Fan talk: Richt vs. Crowell, wayward tailbacks, armed Dawgs and Grantham’s future!
Was there more to the Isaiah Crowell story than we knew? (Associated Press)
Let’s get right to some timely Junkyard Mail …
Bobby Dupree writes: Bill, I have to say I was shocked by the speed with which Mark Richt dismissed Isaiah Crowell from the team after his arrest. And I’m a little bit baffled. Why would the coach move so quickly to kick the kid off the team without even waiting to see if the charges stick or get reduced?
I’ve had that question from several fans, and unless Richt fills us in on why he acted so quickly, whatever we say is sheer speculation. I had expected Richt to wait to see what happened with the charges and then, if they were dismissed or reduced to misdemeanors, suspend Crowell for half a season. Depending on how the player reacted to that, I figured the coach would then either reinstate Crowell or dismiss him. But with Richt moving so quickly to get rid of Crowell on the same day he was arrested, I’ve got to figure that Isaiah was already on thinner ice with his head coach than any of us imagined. Perhaps there was more to last season’s troubles than was made public. The fact that Crowell also had three freshmen in the car with him and his buddy probably didn’t help matters. Richt may have seen him as a bad influence who needed to be removed. Also, I think that Richt, in acting so quickly and decisively with Crowell, was sending a message to the rest of the team. Frankly, I think if Richt had waited, he would have been only postponing the inevitable. Yes, it’s likely that if Crowell gets the felony charges reduced or dropped he’ll wind up playing for some other major school, possibly within the SEC. And, who knows, this time he might actually come to his senses and apply himself, stay out of trouble and become a star player. But I’d say there’s an equally good chance that the same deficiencies that hampered Crowell in Athens will show up wherever he plays.
Jerry Doster writes: Bill, what is it with Georgia’s tailbacks? OK, I know college kids are known for getting in trouble and our athletes aren’t the only ones crossing the line, but the string of incidents in recent years involving the Dogs’ tailback corps is really ridiculous. Dontavius Jackson, Washaun Ealey, Caleb King, Carlton Thomas, and now Isaiah Crowell — all in trouble in one way or another and all gone from the program before their eligibility expired. What’s going on here? No other position on the team has had such consistent problems. Is it time to look at the position coach and maybe ask what he’s doing wrong?
Ken Malcome and the other UGA tailbacks don't need to worry about being the next Herschel Walker. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
You’re not the first to ask whether any of this continuing turmoil with the running backs can be laid at the feet of their coach, Bryan McClendon, who got a hefty pay raise last year, up to $200,000, in large part because of his considerable prowess as a recruiter. There’s no denying his value to UGA in that regard. His two latest successes: Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley. Only those intimately familiar with the workings of the team can say for sure whether there’s anything McClendon could do differently that might make a difference, but it’s tough to pin the stupid things that college students do on their coaches. Still, I’d be surprised if McClendon isn’t part of some rather urgent discussions of what can be done to put an end to this. Perhaps Georgia needs to look at how it evaluates the non-football aspects of its recruits. As for Ken Malcome, Marshall, Gurley and the others stepping up to take on the seemingly cursed tailback spot at UGA, I like this piece of advice from Chris White of the Athens Banner-Herald: “You no longer have to be the next Herschel Walker. You just have to make it through college.”
Jim Parry writes: Bill, Has gun possession become another topic our athletic department staff and coaches need to address? We do not want to become the U. of Oklahoma and their Switzer-coached wild west teams. Last I heard, Americans have the right to possess firearms, with certain legal restrictions, of course. Maybe our coaches need to dig deeper as to which players own or possess firearms and just make sure 1) They are not obviously [illegal], i.e. scratched off serial numbers like Crowell’s Luger. 2) They are a legal type to possess. 3) Registered, if need be. 4) Proper permits are carried to own and/or conceal such weapons. 5) Mandate proper use education for firearms (maybe at a local firing range). 5) Find out WHY these athletes feel the need to carry around weapons in the first place (especially ones that aren’t of the weekend deer hunting variety). Do they need to pretend they’re “gangsta” in a college environment? Get ’em out of here, if that’s the case. Are they being threatened by others and feel they need it to defend themselves? Coaches, parents and maybe even police might need to know if that’s the case. Coaches, like it or not, are the closest guardians these athletes have on campus and they need to know personal information about their “kids” to help protect them. Even if it means protecting them from themselves.
