Blame Mark Richt? He’s not the one who’s embarrassing UGA
Even tougher love goes only so far. (Special to the AJC)
Mark Richt is a nice guy. Mark Richt believes in forgiveness. Mark Richt looks for the best in people. Mark Richt coddled Odell Thurman.
All of this is true. None of it explains, at least not fully, why Georgia players keep getting arrested.
Let’s stipulate that Richt was too lenient for too long. But he has toughened since the egregious offseason of 2008, when eight Bulldogs got arrested and stole a goodly part of the luster that should have descended on a team ranked No. 1 in preseason for the first time in school history. He has kicked more guys off the team. He has instituted an automatic one-game suspension for anyone arrested (for the first time) on an alcohol-related charge. Yet here Georgia sits, two summers later, having cut its offseason arrest total by …
One.
Seven Bulldogs have been arrested this calendar year. Three have been dismissed from the squad, including Montez Robinson, who figured to play at linebacker, and Zach Mettenberger, who might have challenged Aaron Murray as Georgia’s starting quarterback. Backup tailback Dontavius Jackson, arrested Saturday on DUI and five other charges, has been suspended for half the 2010 season.
This is no longer the Richt of repeated second chances, but it hasn’t much mattered. Bulldogs are still messing up — even as we note that an arrest isn’t a conviction, we must also face the reality that getting arrested generally isn’t a signal of meritorious behavior — even though they should know their actions can and will have consequences.
No, Georgia isn’t alone in having football players make the wrong kind of headlines. But it has happened so often with these Bulldogs that each incident bears a subtext: It isn’t that a Georgia player has been arrested but that another Georgia player has been arrested. And Richt, as head coach, must bear some responsibility. But responsibility isn’t the same thing as blame.
This man is a football coach, not a prison warden. In the name of discipline, he cannot put his men under dormitory lockdown. If he did, it wouldn’t be discipline. Discipline is about having the freedom to make choices and then choosing wisely. Too many Georgia players continue to be, for want of a better word, unwise. And that’s not on the head coach. That’s on them.
Maybe Richt needs to be more careful about the players he pursues — recruiting risks tend to bite the hand that signs them — but that can be said of every program everywhere. Richt is in business to win games, not to oversee the glee club. He’s going to be in a lot more trouble if Georgia goes 8-5 again than if another 19-year-old gets caught with a beer. But the 19-year-olds have to smarten up.
Loading ...If they can’t grasp that there’s increased scrutiny on this program — especially after the arrest and resignation of Damon Evans — they’re not bright enough to attend an institution of higher learning. If they can’t understand that being a Bulldog is both an honor and a responsibility, they shouldn’t be allowed to wear the red jersey.
Too many college athletes (and not just Georgia athletes) have been so pampered they believe they’re untouchable. Reality check: They’re not. Just because a bunch of folks followed their recruiting and got excited when these blue-chippers put on a certain school’s cap doesn’t mean a player can’t be arrested, can’t be disciplined, can’t be forgotten in the time it takes to say, “You’re off the team.”
Say what you will about Mark Richt, but for more than a decade he has carried himself in a way that has conferred honor on UGA. He is, alas, only one man. He cannot make choices for 85 others. He can try to lead them, teach them, punish them when necessary, but in the end everything comes down to free will.
Too many Bulldogs act as if they’ve been handed a free pass through life. (Reality check: Nobody gets one of those.) Too many Bulldogs need to grow up or go home.
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831 comments Add your comment
collegeballfan
July 12th, 2010
2:59 pm
I would say change the punishment. Instead of a one game suspension send the arrested player to the scout team for that season. The complete season, no dressing for home games, no practicing with the varsity.
Alphare
July 12th, 2010
2:59 pm
Mark,
Coach Richt has been in Athens for years, is there enough arrest data to compare before and after the red-zone celebration incident in Florida?
