Maybe Mark Richt needs to add a driver’s ed teacher to his staff
Another Bulldog traffic arrest.
Well, we’re making progress. Of sorts.
At least Washaun Ealey, arrested early today on misdemeanor charges of driving with a suspended license and leaving the scene after hitting a parked truck in a campus deck, had a real license, albeit suspended. He wasn’t driving on a learner’s permit like some of his arrested teammates. And he wasn’t riding a scooter out of an alley.
Sorry, I know I should take any arrest by a UGA football player more seriously. But, really, the continuing ridiculous saga of the Bulldogs’ traffic court problems has become something of a joke. A not very funny joke.
The stupidest thing Ealey did was leave the scene after parking service attendants confronted him about the collision and told him to wait for police to arrive. It’s hard to figure how he thought he’d skate on that. Had he not noticed that UGA football players are not immune to arrest?
No alchohol was involved, thank goodness, so I’m not sure whether a couple of traffic misdemeanors rises to the level of missing any playing time or not in Mark Richt’s rule book. In this case, though, it probably ought to. Caleb King already was likely to be the starter in the opening game, so perhaps Ealey spending at least a half on the bench — or maybe the whole game — might help him to understand that as a Georgia Bulldog he’s in the spotlight. And he needs to act accordingly.
SIDELINING LORAN
Loran Smith deserves to be part of the broadcast. (Georgiadogs.com)
The news that Bulldogs radio network fixture Loran Smith is being replaced by Chuck Dowdle as sideline reporter during the football broadcasts shouldn’t really have surprised anyone. When the broadcast team was revamped last year in the wake of Larry Munson’s retirement a lot of folks thought ISP might take the opportunity to shift Loran out of the role in which he’d become more of a punch line than an asset and limit him to the pregame show. A year later, they’ve finally done that.
Make no mistake, Loran deserves to be part of the broadcast. As I wrote last year, no one questions that he is probably the most loyal citizen of the Bulldog Nation. He seems to know just about everyone and is topped probably only by the legendary Dan Magill in his knowledge of UGA athletics history. And his Bulldog bona fides are stellar. I mean, a couple of the Uga mascots have even been named after him!
But when Munson would throw it down to Smith with a “Whaddyagot, Loran?” you never knew what to expect except that only occasionally would it have any relevance to what was happening on the field. One of the most beloved stories among Georgia fans concerns the mid-game sideline report from Smith that then-Georgia defensive end Charles Grant likes boiled peanuts — a revelation that was met with silence from Munson, followed by, “Third and six.”
Bit by bit, Dowdle, now retired as WSB sports director, has been assuming Loran’s former jobs … first co-hosting the weekly coach’s TV show and then last year doing the postgame locker room interviews. Now the sideline reporting.
But with four hours of pregame show to fill before the kickoff, there still should be plenty of time for Loran’s rambling interviews with past players and sports celebs and his reminiscences about his many years of involvement with UGA. Listening to Loran is an integral part of tailgating in Athens. And most Dogs fans wouldn’t want it any other way.
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338 comments Add your comment
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
2:06 pm
Joe: IT TELLS YOU ON THE FRIGGIN TICKET that you MUST SHOW UP to court at the date and time given and even tells you what will happen IF YOU FAIL TO DO SO….Namely, that your license may be revoked or suspended and a warrant will be sworn out for your arrest.
Maybe you consider that a “strange reason or vague rule”, but ignorance of the law is no defense….Even when you’re 25 years old and should be able to read and comprehend a traffic citation.
One side of the story? He was speeding and had registration violations. He failed to show up and offer a defense. His failure to show up is documented. His license was suspended. He was driving on it at 3am. He hit another vehicle and it was witnessed by others. He left the scene after being advised the police were coming. “He admitted to driving the vehicle, admitted to being involved in an accident,” One side of the story?
What side are you waiting for? Maybe, “I was driving a pregnant coed to the emergency room after rushing into a burning building and rescuing a burning baby”? Would that make you feel better?
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
2:07 pm
I didn’t know my license was suspended until I got to jail. I knew I was in trouble for forgetting to make the court date but wasn’t sure exactly why they had arrested me until later.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:07 pm
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
@patrick
How do you know he wasn’t given notice? Just because the article doesn’t say so? That’s a mighty big ASSumption.