Hey, remember the whole flap about the need for Georgia’s coaches to insure the kids all have valid driver’s licenses and all the effort that went into that? If they also have to take on weapons inventory, I’m not sure they’ll have any time left for coaching.
Travis Hill writes: Hey Bill, I hope and pray that we are able to keep Coach [Todd] Grantham around a long time, but truthfully in the back of my mind I am afraid he is going to be such a hot commodity that he will have a lot of options after this season. Do you think UGA would ever put the “Coach in waiting” tab on Grantham?
That whole coach-in-waiting tactic didn’t work out very well for West Virginia and Texas, so we may not see many more schools going that route. And I’m not sure Georgia would consider Grantham to be head coach material yet, based on much-publicized incidents the past couple of seasons. From Grantham’s point of view, I think it would depend on what sort of job offer he got. I don’t see him leaving Georgia simply to return to the NFL. As for a head coaching job, it would depend on where the offer came from. If it was from a mid-major or below, he’d have to ask himself if being a head coach there was really better than being a defensive coordinator in the SEC.
I’ll answer more Junkyard Mail next week, so if you have something you want to discuss concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg, send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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334 comments Add your comment
TallaDawg
July 1st, 2012
1:32 pm
Rossville Bulldog- Step away from the b0ng and come out of your trailer in the woods. While I generally agree on de-criminalizatioin, what IC was charged with (whether it sticks or not) was SERIOUS. CMR did the right thing. We live in a country of laws, not lawlessness. If communities want to change, the members have to be willing to change.
CHDawg
July 1st, 2012
1:37 pm
GT4ever, exactly! If IC can simply start making wise decisions, things will start getting better, but he has to learn to connect his decision making to his circumstances, and that includes what he communicates. The thing that is sickening to me, being an old washed up TB myself, is seeing what he could have been. As an 18 year old, who wasn’t reported to have killed himself in the gym, to come into his second game against SC and light up the pinball machine like he did–he was really going to be special if he stayed out of trouble, healthy, and he worked hard. It doesn’t matter what kind of talent–music, sports, academics–everybody watches the prodigies, and he was definitely one. I wonder if he still doesn’t grasp the opportunity he had! I watched a couple of his interviews and most of his UGA games and I liked him on and off the field. Seems like a nice kid who mistakenly thinks talking and acting like a gangsta is cool. He isn’t alone in that misconception. I suspect most fans feel exactly like I do: I just hate to see him ruin his life with self-destructive decisions. The good news is that he still has the talent and potential. I am a little sick of people talking about how dumb these kids are–I’d like to see their ten worst decisions from when they were 18-19 years old. Just like us, they have a lot to learn. And, they probably benefitted from better teaching growing up.
SSIgator
July 1st, 2012
1:38 pm
I really do not understand all of the Richt apologists comments. Sure he acted swiftly – to save his own rear end. Came out of Miami which invented the thug culture in the 80’s. Coached at FSU which perfected it in the 90’s under Bowden and Andrews. Then he comes to Athens and recruits the same type of player and everyone is surprised at the result? Time to wake up guys. The common denominator in this fiasco of fifty arrests is the coach. But hey, he really is a nice guy
UGA is fast approaching a crossroads where they will have to make a decision. Do they want a part time football coach/part time missionary to save souls at their school or do they want a full time football coach that they pay over $3,000,000 to do what he was hired to do. With the $$$ involved in this equation, I don’t think that will be a hard choice for the powers that be to make.
takedowndawg
July 1st, 2012
1:39 pm
Wonder if Ala., Auburn, Florida, LSU, USC and Fl will have their recruiters(with sports psychologists in hand) ready to call Crowell’s family. I am sure that any of the six can “rehabilitate” him and have him ready for the next fall season. In the spirit of, “everyone deserves a 2nd chance, right? Wonder which of the six comes calling first???????? We DAWGS, will be watching, Coach Richt.