Beast from the East
July 12th, 2010
2:59 pm
ac,
I understand what you are alleging, but I cannot buy it. Are you saying that all or most of the police officers in Tuscaloosa are putting their careers in jeopardy to cover up the actions of a second string left tackle on the footbal team? Just makes no sense. yYes, there are probably “fanatics” on every police force that would be willing to look the other way on occasion, but not to the extent that you folks are alleging. The media would be ALL OVER IT!!!!!
Dawghater
July 12th, 2010
3:00 pm
Hey UGA, you get what you PAY for! As I remember, last week all the puppy dawgs fans were quick to jump all over Tennessee after they had players arrested. Dawgs that live in glass houses should not throw stones. Woof, Woof, Wimper, Wimper!
jeff
July 12th, 2010
3:00 pm
WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!! To all the stupid poeple that think the coaches can watch these players 24/7….get a life….its time for the other players to step up and give some good peer pressure….
Things that make you go hmmmm....
July 12th, 2010
3:00 pm
Tech Lifer
July 12th, 2010
2:54 pm
UGA and CMR implode? What are we up to, 2 out of 19 against UFlorida?
Things that make you go hmmmm....
July 12th, 2010
3:01 pm
Things that make you go hmmmm….
July 12th, 2010
2:59 pm
And now you’ve hijacked my name. Real creative there (yawn). Why not include thUGA in your name like all your other posts?
Then you're sheltered
July 12th, 2010
3:02 pm
Then, you’ve never been to Statesboro. College fun exists outside Clarke County.
DP
July 12th, 2010
3:02 pm
Funny and predictable to see the Bulldawg Nation excuse makers like JB chime in. Georgia gets penalized more on the field because the SEC referees have had it in for them since Georgia stormed the field in 2007 against Florida. Georgia has more players arrested than other SEC schools because the other schools have the police in their pockets. All the SEC schools had players driving around drunk hitting other cars and leaving the scene, but only the Athens police are harsh enough to make an arrest.
Dawghater
July 12th, 2010
3:02 pm
Hey Richtfan, more excuses! Are you insane! Yea, all the police dept’s in SEC cities are all covering up except in Athens. Is that really the best you could come up with. Maybe try keeping your kids from driving drunk!
Things that make you go hmmmm....
July 12th, 2010
3:03 pm
Then you’re sheltered
It was just a joke. Lighten up Francis!!
Alabama Jack
July 12th, 2010
3:04 pm
Dumb dawg fans are responsible for the oil spill, the DUI’s and global warming.
Dan
July 12th, 2010
3:04 pm
Richtfan, if you have any proof to support your point, please let us have it. If all you have is conjecture, move along.
JaxDawg, how do you rationalize saying that calling the players thugs is racist but calling everyone here a redneck? Seems you’re the only racist one here.
ac
July 12th, 2010
3:05 pm
I Could’ve Put Some Lame Name Here…Really? A car with a drunk driver is like a drunk with bazooka. 2 wrongs do not make a right. 2 stupid decisions do not equal a good decision.
Drunk driving does not just affect the person drinking, it changes the lives of families who get hit by them, forever. Driving drunk SHOULD be considered attempted murder in my opinion and people should go to JAIL and lose their right to operate a vehicle for a minimum of a year.
It is not a game, it is stupid. How many stories do you hear of families being killed by a drunk driver and the dumb drunk surviving?
A car, when operated by a drunk, is a weapon.
Then you're sheltered
July 12th, 2010
3:05 pm
Any of you calls me Francis and I’ll … well, you know.
Things that make you go hmmmm....
July 12th, 2010
3:05 pm
Alabama Jack
July 12th, 2010
3:04 pm
Okay, I’ll accept that. Dumb Alabama fans are responsible for single-branch family trees, the Obama Administration, and Oprah.
Bill King is a................