===========================
because its REQUIRED by law to be put on the ticket the date you were notified….there was no mention on this or any other blog or article that notice was given and it would seem kinda news worthy to do so….since it was not then the assumption is valid
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
2:12 pm
My interpretation of this is he knew his DL was suspended and that is why he left after parking officals told him not to leave.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:12 pm
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
2:06 pm
Joe: IT TELLS YOU ON THE FRIGGIN TICKET that you MUST SHOW UP to court at the date and time given and even tells you what will happen IF YOU FAIL TO DO SO….Namely, that your license may be revoked or suspended and a warrant will be sworn out for your arrest.
…………………………………………
the word MAY is the reason the courts dont use that comment as notice. Some courts DONT notify the DMV or issue bench warrants. Look up the definition of MAY moron. Now if it read WILL then you MIGHT have a case. But AGAIN…Georgia legislature took up this issue and REQUIRES notice be given either by cert mail or persona notification. Jesus your a dumbasz. grab a dictionary and look up “may”
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
Stil a mighty big assumption. which is what you base your position on. Very weak my friend. Fallacy on the largest level.
WashOut Early
August 27th, 2010
2:15 pm
Stupid is as stupid does
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:16 pm
“may” does not mean your license “will” be suspended. It means it COULD be. So how is a person suppose to legally know? hmmm. I guess thats why the guys we voted into office to clarify things enacted a law REQUIRING notice to be given. duh
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
2:19 pm
tired…Obviously the kid over looked some things. The next time I meet somebody that has never overlooked or forgotten something important will be the first time. You must be perfect though.
The point is this happens to normal citizens all the time and he has already gotten the same treatment that they have gotten and maybe a little harsher. Lay off the kid already.
DawgNation
August 27th, 2010
2:20 pm
Mr. Reality Calling
August 27th, 2010
12:46 pm
DawgNation, quit making excuses. This guy should have waited for the police to show. Since he did not, that leads me to believe that he probably was drinking, or he had drugs on him.
God can nobody read past a first grade level? If you had you would have read were I said I am not making excuses. I also said he should have stayed and should have known that. Now the drugs crap you just libeled yourself on, is just another typical idiot who trolls these blogs looking for satisfaction for his own short comings.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:20 pm
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
Stil a mighty big assumption. which is what you base your position on. Very weak my friend. Fallacy on the largest level.
……………………………….
aug 13 to Aug 27 is not enuff time for a court to send info to the bureaucracy of the state and have them send out a notice via snail mail, then receive confirmation that Ealey signed the cert letter and than the DMV record thAT confirmation. I think its a fair assumption that he was not notified.
Yoohoo
August 27th, 2010
2:21 pm
the reason Ealy didnt show up in court even thougth it states in teh ticket that you HAVE to show up in court is because…………..
HE CANT READ !!
Joe
August 27th, 2010
2:23 pm
I’m not saying ignorance is an excuse, but we’re still talking about a something minor enough that it gets dismissed by simply paying the fine.
By “the other side of the story” I’m talking about why he left the scene. Maybe he was more focussed on getting to conditioning on time. Don’t they condition every day at 6am?
I’m not trying to defend his actions, only saying that I understand how a mistake could be made.
AND, that this is being blown way out of proportion. We’re not talking about an alcohol related event, or an assault, or anything of a serious nature.
WE ARE talking about a kid ( and i don’t care what anyone says, the vast majority of people at the age of 21 still act/think like adolescents) who made a minor mistake.
In my case, I simply didn’t read all the fine print on the ticket. I looked at it, saw the amount of the fine and the address to mail my payment to and thought it was taken care of. Obviously Ealey didn’t even get that far.
Given the rash of stupid traffic violations I do think these guys need some education as to how to handle these situations like adults, or better yet how to avoid them altogether.
Jan Kemp
August 27th, 2010
2:23 pm
I told you the place was just one big clusterf**k
but nobody wanted to listen.
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
2:25 pm
patrick: Stop me when you understand…
1. …and failed to appear for a scheduled court date on July 12. That failure to appear triggered a suspension of Ealey’s driver’s license. (JULY 12th….Get it?)