CHDawg
July 1st, 2012
1:43 pm
One more point: these guys are growing up under the digital microscope in a totally new age, and now with tweets the whole world can read their teenaged conversations–full of them calling each other the N word and much worse. If I were a UGA coach, we would do regular tweet/facebook checks and anybody saying or posting something offensive, obscene, or inappropriate would be disciplined. That includes normal conversation.
Tide Rising
July 1st, 2012
1:44 pm
SSIgator got it right. Its a thug culture that Richt recruits going back to his days at FSU in the 90s. Doesn’t matter though in Crowell’s case. This is actually a blessing for dawg fans. This kid showed up and the first thing you saw was a prima donna mentality and with the laziness at his initial workouts you just knew this kid wasn’t going to be big time. That was easy to tell. All the talent in the world doesn’t matter if you’re just lazy and undisciplined.
James Ainsworth
July 1st, 2012
1:46 pm
Best of luck to Crowell. I hope he gets his act together and get his head out of his a__ __! He had everything going for him at Georgia and he blew it. This is not the coaches fault he did what he did but be sure it was his and his only. I really feel sorry for his family.
I believe Georgia has recruited two runningbacks that are of quality character in Marshall and Gurley. Along with Malcome(who will be a star) and Samuels (extremely solid) and Harton (plays above his size) and now the two new guys it wll be a solid grop of backs.
I would like to know if the rnning back from Georgia Military College is coming to Georgia. He’s the track guy and looked pretty solid on video. This opens up a great opportunity for a great rnning back to chose Georgia.
Maybe the recruits that de-commited will see a golden opportunity and resign? Good job Coach Richt in doing the correct thing in this incident and many Georgia attendees, players and fans support you!
Tide Rising
July 1st, 2012
1:48 pm
takedowndawg,
Sorry but Crowell would be 5th string at Bama. He would be behind Eddie Lacy and TJ Yeldon for sure and most likely would also be behind former 5 star Dee Hart and Jalston Fowler. And that doesn’t even include the incoming freshman running backs we have committed for the 2013 class. Make that 7th or 8th string at Bama if Crowell were to come here.
We don’t want him and we sure as hell don’t need him.
7576DAWG
July 1st, 2012
1:48 pm
I think the final straw that made Richt pull the plug on Crowell was being a bad influence on 3 of the new recruits that just got to Athens. Specifically I think Richt was extremely upset knowing Josh Harvey Clemons was raised to do the right thing with a very strong male influence and he is already running with someone,Crowell, that had zero parental guidance or a guardian who had a positive influence on him. If Crowell doesn’t think his actions aren’t a direct reflection on his mother and the way he was raised , then he is dumb.
Rossville Bulldog
July 1st, 2012
2:10 pm
The laws should be changed, IC should still be on the team, and the Dawgs should be in the picture for the national championship every year. What IC was charged with is unconstitutional. We live in a country of laws, but those laws should be constitutional. We give up too many of our freedoms to live in an illusion of safety. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Weed is less dangerous than alcohol. Cocaine is less dangerous than diet pills.
I should be able to keep as many guns as I want, smoke as much weed as I want, and make and drink as much corn liquor as I want. I’m not hurting anyone. IC and those other kids weren’t hurting anyone either. Some of you holier than thou types would be on the first bus to Reidsville if you lived under a microscope the way these football players do.
And no, I do not live in a trailer, but if I did, I can assure you it would be a nice one. Whether it be a double wide or a modular home, it would be alot nicer than your mother’s basement where you live!
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
July 1st, 2012
2:18 pm
There may be “more” to this story that the public doesn’t know? Probably why CMR kicked-out the thug as fast as he did.
AltamahaDawg
July 1st, 2012
2:19 pm
Rossville, no where did the UGAAA ask thier student atheletes to give up thier right constitutional rights (at least as it relates to this story). Crowell broke a civil law. Wrong forum if you disagree with it.
