Did anyone really expect the SEC to come down hard on Auburn?
Gene Chizik, getting a Gatorade bath from Cam Newton and other AU players, has taken the "friendly" out of the rivalry with UGA. (Associated Press)
Auburn looks like the SEC’s best shot at having a team in this year’s BCS championship game, which also would help the conference’s chances of getting two teams into BCS bowls. And that translates to a lot of dollars for the conference.
Nick Fairley is a big part of Auburn’s success on the field.
So should anyone really be surprised that the SEC chose not to suggest Auburn suspend its defensive headhunter for the blatant spearing in the back that was only the most egregious of several late hits he delivered to Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray?
Instead, the conference is handling the matter “internally with the institution.” That means any disciplinary action is up to Gene Chizik, the same guy who during the fracas at the end of the game with the Dogs was stirring it up on the sideline and allowing Fairley and one of his assistant coaches to dance in celebration on the field.
Asked by The Macon Telegraph what he thought of the conference’s inaction on the matter, UGA athletic director Greg McGarity said, “I probably better not comment on that. I need to stay away from that. I don’t want to get into any type of trouble or conflict with the conference office.”
Which is a diplomatic way of saying he thought the conference blew it.
I’ll say one thing for Chizik: He’s changed a lot of UGA fans’ view of the so-called friendly rivalry between Georgia and Auburn, as Darrell Huckaby notes on the Dawbone site. Said Huckaby: “I think Gene Chizik has taken the friendly out of the rivalry forever — not because he played a player who most of the nation feels will eventually prevent the Tigers from being able to count the victory in their long and storied history, but because of the way he and his team conducted themselves throughout the contest and particularly at the end.”
I’m sure Darrell will be bombarded with AU hate mail for that, as have any of us who’ve questioned any of the actions of Tiger players and coaches.
Speaking of which, has there ever been a more thin-skinned bunch than Auburn fans, who have been all over the blogosphere and talk shows the past few days trying to equate Bulldogs players running out on the field with Fairley’s cheap shots and taunting?
I like the way MrSEC put it: “Auburn fans need to stop trying to defend the indefensible. As if a team dancing on someone’s logo is reason enough to risk injuring someone. How incredibly stupid. … By defending Fairley’s helmet-to-back shot, it makes it appear as though AU fans would defend anything and everything done by someone in navy [and] orange.”
But I guess that’s what comes from being perpetually the second-ranked program in your state thanks to the school over in Tuscaloosa.
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444 comments Add your comment
Aaron Murray
November 17th, 2010
1:35 pm
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA FAIRLY HURT ME WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Aaron Murray
November 17th, 2010
1:36 pm
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
Can you get me a band aid for my boo boo?
1eyedJack
November 17th, 2010
1:36 pm
“Like I said, you’re not smart.”
Smarter than you’ll ever live to be. You are a murder waiting to happen.
Anotherview
November 17th, 2010
1:37 pm
I-Dog. Here’s a better guess. Cecil discussed money with Rogers when Cam was visiting MSU. For whatever reason, the deal didn’t get made. Long story short here, Cam goes to AU – but his presence there is predecated on priori knowledge by AU, the SEC, and the NCAA that he was eligible depsite Cecil’s discussion with Rogers. The outcomes are that Cam plays the rest of the year. AU did due diligence. They aren’t getting slammed by the NCAA. MSU will have to answer some questions about a couple of boosters involved in this. Rogers will end up being the fall guy, and deservedly so. He’s at the center of the FBI part of this.
UH OH
November 17th, 2010
1:39 pm
“Smarter than you’ll ever live to be. You are a murder waiting to happen.”
HEY BILL, I think we have a threat here. You need to ban the clown who wrote that garbage.
Paul in RDU
November 17th, 2010
1:39 pm
This blog of Bill’s cracks me up. He basically says that the SEC is a corrupt organization that makes decisions based on how much money it will mean for the conference. Last I looked, the SEC is a voluntary association and UGA is a member.
http://sec.xosdigitallabs.com/Portals/3/SEC%20Website/football/Constitution.pdf
Kevin
November 17th, 2010
1:41 pm
Does UGA play this weekend? All I keep hearing about Is GSU vs Bama. At least you guys have one team in the state that is news worthy. Maybe those bama players will be nice and sweet with the GSU QB’s. I can only take so much whining.