2. …was arrested early today for hit-and-run of a parked vehicle and driving with a suspended license.
3. Officers also determined that Ealey’s license was suspended, leading to a second charge.
4. While your license is suspended you are not permitted to drive. If you are found driving with a suspended license, you may be imprisoned for up to five years, and/or the length of your suspension may be increased.
Now, what was that you were saying about go ahead and continue to drive on a suspended license because they can’t do anything to you?
Moron….
Really old Dog Fan
August 27th, 2010
2:31 pm
and I’m tired of this. These kids (hard to call a 21 year old a kid but) seem to have a deep seeded entitlement attitude. UGA is hardly alone but a very strong message needs to be sent. The NCAA or SEC needs to stop counting the $$ pouring in and address the aberrant behavior of far to many.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:33 pm
1. You fail to appear
.
2. The court processes the paper work of a hundred tickets paid or failure to appears just on that week.
.
3. Sort out who came and who paid by mail, who forfieted bail who failed to appear.
.
4. A minimum wage clerks assistant inputs info into a computer between coffee breaks and talking about who she banged the days before.
.
5. The State gets this info.
.
6. A state employee (hard workers those guys) has to process the request.
.
7. The DMV must physically place a notice inside an envelope
.
8. the envelope has to be picked up by the postal service (hard and fast working guys them folks are)
.
9. The letter need s to be stored at the nearest post office to Ealey.
.
10 The next day a mailman (unless its a holiday or weekened) has to deliver a notice of a cert letter to Ealey’s address.
.
11. Ealey may get it that night.
.
12 Ealey goes to the post office the next day (unless its a weekened or holiday) to get the letter and sign for it
.
13. The post office has to send the signature back to the DMV (hard and fast guys them folks are)
.
14. Someone at the DMV days later gets the signature and processes that he was served.
.
All of that from Aug 13 to Aug 27th?????? Puhleese
.
its safe to assume he was not notified.
Akademiks at Florida
August 27th, 2010
2:34 pm
Enter your comments here
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
2:34 pm
Probably got nervous and figured if he could make it home then he could just take care of the speeding ticket fine and not end up taking a trip to jail. No offense to parking attendants but they are not the police and have no authority to make you stay.
Ed
August 27th, 2010
2:34 pm
Enough, Richt needs to go. It’s obvious that he either recruits low-character types or runs such a lax program that he can’t keep it under control. Or both. Even if you accept RICHT’S explanation of what happened during the infamous endzone celebration in ‘07 at the WLOCP, then that proves he doesn’t have control over the team (Richt’s story is that he only meant for the offense to excessively celebrate). Certainly, he doesn’t inspire fear from the players who took it among themselves to rush the field after the offense scored without being REAL sure what the coach wants. Fact is, they didn’t care and knew they would get by with it, and they did. And this begs the question – why does a Georgia coach need gimmicks like that to motivate his players for the freakin’ Florida game in the first place?
It’s becoming obvious that his early success was built upon the foundation of a great coaching staff (Brian Van Gorder at the forefront) a dominant, once-in-a-generation player in David Pollack, and a solid, heady quarterback like David Green (recruited by Richt’s predecessor). There hasn’t been evidence of real discipline within the program for years, and nothing that’s happened this year indicates that anything has changed even with the staff shake-up.
Richt was just what Georgia needed when he was hired in ‘01, but he’s run out his string. Time to go.
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
2:34 pm
Patrick to make your very poor argument more real, try using what you are telling us to a police officer at the scene of the event. He will tell you your ignorance of the suspension is no excuse you should have appeared at you court date. He will also refer you to the disclaimer on the ticket notifing you what will happen in the event you fail to show up.
Ghost Of Woody Hayes
August 27th, 2010
2:35 pm
That there Ealey fella better be glad I’m not coachin that team! He’d already be turnin in his uni and I’d have given him a shot in the chops to boot!!!
Akademiks at Florida
August 27th, 2010
2:35 pm
Florida entrance Exam for football players
1.) Put your momma’s name here
2.) Put your daddy’s name here
3.) Put your daddy’s name here
4.) Put your daddy’s name here
5.) Put your daddy’s name here
Ed
August 27th, 2010
2:40 pm
What’s most galling is the feeling that Richt tried to elevate Georgia on the field to UF’s level by BECOMING a version of Florida, or at least a version of FSU or Miami. Basically, he turned UGA into an outlaw program like the Florida schools. How’s that working out, Coach?
