have a UGA education vs. those who don’t. Anybody who thinks the $10,000 scholarship isn’t a pittance of the revenue the football players bring in is neither a fan nor an alumni. If anybody here would gladly work for $10,000 a year that’s another sign they didn’t get a UGA education.
patrick
April 28th, 2010
5:18 pm
Enter your comments here
AltamahaDawg
April 28th, 2010
5:27 pm
Well actually any college student is being subsidized by the folks. Full tuition covers about 20% of the real cost of a student to be in a college class. I’m not talking about living expenses. Running a University. Nobody could actually afford to go to college if they had to pay the REAL prorated cost of being there. You are paying for those student, athlete or not. It’s just a matter of degrees up or down.
So hightened expectations are already built in for every student.
AltamahaDawg
April 28th, 2010
5:31 pm
I wouldn’t work for 10k as a perm job.
But I would intern as a college student for that. Especially for the experience, contacts, and in some rare cases, training for a career making millions.
patrick
April 28th, 2010
5:35 pm
S/A are not subsidized. They earn a profit for the school that helps to subsidize others
shane#1
April 28th, 2010
5:40 pm
Alt,agreed. Compared to the millions football players bring into the university they are poorly paid. As you said, staying out of trouble is not part of that equation. Staying out of trouble should be understood when you sign your LOI.
KG
April 28th, 2010
5:46 pm
You morons think they go to class?
YAD
April 28th, 2010
5:50 pm
To paraphrase Jack Nicklaus, after Tiger Woods complained about media scrutiny from winning the Masters, “If you want to be a “regular” student and be treated like a “regular” student then quit the football team and become a “regular” student.”
ARdawg
April 28th, 2010
5:57 pm
YAD I agree with you there but to add, pay like a regular student. The S/A’s deserve everything they have and then some. I do truly believe they play a larger part in the academic side than given credit for but all this comes at a price. Some of that price is personal responsibility. There’s been some comparison to employment at 10K a year (I don’t know why because you certainly can not send a kid to UGA for 10K a year but I digress) If an employee embarrasses his employer, termination from his employment is very likely and definitely on the table
Mike
April 28th, 2010
6:15 pm
If the newspaper can bring in $50,000,000 like the football players do, then their organization should get a break on SAT requirements, if that’s the barrier between $50,000,000 a year.
But SAT requirements, have nothing to do with requiring higher ethical requirements.
All students must be treated with the same ethical expectations and punishments.
hiccup
April 28th, 2010
6:41 pm
boo hoo
AltamahaDawg
April 28th, 2010
6:42 pm
In summary:
1. Student/Athlete package is a self conatained package. fair or not, both parties agree to it. The “perks” or $ are not even part of the conversation about getting in trouble. Thats a completely seperate issue.
2. The notoriety carries baggage. That’s a choice that was made.
3. Not a higher moral standard than the average student, ( and they are convered by those AS a student as well) so the offence isnt any worse comparitively. in short, not thugs.
4. Getting in trouble endagers the continuance of #1 above. Thats not a “higher” standard than a student, just a completely different contractual issue.
chazzo
April 28th, 2010
7:03 pm
ugaaccountant,
Your definitions simply are not correct. This has nothing to do with liberals, conservatives, libertarians, communists, tea parties, none, zip nada. By definition, the writer of the article in question, the writer of what you are calling a liberal student newspaper, is taking a conservative point of view. You are simply throwing terms around that mean nothing and do nothing for your argument. These ill-defined terms do little more than polarize and draw lines in ways that disallow any genuine discourse or any solution to the problem at hand.
GaDawg
April 28th, 2010
7:19 pm
When one accepts an athletic scholarship he becomes locked into a contract that he must deliver on. If he cannot focus on fulfilling that contract to the very best of his ability, he should not agree to it in the first place. Alcohol is an obstacle to ones ability to focus on the task at hand. The athlete must be so committed to his task at hand that he will want to avoid all obstacles that might interfere with his ability to stay focused. This quality of character is sometimes referred to as self discipline. If the athlete can’t stay focused; he can’t finish the drill.
Burn my Black and Red…………….Never!
Dawg 39
April 28th, 2010
7:57 pm
I am the moron who thinks that they do go to class. The main perk in being a college athlete is to be afforded the opportunity to get a college education. There are a lot of kids who can’t afford to go to college. Getting a free education is a major deal financially & otherwise. The athletes s/b grateful for the opportunity.
chazzo
April 28th, 2010
8:18 pm
patrick,
All said and done, I bet you I could find a thousand guys that would give their left one to have the opportunity that these guys have. They might not break any records, but I’d bet they’d win some championships.
The Eternal Pessimist
April 28th, 2010
8:47 pm
It might not be fair to treat the athletes differently. But who ever said life was fair? The athletes are role models. They would be role models to the local kids if they were playing at podunk state. That’s just part of being an athlete, and anytime people look up to you there is going to be increased scrutiny on your behaviour. That’s just part of the bargain. I think it’s irresponsible to excuse bad behaviour, but hypocritical to be overly judgmental. I would be interested to know if anyone on the R&B staff ever had a drink before they were 21; I would find it hard to believe that none of them did. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
I think the kid who wrote the response to Aron’s letter is probably just trying to shtup the chick who wrote the original column. Anyone?