Dogs Smell
November 17th, 2010
1:41 pm
Ah oh!
This year it looks like Alabama has 2 pro teams !
RxDawg
November 17th, 2010
1:42 pm
Wow… it’s good to finally see the media (I guess your media Bill?) write about some of the blatant favoritism from the refs towards whoever is in the lead for the MNC. It’s obvious, and it makes me sick that my fovrite sport is so corrupted. If you want to blame something folks, you have to blame the system. Why would any other team in the SEC really want to blow the whistle on something like this and lose out on all the easy money EACH school gets from 2 SEC teams in the BCS bowls. It’s there, it’s true, and it’s sickening.
Buford Sowega
November 17th, 2010
1:42 pm
My God–Get over it!
I was raised in Auburn and am a UGA alum. This is always my favorite game of the year–I never know who to pull for! Anyway, it got a little chippy, but so have many games this year for a lot of teams. Yes, Fairley gave a couple of late hits. Yes, he was called for one of them. Tempers got hot at the end of what GA thought going in would be the game that redeemed the season.
I work with UGA and Auburn folks–my God, y’all, we’re practically inbred! Most folks here aren’t all that angry, just a little disappointed. We’ve had fun joking back and forth over who did what and how bad, but at the end of the day, it’s just a ball game. On a late lunch break, but got to get back to work now. Real stuff. Not SEC soap opera. Just a ball game folks. And remember–UGA, Auburn–we’re practically inbred.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 17th, 2010
1:44 pm
Lake-O-Dawg
Keep crying and your can make Lake oconee breach the dam.
You don’t think UGA players that left the bench and entered the field of play when a fight broke out didn’t breake the RULES? Well I guess you need to read the rules again. Any player leaving the Sidelines is suspended for the 1st half of the next game. That is the RULE, but UGA don’t care bout no Stinkin’ rules. Never have never will. It is not like the Dawgs have to get CAUGHT it is on Tape, Film, TiVo, or DVD. MAN UP and admit your players broke the rules.
Now, Have you ever seen a young man look more scared to accept the GREATEST HONOR the USofA has?
Most of the athletes we respect or hate look for Attention, but the 1st Living MEDAL of HONOR Living Winner since NAM looked so scared and underserving as any I can remember. He was so Singly undersiving it was INSPIRING. He KNOWS what TEAM means.
Dawgie Bowser
November 17th, 2010
1:44 pm
Hate, really???
I’m a huge Georgia fan and I don’t hate Auburn (or anybody else for that matter.)
That’s an awfully strong word to be thrown around so lightly. Come on, ease up a little.
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
November 17th, 2010
1:44 pm
Anotherview:
REALLY WISHFUL THINKING….MR NEWTON BE THE MAN THE FBI BE LOOKING AT, NOT SOME DUDE AT MISS STATE…..HE HAD TO HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR HIS CHURCH…AND I’VE GOT OCEANFRONT PROPERTY IN ARIZONA…..
timthebrave
November 17th, 2010
1:44 pm
Anotherview, I don’t know what to tell you…Stick your head back in the sand. Everything is fine
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAA
November 17th, 2010
1:45 pm
LAKE OCONEE DAWG IS A CRYBABY!!!!
WHAAAAAAAAAA WHAAAAAAAAAAA WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
75-76-DAWG
November 17th, 2010
1:45 pm
Fred DAWG
As much as I don’t want to admit it you are correct.
I think Van Halanger have a couple of heart problems this year and is set to retire. That’s probably why UGA has had such poor results in conditioning. So problem one solved . Now ,finding an SEC caliber running back coach is something else. Bryan McLendon has not done a good job
with the running back’s and that brings us to the biggest problem , BOBO. We scored over 30 points in the last 5 games and there will be an argument that Bobo deserves one more year. But , we should have scored 40 and would have scored a lot more in the first 6 games if Bobo had any ability to evaluate talent. He brought Murray along way to slow starting with not plating him last year in the last 3 or 4 games to not letting him run the ball 15 times a game starting with the first game. Bobo’s play calling get a D- especially when the game is on the line in the fourth quarter.