July 12th, 2010
3:06 pm
I said this on Kings blog yesterday and i’ll put it out there again now. Look at the ones who keep getting in trouble. Lets go back a cpl years ago when some of our guys vandalized the guard gate at the hospital. Look at the ones who were in the taxi cab earlier this year. Look at the ones who have been beating up their girlfriends. Even though these guys i’m about to say arent on our team…but look at the guys from Tenn who got into trouble the other day. What do all these guys have in common???? ITs the type of athletes we are brining to Athens. Look at the make up of our team. IT use not be that way and we had way less off the field problems. These guys are wanna be gangstas. They cant stand it….they dont realize that getting to play sports at a D-I school is a privelege and they need to be greatful for the opportunity to get an education. What good does it do UGA to recruit these gangbangers with speed?? We get them to Athens and then we have to kick them off the team or suspend them for several games. Lets recruit the hardworking guys who want to be DAWGS instead of the guys with no discipline looking at UGA as a stepping stone to the NFL. GEEZ!!!!!!!!!! Bradley…you are right. Richt isnt the one embarassing UGA. But, please lets figure out a way to keep this kind of stuff from happening.
Things that make you go hmmmm....
July 12th, 2010
3:06 pm
Then you’re sheltered
July 12th, 2010
3:05 pm
Ha!! One of the all time great movies.
Keen Observer
July 12th, 2010
3:06 pm
Working as a police officer I have a few friends that work in college towns across the south as officers. And its amazing to see how different the unwritten policies are for dealing with athletes. Most officers are more lenient with celebrities and athletes but in Athens the Captain enjoys the press coverage that his department gets with big time arrests. A friend of mine works for ACCPD and they stake out the athlete hangouts waiting for any missteps. Not saying that this doesn’t happen at other universities but of the departments that I know of Athens is the only one that implements this policy.
Huh?
July 12th, 2010
3:07 pm
JaxDawg – what proof do you have to suggest that lacrosse players behave the same way as football players? I’d suggest you stay away from the Duke players because, y’know, they were innocent…
Phil Fulmer
July 12th, 2010
3:07 pm
Looks like Jawjah is in the lead for my annual cup!
I Could've Put Some Lame Name Here
July 12th, 2010
3:08 pm
They should make Breath Tests Mandatory at each bar.
Huh?
July 12th, 2010
3:08 pm
It doesn’t say much about the intellect of the players if they know the cops are looking for them and they still misbehave, Keen Observer.
By the way – ACCPD = Athens Community College Police Dep’t?
lawdog
July 12th, 2010
3:09 pm
If everybody who has ever been arrested for an alcohol related offense is a thug then we live in a world of thugs.
cantondawg
July 12th, 2010
3:09 pm
Hot women + cold beer = trouble and arrests
It’’s that plain and simple. Until UGA quits admitting hot women and the bar quit serving cold beer. There will always be some trouble and arrests.
I Could've Put Some Lame Name Here
July 12th, 2010
3:10 pm
Athens Clarke County PD
They are still kids. They want to/deserve to experience college life just like everyone else.
ac
July 12th, 2010
3:11 pm
1. Underaged drinking – 4 games
2. DUI – 1 year, possible loss of scholarship.
This should not be determined by each individual college, it should be a the standard rule that governs college football.
JTH
July 12th, 2010
3:11 pm
Anyone who voted it was Richt’s fault either don’t have children or are just Tech fans.
I Could've Put Some Lame Name Here
July 12th, 2010
3:12 pm
Enter your comments here
Huh?
July 12th, 2010
3:12 pm
So the players bear no responsibility, cantondawg?
GT_Thrasherfan
July 12th, 2010
3:12 pm
Maybe I just haven’t paid attention correctly being that i’m on the White&Gold side of this state….but isn’t there starting to be a pattern here most offseasons? Players arrested on a DUI and most likely an expired LEARNERS PERMIT? Yes the players need to be more responsible (even at 18) but shouldn’t Richt see a pattern by now and start checking IDs upon enrolling? Not like that’d be a hard fix and it’d reduce several of the charges.