Camden Mark
April 28th, 2010
8:55 pm
Athletes when all is said and done should only be held to a slightly higher standard.They are after all still kids same as any student.Don’t know why Zach was booted but its a shame,one strike and ur out.
Under the rules of good manners players like Aron did should speak thier mind,nothing wrong with that at all.
I am the dog
April 28th, 2010
9:35 pm
patrick…..players raise no money for the team….UGA made 40 mill selling swag out of Dollar Gen and Wal-mart
patrick
April 28th, 2010
9:38 pm
CHazzo……..the S/As do give a left one. Its call hours on hours of practice……if those thousand guys did that theymight just be S/As.
patrick
April 28th, 2010
9:40 pm
Numb nutz…..if it were not for the exploits of the players no one would buy the swag.
StingBuzz
April 28th, 2010
9:42 pm
Higher standard? What a joke! Most of these football players can barely read and get in UGA only because they can play football and make money for the University of football. They couldn’t get in with regular rules—then once they get to town, they start drinking and getting arrested–yes, different standards at UGA for football players!!!
patrick
April 28th, 2010
9:42 pm
Not many people buy Vandy gear cause they don’t have the quality of UGA players. THAT SWAG is a direct result of the S/As
ATH
April 28th, 2010
9:43 pm
1) The previous comment regarding Stafford and his actions at Bourbon Street (aka The Street) are no different than many other kids in Athens. Stafford knew the owners as do many others. Everyone knows that The Street is where the “kids” hang out — the underage kids. If people were really concerned, they’d crack down.
2) CMR rarely kicks someone off the team for one violation of a team rule or UGA policy. If a kid lied to him, he has every right to kick someone off the team………He’s a pretty fair guy.
3) The average student has no idea what the student athletes go through. While the average student is asleep, the student athlete has probably already hit the gym, went to study hall, stopped by for rehab if they are injured and been to class. Then after classes, they’ll go to practice, get some more rehab, go for tutoring and then to bed. Granted the kids sign on for this life but they work their butts off.
4) Why won’t the media outlets focus on all of the positive things that these kids do off the field?
patrick
April 28th, 2010
9:52 pm
Well said ATH
JELLO JOCKITCH
April 28th, 2010
9:55 pm
I WILL NEVER EVEN THINK OF BURNING MY RED AND BLACK STUFF. I WILL EVEN BE BURRIED WITH THEM SORT OF THOSE THINGS YOU ARE FINDING IN THOSE CHAMBERS IN EGYPT.
JELLO JOCKITCH
April 28th, 2010
10:04 pm
I WILL LIKE TO REMAIN A DAWG FAN EVEN AFTER LIFE.
JELLO JOCKITCH
April 28th, 2010
10:08 pm
I LIKE PEOPLE TO SAY WHEN THEY OPEN MY TOMB YEARS AFTER MY DEATH, WOW, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GA BULLDAWG FAN.
common sense
April 28th, 2010
10:23 pm
I don’t give a eff how smart the football players are. I don’t care whether they go to the NFL or work at McDonald’s for the rest of their lives. Don’t get arrested, and WIN WIN WIN. Crush Florida, stomp Tennessee and make Tech think twice about even playing another game. WIN, period. Win the SEC and for Gods sake bring us a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!! That is all that matters. Beating tech isn’t good enough, a Sugar bowl berth isn’t good enough. Just win. And someone please smack that piece of crap Bailey Keiger.
Player Rules
April 28th, 2010
11:18 pm
Football players should get special rules since they work a lot harder than most students at practice and in the weight room. They should be able to take easier classes and be given special treatment by professors. Those classes are hard to prepare for when you’ve been at practice and in the weight room early in the morning.
Randon
April 28th, 2010
11:43 pm
I have moved from a Penn State driven area in Pennsylvania to a UGA driven area… Let’s give these guys a break! Sheesh, yes we yanks don’t know how to play football like the SEC but I have never seen such harshness or hatred against the players when s**t hits the fan, as I have witnessed here in Athens… Go ahead and burn what you consider your school colors… you are only trying to be a columnist, not a true fan…. only good think that comes from the red and black is the d**n crossword…
BuLLdawg
April 29th, 2010
4:54 am
Latest Graduation Success Rates in Football according to NCAA :
GSR released 2010 by NCAA for Football SEC :
.
.
91 % Vanderbilt
69 % Florida
69 % Ole Miss
67 % Alabama
63 % Mississippi State
60 % LSU
60 % South Carolina
59 % Auburn
57 % Georgia
.
.
.
10-10 vs SEC East the last 4 years.
5 SEC East Losses last 4 years vs not Top 25 Final AP Poll team
14 Losses in Football just these last 4 years
21 fumbles, 14 interceptions, # 96 NCAA in Penalties all last 4 yrs
.