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAA
November 17th, 2010
1:45 pm
“I don’t know what to tell you”
That’s because you have a low IQ.
Ben
November 17th, 2010
1:45 pm
I am a UGA alum and lifelong UGA fan and I get so tired of our fan base complaining about every little thing. Auburn beat the hell out of us. Deal with it. They played nasty and mean, which are two characteristics that richt led teams have always lacked. I was flabbergasted that Fairley was not penalized on all 3-4 plays that he either hit murray too aggressively or late, but thats not Auburn’s fault. If the officials take control of the situation and penalize him for that first arn anderson type body slam, then Auburn and Fairley have to adjust the way that they play. Problem solved.We sound so stupid when we try and act morally superior to our rivals. “i’d rather lose than win like they did.” Grow up!
UGA Preseason Champions 2008
November 17th, 2010
1:47 pm
HEY DAWG FANS, WOOF WOOF!!!! DON’T WORRY, WE WILL BE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS NEXT YEAR!!!!!
I hate to post another article on the Barn but... - TideFans.com
November 17th, 2010
1:47 pm
[...] I hate to post another article on the Barn but… It is worth reading the article for the last line. http://blogs.ajc.com/junkyard-blawg/2010/11/17/did-anyone-really-expect-the-sec-to-come-down-hard-on... [...]
Anotherview
November 17th, 2010
1:47 pm
Not at all Oconee. Again, with all the investigating going on now by every major and minor sporting news outlet in the country, you’d have to be blind not to see a connection between Newton-AU-money if there was one. No one is even hinting that is the case. Like I said, this story is only breaking to us now. The story itself happened a year ago and as Dan Mullen said “The people who need to know the truth know the truth.”
timthebrave
November 17th, 2010
1:47 pm
Anotherview, allegations are very different than someone saying I tried to sell my son to Miss St in which case he won’t be elligible and you will forfeit everything….Stick your head back in the sand. Besides Cam being a known thief and cheater I’m sure he is a honest guy and won’t bring any harm to Auburn…Keep blindly following him
georgedawg
November 17th, 2010
1:48 pm
Auburn is where people go from georgia that can’t get into georgia. Debate that! Fairly was over the top but i’m happy to give Auburn credit for their team and season. It will be interesting to see how the Cam issue plays out in the long run. Where theres smoke theres fire but maybe not in this case. we’ll see.
Bad officiating job to let it get to where it did at the end. Would have loved to see a side angle of the on side kick. Couldn’t tell from my set but it was close. Whatever the case Auburn had Newton and Fairly and I didn’t see those kind of game changers on our sideline.
It’s worth it if it make Richt, who I support, make some tough decisions with bobo and VanHalenger. Rivht is loyal to his coaches but he needs to wake up and be loyal to the fans and players.
AUcrazy
November 17th, 2010
1:48 pm
UGA fans are such pansies. “He’s so mean and hits so hard!” It’s football pansies! Get over it! Go Tech!!!!
UGA Preseason Champions 2008
November 17th, 2010
1:49 pm
“Auburn is where people go from georgia that can’t get into georgia.”
And where is your proof?
UGA has more students taking remedial classes than ANY school in the south. ANY.
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
November 17th, 2010
1:50 pm
5150 P.O.A.D:
YOU MUST HAVE ONE OF THOSE NEW 3-D TVS THAT SHOWS STUFF THE OTHERS DON’T…YOU GOT A GUY PILE DRIVING QB’S INTO THE GROUND, AND HE HAS DONE THIS ALL YEAR, AFTER THE QB HAS GOTTEN RID OF THE FOOTBALL, AND YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME GUYS LEAVING THE BENCH….THAT’S LIKE RIDING A SCOOTER THE WRONG WAY DOWN A ONE WAY STREET….SUCH A TERRIBLE THING….FAIREY’S GOT HIS COMING, ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME….MAKE SURE WHEN IT HAPPENS YOU GOT ON YORE NEW 3-D TV SO YOU CAN SEE IT ALL….