Alex
July 12th, 2010
3:12 pm
This “clean” Alabama discussion is ridiculous seeing how Jimmy Johns was arrested for cocaine possession in early 2008. And that is just the one i know off the top of my head. Maybe there weren’t any others, but I doubt it. If you recruit top talent you are going to get some people that are too stupid to understand the consequences of their actions. Most athletes of this caliber have been take care of their whole lives. Now they are runnings around with 120 kids just as talented and pampered as they were in high school and they have more freedom. Mistakes are made. They are kids. Damon Evans is a much more embarrassing situation that any kid getting arrested. That being said, you would like to think these kids would learn from everyone else’s mistakes and see what they are risking in making these poor choices off the field.
tech rules
July 12th, 2010
3:12 pm
When you recruit thugs—don’t be surprised when they start doing the crimes when they get on campus!
ac
July 12th, 2010
3:12 pm
I went to college, my friends to college and none of drove drunk. We called a taxi.
JTH
July 12th, 2010
3:13 pm
ac-”1. Underaged drinking – 4 games
2. DUI – 1 year, possible loss of scholarship.
This should not be determined by each individual college, it should be a the standard rule that governs college football.”
Good idea. A standard punishment like this would cut out some of this behavior.
I Could've Put Some Lame Name Here
July 12th, 2010
3:13 pm
@ AC
are you willing to put that on ALL scholarships academic or athletic?
Keen Observer
July 12th, 2010
3:14 pm
HUH? is that your name or is that your answer to everything because you are that stupid? ACCPD= Athens Clarke County Police Department
Wow i knew the UGA haters were ignorant but didn’t know you were that retarded
I Could've Put Some Lame Name Here
July 12th, 2010
3:14 pm
1 BEER= DUI if you are <21
ac
July 12th, 2010
3:15 pm
I Could’ve Put Some Lame Name Here…I take it that you drove drunk in college. You are an IDIOT. I just pray that you no longer drive drunk. I really would hate for you to MURDER someone while behind the wheel.
Huh?
July 12th, 2010
3:15 pm
Yeah, that’s my name.
And get a sense of humor, moron.
How2fish
July 12th, 2010
3:15 pm
cantondawg now that was funny! ” It’’s that plain and simple. Until UGA quits admitting hot women and the bar quit serving cold beer. There will always be some trouble and arrests.” May there always be trouble then !
DawginOH
July 12th, 2010
3:15 pm
We can’t expect CMR to babysit 85 young men, so how could one blame him for what’s been going on as of late? That being said, it would only be in his best interest to hold a team meeting ASAP to put some prohibitive policies in place. This is getting ridiculous.
sec fan
July 12th, 2010
3:16 pm
So Bama hasn’t had an arrest in 3 years? Google the Fulmer Cup and see who won it in 2008. After having the most arrests in college football that year, Saban instituted the don’t arrest practice with local officials. When you distribute a few season tickets suddenly the local police become much more tolerant.
ac
July 12th, 2010
3:16 pm
I Could’ve Put Some Lame Name Here…You know, it should be a rule for everyone who attends college. Loss of scholarship. If you are that stupid, then you do not deserve an academic scholarship.
I Could've Put Some Lame Name Here
July 12th, 2010
3:17 pm
No AC i didn’t and i still don’t drink.
YOU ARE THE IDIOT Sir.
I asked a simple question. Should that rule apply across the board or just to Athletes?
But I guess you are too high and mighty to engage in a discussion.
Just me
July 12th, 2010
3:18 pm
Gooo, Jawga Boozedawgs. Richt doesn’t recruit character, he recruits characters. And you can bet his “suspensions” will occur just when they play one of the patsies on the schedule. He has condoned a culture of drinking and lax discipline all along, and sometimes the chickens do come home to roost.
ac
July 12th, 2010
3:19 pm
I engaged…you are defending a VERY bad decision by the part of a very misguided kid who does not need to be in college, but in treatment.
I Could've Put Some Lame Name Here
July 12th, 2010
3:19 pm
TRUCE.
That’s my point. It should be harsh and swift but it MUST be Uniform.
ac
July 12th, 2010
3:19 pm
TRUCE.
Time Out
July 12th, 2010
3:20 pm
The UGA kids have done nothing wrong. Let the facts play out in the court of law.