.
94 Arrests / Suspensions in the 9-Year Coach Richt Era.
38 Arrests / Suspensions last 3 years according to David Hale.
.
.
334 points lower SAT for the 2007 UGA Football Recruits than any other UGA male accepted here.
.
.
Zach Mettenberger put his hand up a lady’s skirt in Remerton and Aron White wants to Defend that ?
.
Aron, sir, that is a perfect example of what I mean that our football players should shut up to the media about how you are so unfairly viewed.
.
UGA Football Players the last 4 years have not done well on the field or off the field.
.
And, you want to know if UGA Football Athletes should be held to a Higher Standard ?
Duh
Tech "fans"
April 29th, 2010
5:43 am
I’m beginning to wonder if the Techies who post comments on UGA articles aren’t actually Tech coeds desperate to talk to real men.
BuLLdawg
April 29th, 2010
6:26 am
No, what we have here mostly, are 3 groups of posters. A clique of feel good UGA posters who only defend everything and make excuses for our players beating up girls and grabbing college girls on scholarship here as the most highly recruited players on the team while the team has lost 14 games the last 4 years while they LIE about how great we are doing on the field and say every school has all these issues off the field neither of which is true, a another group of UGA posters whom the 1st group would like to have not be able to post their views who are not satisified with what has transpired on the field or off the last 4 years, and then a small group of nerds who somehow think it is good to have lost to us again for the 8 years of the 9 Year Coach Richt Era while they have not won a major bowl game in 56 years.
chazzo
April 29th, 2010
6:34 am
BuLLdawg,
What I see is one troll who posts a bunch of negative stuff no matter what the topic is and another troll who posts a bunch of negative stuff no matter what the topic is. that would be you and Patrick. Then there are fans of other teams who show up to talk smack. Finally there are some folks who are just trying to have a conversation about their favorite team.
chazzo
April 29th, 2010
6:35 am
Correction: Patrick would be the positive troll.
chazzo
April 29th, 2010
6:57 am
Patrick,
I do not disagree with you about the amount of work that student athletes put in. There are some valid points here, though, about compensation, via a bought and paid for education. Maybe we should distinguish football from other student athletes. I don’t hear about many equestrians getting drunk and beating people up.
Anyway, my point is that they aren’t higher standards. They are different standards. You are drawing a comparison to a job, and that is a good comparison. If I don’t meet the requirements of my job or do something that is detrimental to my job, I will get fired. That does include drug and alcohol related activity. If a person is convicted of a felony, that person loses his or her right to vote. Whether these guys are just cutting up and blowing off steam (boys will be boys) or what ever, they understand the rules. The drinking age is 21. Hitting people is bad. Touching people inappropriately is bad. If you get that and do it anyway, why are you surprised at paying consequences.
My thousand guys statement refers to the fact that while these guys are incredible athletes that bring a lot to the university, it is every high school athletes dream to play college ball. I think our team is great, and I have the utmost respect for what they do, but if a player doesn’t want to follow the rules of the team, the school, and society, there are plenty of players who will.
Buckhead Bulldog
April 29th, 2010
7:11 am
Yes.
chazzo
April 29th, 2010
7:16 am
BullDawg,
Losing 14 games in the last 4 years is 3.5 losses a year. You are simply wrong in your negative outlook. 100s of teams would love to have that record. Other schools do have these problems. Look at the Oregon player who sucker punched another player after a game. Look at the two UT players busted for drugs this week. You are simply wrong most of the time. It is not that I am Rose and Black bulldog. I just don’t know what it is you hope to accomplish. I essentially believe that you are like Tokyo Rose, and you are a Tennessee fan that wants to fill the blogs with negative crap and doubt. What do you hope to accomplish? Do you really imagine that you have the power to hire and fire and make changes to the team?
AltamahaDawg
April 29th, 2010
7:22 am
What about the group who say one thing, then a year later completely make up how they “all along” said the opposite. Then conveniently overlook how they are calld out about it several times. Where do they fit into the grand scheme?
BTW that first “clique” who only defend everything and say everything is great consist of about 2 people. As Chazzo points out , the vast majority of folks in here are just trying to have a rational sport conversation, obviously slanted towards thier favorite sports teams. And they are FAR outweighed by the folks who NEVER defend anything and always find the negative, never once commenting on anything good coming out of Georgia Football , and never once having had a positive personal experience at a single Georgia football game? Oh and can’t stand anybody else that is a Georgia football fan. Only they care through thier hyper bloated negatism. Nobody else can. However they DO about it the exact same thing. Which is actually far more hypocritical.
I’d go ahead and lump that group with the last group, the nerds, because the net result is all the same.
The amount of people who defend beating up a girl, yea that happens all the time. Talk about people who Lie.
Tech "fans"
April 29th, 2010
7:27 am
I still think there are a few Tech coeds around here…
AltamahaDawg
April 29th, 2010
7:30 am
“Anyway, my point is that they aren’t higher standards. They are different standards.”
Chazzo, that is the answer to the question in a nutshell.