Rossville Bulldog
July 1st, 2012
2:32 pm
@AltamahaDawg, I can understand if you’re one of those lawdawg law and order types, but I still don’t like what happened to IC in this case. And even if he did break a civil law, I would hope someone would stand up and defend him in this matter. I mean, really, Sanders Commings was accused of battery and allowed to stay on the team. Battery causes physical harm to someone. Excercising your 2nd amendment rights hurts no one.
Packin' a Hot Piece With The Doggie Nation
July 1st, 2012
2:36 pm
Don’t fret doggies. My main man will make bail in time to suit up for the opener vs. The University of Juaquin Phenix online.
Gdawg
July 1st, 2012
2:50 pm
The one glaring weakness that CMR has shown time after time after time is the inability to properly judge character and the heart of players that he recruits. It is strange how none of these guys spurned GA to play at other major schools. However, there have been many great ones that got away, such as; Calvin Johnson and Eric Berry, just to name a couple. For many of these top athletes with stellar values, who had a great homelife, Richt just cannot close the deal. I believe he sells the parent (s) of the troubled that he can turn them around by sharing his religion and getting them into church, but for whatever reason, once they get to UGA, they are turned loose free to roam as they please. I am totally disgusted with this underachieving team. I wish the new president would come in and clean house. If McGarity don’t have the cahoona’s to take care of business right now, then get someone in who does. We need a game changer in Athens. We need a Nick Saban type to come in a put a stop to all of this BS, and get these guys focused on what they are there to do and that is to win championships. The current regime has proven time and time that they can’t get it done. They get kicked in recruiting every year by AL and FL, and they get out coached every year by any top 20 team they face. When was the last time we had a top 20 win? I am through with this team until some significant changes are made!!!! Think about last year’s bowl game and how we got manhandled by a bunch of slow creampuffs from the Big 10. UGA is a joke. The folks over in Bama and down in FL and up in TN are laughing their assess off at our sorry program!!!!! TN fans are doing exactly what I did when they had FULMER, and that is praying that they keep him (RICHT), just like I did before they finally came to their senses and got rid of FULMER.
AltamahaDawg
July 1st, 2012
2:53 pm
My opinion of that law is beside the point. (i’m just glad I didnt discover it the hard way). But since we are on it, its obviously not your 4th amendment right to carry a weapon into somebodies home if they ask you not to, as a condition of inviting you in.
The point is: There were laws in existence at the time of the incident. And Crowell’s greement with Coach Richt was not predicated on the merits of them. The dismissal came as not surprise to him, I am sure.
AltamahaDawg
July 1st, 2012
3:02 pm
ha, or your 2nd.
BS Patrol
July 1st, 2012
3:35 pm
You people who think you know about the right to bear arms, BTW it’s the 2ND amendment, are perpetuating the stereotype of the dumb,delusional ga fan. You have the right bear the arms that the BATF DECIDES that you can bear. Heck, don’t take my word for it.Just exercise your right to carry your trusty sawed-off or short barreled rifle and see what happens. The FEDS will murder you to get it and I am NOT talking figuratively.
SOUTHGADAWGG88
July 1st, 2012
3:36 pm
Gdawg weren’t you one of those folks saying Crowell was overrated in the first place?
West Georgia Dawgette
July 1st, 2012
3:50 pm
Fire Richt now.
Gdawg
July 1st, 2012
4:01 pm
Tide Rising,
You may want to look back at the recruiting on Crowell. Nick Saban was whining because IC decided to go to UGA. Bama would sign him tomorrow if they thought they could. I hope your team can make it through the west (probably will be 2nd or even third this year since LSU and Arkansas are more experienced). Yep, LSU will be at the very least be using Mettenberger (former UGA player). I’d like nothing more for Bama to show up at the Dome in December.
It never ceases to amaze me at the number of UGA opponents who come on this site and talk crap about UGA. I guess this proves your school simply can’t educate you. Otherwise, you’d have a website for your individual schools and stay off this one. Not a chance!
George Raft
July 1st, 2012
4:04 pm
In Crowell’s world, a guy with no rap sheet and no gun has no street creds. That’s where he’s coming from, truth be told.