Anotherview
November 17th, 2010
1:50 pm
Tim, you aren’t making any sense. Allegations are just that. Allegations. If something is proven, then there will be consequences. Until then, all you have is an assertion that something will happen when, in fact, you have no clue what will happen. That’s all I’m saying. I don’t know why that’s such a hard concept for you.
UGA Preseason Champions 2008
November 17th, 2010
1:50 pm
Nick Saban says:
Saban was asked a general question about Newton in the context of Saban’s earlier stated concerns about agents in college football, and how the NCAA is handling that.
“I’m comfortable with the way they do it. That’s up to them on what they find and what they decide to do, and I have total faith, trust and confidence that they’ll do it the right way,” Saban said.
“Our focus here is different than some people. There is a paranoia in our profession I think that has existed since the beginning of time. A lot of people in our profession are always looking at what someone else is doing. One thing that I’ve tried to get our guys to do is, let’s take care of our business, and our business will take care of us. In other words, let’s take what we’re supposed to do — let’s evaluate, let’s do things the right way ourselves. We’re not concerned what everybody else is doing. That’s the way I’ve always tried to approach it.
“A lot of these things that people say are not true. The reasons you have a lot of this now is with the Internet — everything that happens is public information, so there’s a lot more attention on all these little things that people say now maybe there wasn’t at one time.”
UGA Preseason Champions 2008
November 17th, 2010
1:51 pm
“Tim, you aren’t making any sense. ”
Tim has heard that all throughout grade school.
Kyle
November 17th, 2010
1:53 pm
Ron Mexico..hopefully someone will make one of those so called chop blocks to Fairley’s knees work
timthebrave
November 17th, 2010
1:53 pm
Anotherview, I’m sure it will all turn out ok. If you keep blindly following a known liar, cheater and thief I know that things will turn out just how you might expect
War Eagle 2010
November 17th, 2010
1:53 pm
I understand the frustration with Fairley, but his play has been hard to punish all season, not just against GA. He is about tackling through the throw and ‘technically’ it’s legal. Whoever wrote this column should know that the Assistant coach was not out there dancing with Fairley, he went out there to go get him off the field after GA made that kamikazee play to go after Fairley’s knees. That is what started the punching episode.
timthebrave
November 17th, 2010
1:54 pm
UGA Preseason Champions 2008, So you think nothing will come of all of this?
UGA Preseason Champions 2008
November 17th, 2010
1:55 pm
“hopefully someone will make one of those so called chop blocks to Fairley’s knees work”
That comment is exactly why people laugh at UGA fans. Sore losers.
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
November 17th, 2010
1:55 pm
Anotherview:
SAME THING THEY SAID ABOUT BUSH AT SOUTHERN CAL….NCAA DRUG IT OUT FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS….I’M BETTING ON THE FBI….GOT TO SAY THEY MADE A GOOD CHOICE IN GOING AFTER SOMEBODY, THE DUDE CAN PLAY SOME FOOTBALL….IF I’M FAIRLEY, I WANT TO KNOW WHERE MY MONEY IS….
UGA Preseason Champions 2008
November 17th, 2010
1:55 pm
“So you think nothing will come of all of this?”
Oh, I think a LOT will come out but so far, nothing is pointing at Auburn like you suggested. It all points to MSU.
UGA Preseason Champions 2008
November 17th, 2010
1:56 pm
“I’M BETTING ON THE FBI”
Yeah, they really did reallllllllly well with preventing 911….
Same Old UGA Fans....
November 17th, 2010
1:56 pm
Every year at the beginning of the season every dawg fan says “this is our year” and everyone is on that bandwagon until the first loss, then it’s all “well, it’s a rebuilding year” or they blame every other team for their inability to win games. I am so sick of it. This rivelry hasn’t been “friendly” in quite some time, get over it. Quit wasting energy on every other team and try and win some games.
WAR EAGLE.