Tech "fans"
April 29th, 2010
7:33 am
BTW, does anyone have an idea when we’ll get the full story on Mett?
MinnieM
April 29th, 2010
7:44 am
When I wear a shirt with my school’s logo, I am very aware of that, and remember to conduct myself in a way that won’t bring discredit…..even when I’m out drinking beers with friends. Wish the jocks would consider the same thing. They’re the face of the school. Yes, the press is just lurking out there for a naughty story, but….don’t give them one. Behave yourselves, jocks.
TommyP
April 29th, 2010
7:48 am
I think the AJC would be doing themselves a favor by hiring the young sportswriter. I’m not burning my colors but she’s right on most everything else.
Morrus
April 29th, 2010
8:08 am
Vote out the incumbents and start over
Unforgiving
April 29th, 2010
8:33 am
If the football team can not display golf etiquette at all times then they should be kicked off the team. I mean you must be a gentleman and a fair player at all times. Your appearance is before performance. Remember! It is not whether you win or lose but how you display the golf etiquette during the game and off the field.
BG
April 29th, 2010
8:54 am
College students drink beer and party?? Who Knew??
Gt4ever
April 29th, 2010
8:54 am
This might be the funniest article yet from our friend the Junk Yard Dawg……… Bill you make my day… To even suggest that your football players are held to a higher standard is ABSURD! There are exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, admitting a person based solely on his football prowess is WRONG! I would venture to say that 75 percent of your football players would NEVER gain admittance if not for their talent. Good Grief man, they are given, given, and given more opportunities than any of the regular student population… The problem is your COACH! He has set the standard with his actions or non action regarding discipline! Your COACH is the one who should be held accountable for these players…. The article was a nice read, thanks for the bit of humor!!!
mars
April 29th, 2010
9:02 am
Football players are celebrities, and a certain responsibility should accompany fame. But, as stated earlier, it seems that the whole story has not been presented to warrant Mr. Mettenbergers dismissal. If it has, then I must question whether Zack was actually held to a higher standard than other, more embarrassing Bulldog gridders. If so, then shame on you Mr. Richt.
I’d like to thank Jan Kemp….. uh, ahem, excuse me….. Baily Keiger for bringing this to our attention.
Monroe's first Redcoat
April 29th, 2010
9:02 am
@StingBuzz: The standards are so much higher at Tech, this would never happen on the Flats….riiiight…..
two words – Reggie Ball.
Ron Mexico
April 29th, 2010
9:04 am
Deliah, you’re a retard, and 30-24 b*tches! And I love that most of the comments I see on here are jealous tech fans. Obviously they don’t care about their teams or they would be reading articles about them. The conclusion I draw from this is that Tech is irrelevant. And they are.
PMC
April 29th, 2010
9:05 am
Yes, life isn’t fair. They have more to lose and they reflect more on the school. They represent the school. It’s part of that free 100 grand they get for being on scholarship.
Gt4ever
April 29th, 2010
9:06 am
Monroe,
It’s the same at GT, but I will tell you this…… Coach Johnson has a better handle on discipline. Yes, we have our few problems, but in general our coaches do a MUCH better job at making the players accountable.
barneyb
April 29th, 2010
9:08 am
Good for Ms. Keiger- she nailed it! Some of these atheletes have had their butts kissed since their young days in Pop Warner football. If it were not for football, they wouldn’t be in college at all, but rather baggng groceries of pumping gas. They are getting a free education while my honors student must work their tails off and still not get the opportunities some of these punks get. Some are spoiled, petulant little brats who need a tast of the real world. Grow up and don’t disrespect your employer! (UGA) You ARE held to a higher standard, and rightfully so. That’s your job- to play ball, get passing grades and conduct yourself in an adult manner. If you can’t live by those rules, just try to make it in the real world like the rest of us, you ungrateful, morons!
Columbus Dawg
April 29th, 2010
9:12 am
Hey Bill, have you seen this POS that’s been named head of the “Joke Formerly Known as the NCAA”? Is there nothing left in this country that is not corrupt? I heard someone say that he is an old friend of Little Nicky Saban, thus all of the posts by the toothless, moron, inbred Bama fan base about all of the enormous illegal recruiting practices that UA can now use. What a joke. With everyday that passes, it looks more as if college football is being rigged, almost to the point of professional wrestling. Between the crooked referees, and now this joke of a leader for the very organization that oversees college football, there are not many other conclusions to draw from the events that have shadowed fair play in our beloved sport.
ugaalumn81
April 29th, 2010
9:12 am
Mars- there WAS much more to the Mettenberger story, and he’s not out of the woods criminally yet. If at least one particular young lady presses charges, he’s a dead a**. Straight from a witness who was there to witness his reprehensible behavior that night, he dishonored himself, UGA, and his parents. Yes, he’s still a child- at 18 or so, your frontal lobe is not completely developed. But his actions were not one that any Mother would be proud of, and he must be held accountable. It was bad anough, and his subsequent denials to CMR were such that he was rightfully shown the door.