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
2:41 pm
patrick: He failed to appear on JULY 12th, not AUG 12th. That EVENT triggered the suspension of Ealey’s license.
It’s safe to assume you are indeed a moron.
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
2:42 pm
My truck a has been hit 3 times in parking lot and I never even got an I’m sorry note. Maybe I should have called the FBI and had them tracked down, but I figured they had something better to do like arresting murderers, rapist, and drug dealers.
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
2:44 pm
I agree tired of this crap. If patty cakes would actually read the article he might know that. And what is that extended timeline and process he posted supposed to prove? Oh that he’s a moron.
MarkHusseinRicht
August 27th, 2010
2:48 pm
The “tone at the top” needs to change. Until the coaches step in and put some pressure on these boys to shape up, it’s going to change. Unfortunately Richt is too damn busy writing his “How To Lose In The SEC” autobiography.
It’s time for regime change, folks.
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
2:50 pm
Wreckem, I ‘think’ he was trying to prove:
1) It’s OK to drive on a suspended license if you claim you didn’t know it was suspended
and
2) That there was not enough time from AUG 13th to AUG 27th for Ealey to be informed by mail that his license had been suspended. (Of course, that’s before he realized they had from JUL 13th to AUG 27th to inform him.)
Then poor patrick went off and slit his wrists in a pool of his own feces. (”patty cakes”…I LIKE IT!)
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:52 pm
When the charge is dismissed due to a lack of notice….come back on here…find me….and tell me again how big of a moron I am. LOL. By the way….this happened to me thats why I know. I failed to appear. Was arrested driving and when asked for proof of notification the officer could not show it, the judge dismissed the case. So its not a matter of you can still drive on a suspended DL, its a case that you cant be held responsible if you didnt know they were. MORON
patrick
August 27th, 2010
2:56 pm
it is ABSOLUTELY ok to drive without notification UNTIL you get caught and you are notified. Then it is ABSOLUTELY not ok to drive until you clear up the problem….yes. and its not me saying it….its Ga legislature. The DMV does not do a remote Vulcan mind meld on you that some how magically lets you know your DL is suspended. You HAVE to be notified…..its the law.
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
2:56 pm
Imagine what would happen if he beat a cop, beat his girlfriend, or threatened to punch some one in the mouth. Last time I checked the damage Ealey left in tech’s stadium far outweighed his fender bender in the parking deck. There were at least 100 tech fans in the stadium to witness that.
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
2:58 pm
You might want to swear out a warrant for his accomplice King too.
dap01
August 27th, 2010
2:59 pm
It is not CMR’s fault. These are the same players that every other school want. But what is so hard now days about keeping a license? All players seem to have suspended licenses.
Wreckem
August 27th, 2010
2:59 pm
Hmm Star Trek reference. Who’s the nerd now patty cakes?
Carlos Dunlap
August 27th, 2010
3:01 pm
Why hit and run in your car when you can sleep?
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
3:02 pm
Tired…Your the moron, they don’t inform you at all that they suspended your license. Your supposed to know that when you miss the court date. They didn’t even remind me of it when they arrested me.
The point is that he is paying for that mistake and beyond that you should let it go.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
3:04 pm
There is a statutory defense to suspensions for failure to appear and for lapsed insurance. An arresting officer must verify that you received actual notice of the suspension and put it on the citation. If he does not,
http://www.georgiadefenders.com/traffic.suspended.htm
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
3:07 pm
(back from the dead) patrick: Do you even realize how completely absurd it is for you to spend 3 hours and numerous posts arguing that Ealey didn’t know his license was suspended, when YOU HAVE NO IDEA of whether or not he was “properly notified”??? Some 43 days is plenty of time for the DMV to give notice, don’t you think? Or do you want to argue that too?
Maybe Ealey was out cruising around at 3am because he KNEW his license was suspended…Maybe he was afraid of driving around with a bunch of cars on the streets because he might “hit something”…tee-hee-hee
patrick
August 27th, 2010
3:09 pm
chDawg
August 27th, 2010
3:02 pm
Tired…Your the moron, they don’t inform you at all that they suspended your license. Your supposed to know that when you miss the court date. They didn’t even remind me of it when they arrested me.