Hank
July 1st, 2012
4:11 pm
“It never ceases to amaze me at the number of UGA opponents who come on this site and talk crap about UGA.”
When a school has – within the space of three weeks – two professors arrested for crimes of moral turpitude and a player arrested on felony weapons charges, it deserves to be ridiculed. And let’s not forget those 50 arrests in four years.
Hank
July 1st, 2012
4:13 pm
The red panties and the purloined hashbrowns, I forgot to mention those.
Jborodawg
July 1st, 2012
4:16 pm
@Dawg Goneit….have to agree, Grantham not quite HC material right now; too emotional in the extreme. Great for a position coach…not so much for the head guy.
@Well Duh … you obviously don’t follow UGA football…except perhaps headlines.
Jborodawg
July 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
@Gdawg…et al…Crowell was the NUMBER ONE RB recruit in the country. He was sought after by about 20 (or more) major college programs, including every SEC school. Richt can’t judge character? LOL!
Paddy
July 1st, 2012
4:34 pm
RossvilleDawg……….you can own 100 guns if you want to You can carry 100 guns in your car if you want to. As long as they are not concealed weapons! What is your point? You already have those rights. You say that weed and cocaine are less harmful than other subsances! You keep thinking that way and you are going to the “big house”! Know your rights and your responsiblities and you never get into trouble. Why is this so hard for some people?
Dawg Tired
July 1st, 2012
4:44 pm
“Richt may have seen him as a bad influence….” Wow! Now that’s what I call insight.
Darius
July 1st, 2012
4:50 pm
Saying that Crowell acts the way he does because of where he’s from is ignorance. Why or How can I say that?? Im from the same city he’s from and graduated from the same High School (a two years before him). And I have went off to college and graduated, and now currently working my master’s degree, so don’t blame it on the city, but on his bad decision making.
And also Jarvis Jones is from Columbus and graduated from the same HS so again those excuses are ignorance.
Pearls before swine...
July 1st, 2012
4:53 pm
The Proverbs of Crowell:
http://uga.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=1&tid=175311395&mid=175311395&sid=878&style=2
gomdawg
July 1st, 2012
5:06 pm
Simple, Crowell you got a long way to go , he never was the starting tailback for Georgia so with that said we did not lose our starting tailback. we got a lot of Talent at tailack and we will not miss him. GO DAWGS
Ed
July 1st, 2012
5:53 pm
I clicked on the link to Crowell’s Twitter page, and immediately regretted it. Besides being a moron, he’s almost completely illiterate. And this guy was a student at UGA. Embarrassing.
SSIgator
July 1st, 2012
6:28 pm
Ed -
Were those not pearls of wisdom or what?
E. Fordham
July 1st, 2012
6:44 pm
After a look at Crowell’s tweets, I think we know exactly what “Special Admit” means at UGA.
Jan Kemp fought against this kind of academic fraud at UGA thirty years ago, but not one thing has changed.
Glory between the Hedges
July 1st, 2012
7:03 pm
Bottom line is that this is a blessing in disguise. I expect great things from Keith Marshall and Gurley. Both Kids are class acts and the total opposite of Crowell. I think Boo Malcolm’s improvement will be a big key for us too. I am just glad we have Buffalo first so that we have a game under our belts before Missouri. There is no reason we should lose to Missouri but there is a little worry with the way Murray throws costly picks and the Defense being gutted by suspensions.
Rossville Bulldog
July 1st, 2012
7:48 pm
IC was not hurting anyone and he is the victim of illegal search and seizure. It is an injustice that marijuana is not legal. I would rather be caught with a gun than without one. I don’t understand people who want to be like sheep and give up their liberty. A gun gives you the ablility to say no to opression. I also don’t understand everybody coming down on IC. He was minding his own business and supposedly heading back to his room when he was stopped. The police were just looking for an excuse. The Athens PD is corrupt and wants payola of some sort from the University. You can’t tell me the Athens PD officers are not Dawg fans. Give them free tickets or a hefty “donation” and they will leave the players alone. We just lost a 5-star running back for crying out loud.
dawgincarolina
July 1st, 2012
7:53 pm
Darius—Well said. Individual accountability, taking responsibility for ones’ actions, making good decsions. All missing from today’s society. Best of luck to you.
dawgincarolina
July 1st, 2012
7:54 pm
Rossville Bulldog– Does it concern you that the serial # apparently were defaced?