Unimpressed
April 29th, 2010
9:13 am
There are no standards now so any standards will be an improvement. UGA will never be an elite program because of the quality of people who suit up there.
Liza
April 29th, 2010
9:15 am
My daughter was a majorette for four years. She was held to a very high esteem and I agree that she and all of the football players should also. They are representing UGA on and off the field. Their sponsor and twirling coach never let them forget that they were representing UGA and to always do it with pride. Football players need to get a “Wake up Call” from Richt and live up to the standard. If they want to go crazy go home and do it! It’s just like when Bobo was a player. How many fights did he get into uptown while he was drinking.
Smokewagon
April 29th, 2010
9:27 am
GT4ever- As a Dawg fan I have to agree with you about Coach Johnson having a good handle on discipline and respect your team for that. You have to agree though that Atlanta police have a lot more on their hand than some football players having a few beers unlike the Athens police.
Russell Dawg
April 29th, 2010
9:35 am
As a UGA student, I have consumed alcohol underage numerous times. But c’mon folks, do you really think he would have been kicked off the team for drinking underage when a good portion of the university population does it? Let’s just say that I may only be 19 years old, but I still know that I am responsible for my actions while intoxicated, especially when it comes to respecting women. (HINT HINT).
After hearing the inside story from a couple of my friends on the football team, I definitely have less respect for the man, and am now aware that sexual misconduct comes with penalties known as felonies (HINT HINT).
Although I do not condone underage drinking, I do believe that you are always responsible for your actions especially when it comes to treating women. So Mettenberger the next time you have had more than five and a half shots, I hope that you remember that it is necessary to keep your hands where they belong. To conclude, Go Dawgs! And for those of who who don’t know the inside story, lets just say that it is pretty obvious that there was a very good reason why Richt had to dismiss a potential starting QB.
Gt4ever
April 29th, 2010
9:42 am
Absolutely Smokewagon, but I would submit that underage drinking is not really the problem here… We are talking about a much more serious problem, as Russell Dawg leads us to believe, Mett would have never been thrown off the team for underage drinking…
Jan Kemp
April 29th, 2010
9:45 am
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnn.
Its 2010. Nothing has changed in Athens.
Same basic academic fraud & corruption…
year after
year after
year after
year after
year after
year after
year after
year after
year after
year after year……………………..
Gt4ever
April 29th, 2010
9:46 am
Oh, and the fact that Russell Dawg doesn’t condone underage drinking is well, very FUNNY!! Sorry Russell Dawg, I believe that you and I can both agree that arresting a person 18 and over for drinking a beer is ABSURD!
KW Dan
April 29th, 2010
9:49 am
I went to a UGA graduation some time ago where the graduating students were openly drinking and waving their bottles around and so were the parents! When one student accepted his diploma and whipped out a bottle and drank from it on stage the whole crowd applauded and went wild. FACT!
Gt4ever
April 29th, 2010
9:51 am
KW Dan
I’ll bet he/she was a Business major….
Russell Dawg
April 29th, 2010
9:54 am
Agreed Gt4ever
NORML
April 29th, 2010
9:59 am
Legalize Weed!
middlegadawg
April 29th, 2010
10:05 am
15 baseball wins can not come close to a big football victory over Tech.
2HLLWGA
April 29th, 2010
10:07 am
As unfair as it may be, the athletes are the public face of the university. They have asked for and accepted that responsibility by wanting to play football. When you are the public face of anything, you are automatically held to a higher standard. If they were not held to a higher standard, than why are we talking about it?
I think many people missed the point of her comment about burning her red and black – it was a point and I assume she would never really do it.
Blackberry Cobbler
April 29th, 2010
10:11 am
I’ve had 2 sons that were fortunate to attend college and play college sports on scholarship.
So, I speak from experience.
I would have no problem whatsoever if admissions standards were to same for athletes as for the general student population. But then, alumni and fans should have no complaints if and when the losses outnumber the wins. These student-athletes help generate a lot of revenue for the university and fir that reason, the university administration is willing to lower the standards for academic performance. Again I repeat, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can have the same standards across the board, but then keep your pie-hole shut if the wins and losses don’t suit you.
As to “off the field activities”, these are 19 and 20 year olds. I’d venture to say their propensity to get in trouble is no more than the general student population. Yes, they are representatives of the university but so is EVERY student and faculty member. The fact that they play sports does not and should not raise the bar just for them. In fact, these student-athletes are probably more closely watched and behave better than many students.
On the Zach Mettenberger thing, it appears as though the punishment was too severe given what we think we know and compared to how other players have been treated. But that investigation in Remerton is still on-going and I think it could eventually come out that there is much more to this that the general public doesn’t yet know. CMR may know and that’s why he did what he did.
Bailey
April 29th, 2010
10:13 am
“Majoring in Magazines”? Are you serious?
TisP'doff
April 29th, 2010
10:17 am
It’s been well known forever, hell I’ve been out of college for 30 years, most athletes are dumber than a box of rocks. They get money to go to school,for what? They have no interest in education, they are just sure that they are on a path to a professional career in sports.