=======================================================
you had a bad lawyer. Notice is required PRIOR TO AN ARREST. iF AN OFFICER CALLS IN AND ITS SAYS YOU WERE NOTIFIED THE OFFICER IS REQUIRED TO PLACE THE DATE YOU WERE ON THE TICKET.
.
So 2 things must happen.
.
1. you must be notified by an officer or by cert letter.
.
2. The arresting officer must place the date (showing he knew you were first notified) on the ticket.
.
There is a statutory defense to suspensions for failure to appear and for lapsed insurance. An arresting officer must verify that you received actual notice of the suspension and put it on the citation.
.
.http://www.georgiadefenders.com/traffic.suspended.htm
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
3:12 pm
Sorry chDawg: You got the wrong guy. The real moron is patrick. Check my 2:06pm post and you’ll find I said exactly what you just said – IT’S ON THE TICKET. patrick (ref 2:33pm) you will see has gone to great lengths to argue otherwise. Check your facts before you accuse.
patrick
August 27th, 2010
3:14 pm
43 days???????? I was arrested over a year after and NEVER got a notice. Mine got booted because the officer didnt put a date on suspension on my ticket….the judge noticed no date and asked if I was notified. I told him no. He asked the DA if he had a signature of mine on a DMV notice. The DA didnt have one. So no….43 days means nothing.
Lane Kiffin
August 27th, 2010
3:14 pm
I don’t see anything wrong with that. It’s just boys being boys. Hunker down dawgs:)
patrick
August 27th, 2010
3:16 pm
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
3:12 pm
Sorry chDawg: You got the wrong guy. The real moron is patrick. Check my 2:06pm post and you’ll find I said exactly what you just said – IT’S ON THE TICKET. patrick (ref 2:33pm) you will see has gone to great lengths to argue otherwise. Check your facts before you accuse.
————————————————————-
you did not say he was notified at any point
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
3:18 pm
patrick: Say it with me….IT’S ON THE FREAKIN TICKET…..IT”S ON THE FREAKIN TICKET…..
david
August 27th, 2010
3:19 pm
washaun dumb & stupid
patrick
August 27th, 2010
3:21 pm
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
3:12 pm
Sorry chDawg: You got the wrong guy. The real moron is patrick. Check my 2:06pm post and you’ll find I said exactly what you just said – IT’S ON THE TICKET. patrick (ref 2:33pm) you will see has gone to great lengths to argue otherwise. Check your facts before you accuse.
=====================================
you did not say the officer place the date he was notified on the ticket, you cant arrest the man ON THE DATE YOU NOTIFY HIM THAT HIS LICENSE IS SUSPENDED he must be let go. Then if he drive AFTER that notification he will be arrested. I cant be any more clear….that is the requirement….moron
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
3:22 pm
For goodness sakes….The ARRESTING OFFICER checked the DMV records and “determined that Ealey’s license was suspended, leading to a second charge”…..Get it yet? Probably not……
patrick
August 27th, 2010
3:22 pm
tired of this crap
August 27th, 2010
3:18 pm
patrick: Say it with me….IT’S ON THE FREAKIN TICKET…..IT”S ON THE FREAKIN TICKET…..
…………………………….
no…its not. What is on the ticket is his charges. If the date of his notification is on the ticket WHAT IS THE DATE? Not the missed court date as that is not the NOTIFICATION date required.
AltamahaDawg
August 27th, 2010
3:23 pm
That’s a lot of arguments without the facts. As I understand it he did not drive away, he pulled back in to the parking spot that he was backing from and walked away. Pretty dumb when they just said, hey we called the man. But don’t make it out like he burned rubber and fled town in the assault vehicle.
He may very well not have known his license was suspended. He should have, but it doesn’t just start glowing to tell you. BUT Here is my question(s): 1.How is it that a UGA football player got a speeding ticket in May and that wasn’t headlines. 2. How hard is it to set up a staff member to make sure crap like paying a speeding fine happens. Didn’t they already say that was something they were monitoring?