Andy
July 1st, 2012
7:57 pm
What makes you Dawg fans think any other SEC school wants the dumb a**
kybodawg
July 1st, 2012
7:58 pm
as for blaming richt, im sure they dropped him off right before they got busted. im sure before he got out of the car he told them to go straight home and go to bed. its ridiculus to blame a coach for what kids do when they are on there on. like the saying goes. do you know where youre kids are and who they are with and what they are doing right now.
Paddy
July 1st, 2012
8:02 pm
Rossville Bulldog…..Illegal search, you say. It was a roadblock not a traffic stop. The police asked if they could search his car. He said yes. And in truth, a gun gives you the opportunity to disengage and call 911. He commited 2 felonies minding his own business. You pal, are clueless
nick
July 1st, 2012
8:02 pm
k
Rossville Bulldog
July 1st, 2012
8:08 pm
@dawgincarolina, it does not concern me in the least that the serial number was missing. Are all of your guns accounted for and registered with the proper authorities? Mine sure as hell are not. Someone mentioned the serial number missing is a sign it was stolen. Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean IC stole it. It probably means someone gave it to him as a gift. It would have been rude of him to refuse a gift like that. The best place for a gun in the car is a seat holster. The next best place is under the seat or in the glove box. If you put it on the dashboard in plain view, it will slide around and be a bother.
Andy
July 1st, 2012
8:08 pm
It is a felony to have a gun with a altered serial number in your possession or to have a loaded gun under the seat and not out in plain sight or a gun under the seat if it is not load if the clip with bullets in it is stored with the gun. Just the gun with the altered serial # is enough to get him in trouble big time without any of the other stuff
Rossville Bulldog
July 1st, 2012
8:17 pm
ok Andy Taylor and Paddycakes. How is IC supposed to know that? He had a gun in the car in case he needed it and had no intention of using it unless he had to. How does driving home from a club equal a felony? Also, what was the roadblock for? Did someone escape from Athens-Clarke County Correctional? Was it a DUI roadblock? I’ll tell you what it was. It was a shakedown and a fishing expedition. Being a poor student athlete he did not have anythng to give and he probably didn’t know how to offer. I’m telling you, the UGAAA needs to give something to the Athens PD. These things can be handled other ways.
DAWGMAN
July 1st, 2012
8:18 pm
It’s to be expected. If you treat these “kids” like kids, you ain’t coaching. If your ‘kid ‘effs’ up’ off the field and thereby selfishly damages the rest of the team, it is on you, coach richt. You are supposed to put the fear of God in the knuckleheads who don’t have it already. If you dispense God’s love and mercy like aspirin, then who is kidding who?
Challenge the remainder of the team. Challenge yourself. Get the job done, or be gone. Amen and Amen.
Andy
July 1st, 2012
8:58 pm
How many players to you know that has gottent in trouble at UGA and transffered to Bama, Auburn and LSU.
Hvilledawg
July 1st, 2012
9:01 pm
We are gonna win and be contender, show em the haters what we are gonna do to their team bring it on!
Pearls before swine...
July 1st, 2012
9:17 pm
Ah, Mr. Crowell is tweeting again: “Only God can judge me, everybody make mistakes. Learn from it and move forward ..dats becoming a man..it feel good when you bounce back!”
Hey, Isabel, here’s a newsflash: if you add two numbers together and get the wrong answer, that’s a mistake. You didn’t get arrested for a mistake. You knew exactly what you were doing, you stupid punk.
PerroGrande
July 1st, 2012
9:29 pm
Let’s dissolve the football team and replace them with a championship curling team. How often do you hear about curling teams having this kind of trouble? IC would be a great name for a curling all star.