Why waste scholarships on them. Pay them a salary. Save scholarships for actual academic students who want deserve them. The ability to throw, catch, bat, or hoop a ball should not be the basis for a scholarship.
ugaclassof2004
April 29th, 2010
10:23 am
Well the irrelavent GT idiots are out in full effect today! Such losers!
As for the actual topic at hand, being in the spotlight as a collegiate athlete has many perks. When you win, everyone wants to be around you to pat you on the back, buy you drinks and get you laid. And when you lose they will look for any way they can to tear you down. That’s why these football players should do what Herschel did at UGA, which is surround himself with a select group of close friends that had his back regardless of what he did on the field. It’s easy to confuse admiration with friendship, but the two aren’t always intertwined. There are some folks that never learn this lesson much to their detriment.
Football players are just like anyone else: there are some that understand their role and the perks and drawbacks that come with it, and then there are others that are immature and waste their opportunities. Keeping admiration and adversity in perspective is good life training for these young men.
Dan
April 29th, 2010
10:26 am
Interesting someone like TisP’doff, referring to athletes and the stupidity of rocks indeed boxes of them thinks paying athletes a salary would free up scholarships. Pssst it doesn’t really make a difference what you call it, indeed a scholarship actually costs less (no margin involved) The athletic department actually adds money to the school cofers, be careful what you wish for
Bob
April 29th, 2010
10:34 am
All the tech fans taking about the line about UGA players getting in with lower sat scores need to look at their own program since almost every player ine past 10 years wouldn’t have even gotten admitted to te h if they couldn’t thro a ball. I think they had theargest disparity of athletes to student body out of any football program and let’s not forget the players who dropped in the draft failed drug tests.
ugaalumn81
April 29th, 2010
10:35 am
Aron White- you are exactly what’s wrong with the Dawgs….you sir, have the mindset of a punk.
ugaalumn81
April 29th, 2010
10:44 am
Another example if higher standrad is with the UGA Redcoat Band. If they are caught with alcohol or intoxicated while either in uniform, at a band function, or in any other situation representing the University or the Band, they are GONE. And they are not on full scholarships like the football team! Why should the football players be any different? Geez dude, they are paid” for a job. If you act like that on your job, my guess is that you too will be FIRED. Good riddance, Mettenberger, you punk….. you disgraced yourself, your parents, and UGA. I hope you learn from this costly mistake and grow up.
Dismissal of Mett, treatment of football players.
April 29th, 2010
10:44 am
From what I hear, Damon evans had a “Come to Jesus” meeting about two weeks prior with every male athlete. He said next person to get in trouble with females for what ever reason, you are gone. Looks like he was a man of his word. Also, word on the street in Athens is that what went down in Valdosta deserved a dismissal, first offense or not.
jasont13
April 29th, 2010
10:45 am
Being a former student athlete on scholarship it’s hard to say if they should or should not be held to a high standard. If Ms. Keiger gets picked up on Broad Street for under age drinking will her name be in the paper and have people bantering as to why? More than likely it will not. As to the SAT and ACT scores for athletes. The NCAA mandates the score for athletes, therefore if you do not want to be in the NCAA then have your own scores for admittence. Every university has lowered academic standards for athletes. This includes Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt and all the other schools that people like to call academic schools. If you want to put any blame, then blame the NCAA and or the governent for allowing partial qualifiers to be accepted.
Another Saint Simons
April 29th, 2010
10:48 am
Aron, Bailey, and Zach all seem to be intelligent kids who express themselves clearly. For that, I am grateful. As for the Stafford incident, as well as the incident in M’ville, the owners of these establishments knew that these students were under the legal age. Stafford was 19 and already famous. I would love to see the adults in these situations held to a higher standard.
jasont13
April 29th, 2010
10:48 am
Being a student athlete is tough. Most of the people on here that complain that its a privalge. Well what did you all do in while you were in college? Did you wake up most mornings at 6 am to go work out? Did you go work out from 2pm to 5pm then go study?
jasont13
April 29th, 2010
10:50 am
Also to the person who saw Stafford go to a bar in Athens and pour his own drinks is here say and until you can prove it with pictures that is all it is. Funny how people in amercia try to bad mouth and bring others down once they have fame. To me it sounds like jealousy.
ugaclassof2012
April 29th, 2010
10:52 am
TisP’doff, although you have more wisdom with your 97 years of age as opposed to my 20 years on this Earth, that was probably one of the most ignorant things that I’ve read on this blog. So before you regale me with your stories of what it was like to grow up with Abe Lincoln (note:sarcasm), keep in mind that your statement is proved false every day. To say that all athletes “have no interest in education” is like saying that all elderly people such as yourself wear dentures and yell at kids to keep off their lawn. It is a fact that 97 percent of all NCAA athletes go on to pursue a career other than their sport, which means that millions of these “rock-headed” students have some incentive to maintain their grades. Every year there are football, yes football players who choose to stay in college one more year so that they can attain their degree (e.g. Colt McCoy, C.J. Spiller, Peyton Manning). So before you go off on how the only reason these guys stayed was to improve their draft stock, remember that these players were all projected to be first round picks following their junior seasons. Some of these “rock-headed” athletes even go on to become U.S. Senators, such as the former basketball player Bill Bradley, a Princeton alum. So please TisP’Doff please don’t remind me about what life was like under the Jefferson Administration, because times have changed, although certain NCAA athletes have always gone on to accomplish much more than throwing a ball. Anyways, I am through with this blog, and keep in mind TisP’doff that while I was only joking with you on the elderly jokes, my stance to your comment remains unchanged.