Anotherview
November 17th, 2010
1:58 pm
Oconee, you do know, I assume, that there were receipts with Bush. Everything the agent did was documented. It didn’t take five years to investigate. The NCAA just didn’t want to go after it until they were forced to. You guys seem more than willing to accept all the stories that reflect poorly on Newton and AU as fact then conveniently dismiss the numerous ones that say AU’s administration has been working with the SEC and NCAA on this since January. I’ve freely admitted that I have no clue what the outcome of this will be. All I’m suggesting is that you guys do the same. Try it. It’s very refreshing.
KimZ'sPackage
November 17th, 2010
1:59 pm
UGA is so Classy they give out Perfume to the incoming freahman girls. It is called Ankles Behing the Ears.
The print Fake Drivers Licenses for all the football players that don’t have a real one.
UGA has more BARS then the local leagle people can support, but they stay in business on the Underage Drunks spending mom & dad’s money.
UGA the Classiest #1 Party school in the country!!!!
Kyle
November 17th, 2010
1:59 pm
Dawgie Bowser…..YES HATE….actually HATE is to good of a word to describe AUBURN….
WDE
November 17th, 2010
2:00 pm
Why are you still talking about this? You lost the game, chill out. And, when has the UGA/Auburn rivalry ever been friendly? UGA fans are the worst.
Typical UGA Whiner
November 17th, 2010
2:00 pm
Its over.
We will probably lose to GT.
The sky is falling.
big dawg
November 17th, 2010
2:00 pm
Enough already , dawg fans , if the officials didn’t throw a flag it wasn’t a penalty , if the situation was reversed we would be defending our player as a great defensive stud . Bill could we move our attention on to the bumble bees on north avenue , perhaps we can win the state championship . Any dawg fan on Mark Rick doesn’t remember the 90’s
timthebrave
November 17th, 2010
2:02 pm
War Eagle 2010, Fairley should have been whistled for more than the late hit where he speared the qb in the back. The body slam and for rubbing his helmet in the qb face. The last hit that started the fight looked like an accident to me. If the refs do their jobs than the fight never starts. Either way we don’t win the game so I’m not making excuses. I just hate that the Auburn season is going to be a black eye on college football and the SEC. I wish it weren’t true because if GA isn’t there than I hope that someone from the SEC represents…but not auburn and not this year…The NCAA is coming and probation is coming with them.
War Eagle
November 17th, 2010
2:03 pm
Q. Who started the fire inside the stadium?
A. UGA fans.
Kyle
November 17th, 2010
2:03 pm
UGA Preseason…..Guess what moron….no UGA fans here…Blue and Orange UF
timthebrave
November 17th, 2010
2:04 pm
UGA Preseason Champions 2008, If the allegations are true in regards to Miss State than he will be inelligible to play at Auburn this whole year. That’s the whole point……He will make millions and be sitting in the NFL and Auburn will be stuck with the bill.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 17th, 2010
2:07 pm
Can WE get a UGA fan to ADMIT UGA was wrong for JUMPING on FAIRLEY? Can we get any UGA fan to ADMIT UGA broke the Rules when the players left the sidelines?
Will a UGA LAWYER please defend what UGA Players DID?
I am not saying FAIRLEY did some bad hits, but if it were a UGA player would the Dawg fans not be on the otherside of this argument had the Dawgs Won the game.
Please a UGA LAWYER GRAD make the Argument from bothsides. Act like you are in class or a debate and give your full HEART to bothsieds. I want a UGA fan to Defend UGA palyers rushing the field as much as you accuse Fairley and Defend Fairley as much as you can accuse the Dawgs for leaving the Sidelines.
COME ON UGA LAWYERS give a real fight for bothsides.
Richard Thompson Auburn Class of 1978
November 17th, 2010
2:08 pm
Tyopical AJC biased comment now with sportswriters, Join your deplorable editorial staff as anti everything that stands in way of the Papers and or Agenda of Georgia as the Best.. Face it Auburn is on top this year and any sore sportscaster can whine all they want to..I have never gone to an Athens game since my son was attacked there and beaten by 5 drunk good old boy Georgia Dawgs who were craven cowards. War Eagle and drop down on your dawg knees Georgia the Best is orange and blue!!