dawgfan80
April 29th, 2010
10:52 am
It’s true what TisP’doff said. A significant percentage of football players ARE dumber than a box of rocks (sorry but it’s true). They will NEVER graduate, and the only reason they are in college is it’s a way to get into the NFL, if they are so fortunate. If it weren’t for their golden ticket into college, they would be dealing crack or bagging groceries.
Referee
April 29th, 2010
10:52 am
To all the bee fans that have to write on this site, When I was a kid in the 60’s, Ga Tech had a football player named Billy L. and he played football for Ga Tech in the fall and sold cars in the winter and spring in Gainsville, Ga. Ga. Tech football players have the same lower SAT scores as any other university. The problem with the Ga Tech football team is they are in a city of 2 million and the front page news in Atlanta is the number of killings that occur and not what a football player did in a small town bar. All 18 year olds that are away at college for the first time are going to make mistakes and it is the first 18 years of disipline by their parents that determine how much trouble they will get into. so, Get off their backs.
dawgfan80
April 29th, 2010
10:55 am
ugaclassof2012 have you lost your mind??? Look at their GPAs and graduation rates!!!!! Then tell me they are interested in higher education!
jasont13
April 29th, 2010
10:57 am
As to Zach Mettenberger, I wouldn’t be suprised if he is back on the team come summer workouts. He is still enrolled in school and has not be completly released from his scholarship. Which who knows if he even was on scholarship as his mother is employed by the university meaning he is allowed to go to school for free.
jasont13
April 29th, 2010
11:02 am
Dawgfan80, if your looking at BuLLdawg’s list of graduation rates then your looking at the wrong things. BuLLdawgs is a Florida fan. There is no way and I mean 0 way they lead have a\a higher graduation rate than most of the other schools in the SEC. They way graduations are accumulated are by how many players graduate in 4 years, not 5. And if you have a player who leaves early after his junior year and comes back two years later and graduates, that is not listed. Also if you have a player who graduates in the summer that does not count either. BuLLdawgs you in my book will never be a UGA fan or alum and if you really are, what a disgrace you are to the Bulldog Nation!
ugaclassof2012
April 29th, 2010
11:03 am
No I am not insane, and of course I realize this dawgfan80, but you simply cannot say that ALL football players are not interested in education. Heck our starting quarterback in highschool was recruited by several schools, but instead chose to take his 3.9 gpa to West Point. Myron Rolle became a Rhodes Scholar. Contrary to popular belief, there ARE players on the UGA football team with over a 3.5 gpa. I am not saying that football players do not have low GPAs/graduation rates, I am simply saying that I will not support a stereotype.
Blackberry Cobbler
April 29th, 2010
11:13 am
jasont13
April 29th, 2010
10:57 am
As to Zach Mettenberger, I wouldn’t be suprised if he is back on the team come summer workouts. He is still enrolled in school and has not be completly released from his scholarship. Which who knows if he even was on scholarship as his mother is employed by the university meaning he is allowed to go to school for free.
He goes to UGA free because his mother is employed by UGA? Where did you get this tidbit of misinformation from? UGA has no such policy. Know your facts before you speak, you moron.
common sense
April 29th, 2010
11:17 am
Who has time to study? Waaay to much smokin hot poon to wear out.
ugaclassof2012
April 29th, 2010
11:21 am
Blackberry Cobbler: The AJC actually reported this bit of information during the period of time that Mettenberger was being recruited, although you are right in that there is no such policy in place.
common sense
April 29th, 2010
11:22 am
Bust tail at practice, study playbook and game film, WIN games, get drunk, bang hot coeds, repeat
KimZ's Package
April 29th, 2010
11:33 am
Truth be told if UGA didn’t let sports players with bad grages and low SAT’s in, then there would so few African Americans at UGA.
georgia peach museum and oyster bar
April 29th, 2010
11:53 am
True that KimZ’s package.
Scott W.
April 29th, 2010
12:02 pm
This is the lamest post I’ve ever seen on this blog.
KimZ's Package
April 29th, 2010
12:10 pm
Scott W. lamest don’t make it a Lie or False. I said it before and I will say it again. UGA has 2,679 african american students enrolled for the 09-10 school year. What % do think think do compete in some sports program at UGA?
WonderDawg
April 29th, 2010
12:11 pm
Not the first female, non-athletic journalist whining about athletes (particularly male) being treated better. You will never please them. If Title IX didn’t please them, nothing will. . .
WonderDawg
April 29th, 2010
12:15 pm
I thought you croaked, Jan. . .
Scott W.
April 29th, 2010
12:16 pm
What you said would be a comment KimZ’s Package and I said the post was lame. I’ll let you figure out what the post is.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 29th, 2010
12:30 pm
Altadawg, all good points today my friend. It all comes down to doing the right thing. Intoxicated or not. The best advice that I was ever given was never to drink alcohol but if you do then don’t do anything stupid. Unfortunately I did not heed the first part of that advice, however, I never ever forgot the second part.
I don’t think that student athletes should be held to any higher standards that regular students. Just that they be held to the standards. Period. Part of the student athlete package is being in the public eye. And being in the public eye can be for good or for bad. I think that would be the student athlete’s choice to make just like any regular student.
BTW, I still don’t know the details behind Mettenberger’s release other than the rumored “hand up the skirt”, drunk, belligerent and scuffle with the bouncers thing. However, if it had been my date or sister and I witnessed an act like that, I can tell you that Mett would be worrying about getting rehab on his knee. Worrying about walking again rather than where to play.
troof
April 29th, 2010
12:39 pm
pastor richt runnin w/ a bunch of lepers… at least urbans wins w/ his.
PNWDawg
April 29th, 2010
2:35 pm
I just find some of Keiger’s quotes laughable. Such as comparing her ability to maintain a B average to the rigors of being a student athlete. My SAT scores were closer to that of the football team but I finished just .03 shy of being an honor graduate. I’m not inherently intelligent but I can promise you I didn’t have to work near as hard as many of the athletes. And I love that the athletics factored into her decision to attend UGA. Would that include football? Would it have anything to do with them being a winning team? Reality is there’s a strong inverse correlation of SAT scores to athletic performance. Sure, go ahead and get a bunch of well-behaved scholars suiting up on gameday. I’m sure after getting creamed by the likes of Florida and LSU the fans will still be excited because Aron White aced his chemistry exam and rescued kittens from a tree. You want to burn your red and black clothing? But you write for the Red and Black. I’m so confused.
Lee
April 29th, 2010
10:12 pm
Enter your comments here
James T. Kirk
April 30th, 2010
8:05 am
UGA’s hired guns are can’t even stay out of trouble they are so dumb. While our STUDENT athletes are learning how to build rockets and save the world. What a joke to even compare the two. UGA’s paid players are like Forrest Gump, while ours are like Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting.
Gt4ever
April 30th, 2010
8:33 am
Captain, Their hired guns are still better than ours…….
Gt4ever
April 30th, 2010
8:42 am
Matt Damon is a stretch……. I had some football players in my calculas class that were not the Matt Damon types, not to say I was either, but just sayin…
Technophobia
May 1st, 2010
6:56 pm
License, registration and proof of insurance are not higher standards!
Tdawg
May 1st, 2010
7:48 pm
I would most definitely burn my red and black. If they were on a gator fan. No Way Mett got kicked off the team for getting arrested for underage drinking. There had to be something else. What was it.
Dawg
May 2nd, 2010
12:12 pm
If Zack had told the truth about the incident he was involved in, he would still be with the team. This kid did not turn 18 and all of a sudden got a vision that drinking is all right. Mark did the right and only thing left, if you cannot be loyal to your coaches and team then you have to go and go he did. Bottom line is tell the truth.
Patient Dog
May 3rd, 2010
11:20 am
He made the choice, He paid the price.
Now how about all of the bloggers that espress their views with unfitting words and saterical comments, is that grown up or do we need to look at their comments and say that is OK to verbalize in bad taste because they did not get the education to utilize the English Language. Just woundering ???????????
St. Richt
May 3rd, 2010
5:02 pm
What higher standard is that? I think a regular student would have been arrested for sexual assault just like Zach Mettenberger was.. CMR- leader of men.
Jimmy
May 3rd, 2010
6:45 pm
I have no problem w/ athletes being held to higher standards. What I do have a problem with, however, is Mark Richt’s standards. So he gives Montez Robinson three chances even though the guy hits his girl friend, yet only gives Met one chance, because he lied to the coach??
Mett didn’t even do anything wrong. He got drunk and grabbed some chic’s a$$ and breasts. Big deal. While Robinson on the other hand physically beats the crap out of his girl. That’s ok though as long as he told the truth??
Nice going coach. Reminds me of so many bible hypocritical bible thumpers who talk about the “good word” by day and break it by night, only to do the same the next day because they go to church and are “forgiven.” Laughable really.
Jimmy
May 3rd, 2010
6:49 pm
Ok, in my last post I didn’t mean to make light of Mett’s situation. He di break the law and he got arrested and is now serving probation, which he should. But to get kicked off the team because he lied, while others get a second chance only because they told coach the truth??
Hey, it’s Richt’s team and he can run it the way he wants. Just seems a bit odd to me.
Oh, and to you guys who talk about such a tough life these athletes live, spare me. These guys should try working a real job to support themselves and going to school. Then mabye they would deserve some sympathy.