Tech AD Radakovich still has a job; for that, he’s a lucky man
Demaryius Thomas holds a list, but you'll note it's not a list of infractions. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
The strongest sanction in the NCAA arsenal — and we should stipulate this was one sanction not levied against Georgia Tech — is the “show-cause” penalty. When a coach is found to have committed egregious violations (two examples: Dave Bliss and Kelvin Sampson), he’s banned for a number of years and any member institution seeking to hire him during that span must convince the NCAA it has good reason.
I mention this because I’ve been thinking: If the NCAA said, “We want you, M. Bradley, to show cause as to why Dan Radakovich should remain athletic director at Tech,” I’m not sure I could.
This isn’t easy for me to say. I like Radakovich. Until Thursday, I rated him among the brightest stars in his industry. But the department Radakovich heads turned what should have been a one-week tempest into a 20-month ordeal that has yielded four years’ probation, a $100,000 fine and a vacated ACC title.
Even the NCAA sounded a note of incredulity. From its press release: “The university’s failure to cooperate and meet the obligations of membership compounded the seriousness of the case by adding onto what was originally an isolated instance of impermissible benefits and preferential treatment.”
As late as this spring, Tech still believed this case could amount to no more than a secondary violation. This tells us Tech had no idea what was happening, which is a dire indictment. Radakovich has been in this job since 2006 and has spent all but four years of his adult life working for NCAA institutions. This is the man who should have been steering, not asking, “Which way looks good to y’all?”
It’s clear he got bad advice, but Radakovich was (and remains) the guy in charge. He gets paid to safeguard his athletic association. Given that Radakovich had fired coaches Chan Gailey and Paul Hewitt despite the onerous contracts negotiated by predecessor Dave Braine, this AD seemed capable of acing any test. He flunked this final.
In a 25-minute phone conversation Friday, Radakovich was asked if he felt he’d let Tech down. His response: “The circumstances around this have caused a lot of consternation, not only with me, but within the department. I take this very seriously. I know there was no intent to hinder the investigation, but the NCAA enforcement committee doesn’t see it that way. That’s a blow to my integrity.”
If you read the committee on infractions’ 26-page report, you’ll have a hard time grasping how a case that began with the NCAA checking on a football player’s cellphone and his use of complimentary tickets could lead to such heavy penalties because a different player was found to have accepted $312 of clothing. (FYI, most of the clothing given to Demaryius Thomas was never worn and is housed in a cabinet at Tech.) From Point A to Point H to Point W?
Conceded Radakovich: “It’s not cut and dried. It’s not as simple as some cases.”
I get that part. What I also get is that the NCAA got ticked at Tech — not just at former Institute counsel Randy Nordin and what it called his “obstructionist reproach,” but also with the AD.
Said Radakovich: “I don’t personally think I angered the NCAA. I think the NCAA and this particular investigator were miffed when I did not follow his instruction to our compliance director.”
Radakovich told football coach Paul Johnson what was coming. Investigator Marcus Wilson had asked that Radakovich not say anything. Said Radakovich: [The NCAA believed] this action impeded their investigation. We maintain that it did not.”
Then: “This [don't-say-anything order] may have come up a hundred times [in other cases], but it certainly wasn’t highlighted. It goes back to how the individual investigator chooses to handle it. It is procedural.”
And that’s Tech’s defense: That its error was procedural, as opposed to conspiratorial. Said Radakovich: “There was no clandestine meeting, no conspiracy to pull together a story. That stuff didn’t happen.”
Why did he tell Johnson? “I was going off previous experience I’d had … I did it consciously.” Then: “I need to have a relationship with coaches. That’s important in being able to run a department. What would my relationship [with Johnson] have been like if I hadn’t said anything? That’s the part that gets lost.”
The NCAA made hay of Tech’s failure to comply with its request. The committee on infractions noted that, because it lacks subpoena power, “the successful adjudication of infractions cases is heavily dependent on the good faith efforts and, most importantly, the full and complete cooperation of member institutions and other involved parties under investigation by the enforcement staff. ”
Translated: We might not be able to make an agent come testify, but if you work at one of our institutions you’d better do as we say.
Said Radakovich: “We didn’t do — Georgia Tech didn’t do — some things very well.”
That doesn’t quite go far enough. This was a howling case of mismanagement — “A cautionary tale of conduct that member institutions should avoid,” the NCAA deemed it — from a school that has, of all things, a college of management.
Asked if he had offered his resignation to Tech president Bud Peterson, Radakovich said: “No, I did not. Was not asked and didn’t offer.”
Then: “The lesson learned from all of this is that when you get that inquiry, the initial phone call is to bring in someone like a Chuck Smrt [a former NCAA investigator who now counsels those being investigated and who was retained by Tech] … someone who is skilled in that kind of forum. You need a different set of eyes. As good as any university attorney is, this is not their forte.”
In 2006 a Tech coach said, “If Tech people understand anything, it’s business.” The next day Gailey’s team lost the ACC title to Wake Forest in the worst game ever played. Fifty-one weeks later, Radakovich fired Gailey. Two years after that, a different Tech coach won the conference title. This week the crowning achievement of this AD’s most notable hire was forfeited because the AD and his department didn’t follow procedure.
I’m not a Tech grad, but I wouldn’t call that good business. I’d say it’s close to being a firing offense.
By Mark Bradley
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291 comments Add your comment
rawdawg
July 15th, 2011
1:01 pm
First
Again
Mark Bradley
July 15th, 2011
1:02 pm
Yes. Kudos once more.
jay
July 15th, 2011
1:06 pm
You got caught Tech. Suck it up. And to the idiot who won’t give back the ring, you shouldn’t have picked a school that cheats.
Paul in RDU
July 15th, 2011
1:07 pm
Mark – much as it saddens me to say it, you have it correct in this case. If I made $600k a year and messed up as badly as D-Rad did in this case, my President would fire me.
DC
July 15th, 2011
1:09 pm
Jay..you act like you would give up your ring if you found this out…
Chris
July 15th, 2011
1:09 pm
Luck? Whatever. I woulda done the same thing to the ncaa. and given them the finger They are a bunch of morons. Fine a team because a player got some freaking clothes. Most stupid story I’ve ever heard of.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 15th, 2011
1:11 pm
Tech was made an example of by the NCAA. Pretty simple to see that. Also DRAD was exactly right in saying that if he had not told CPJ the relationship would have been terrible.
GoJackets
July 15th, 2011
1:11 pm
The NCAA is competing with the TSA for most vile law unto itself organization. Reminds me of Cartman with a badge – “Respect my authoriTIE!!!!”
Tron5000
July 15th, 2011
1:12 pm
It’s embarrassing. Makes me wish we hadn’t upgraded our tickets this year.
Red Foreman
July 15th, 2011
1:16 pm
I’d say your writing style is and has always been a firing offense.
GT-Jake
July 15th, 2011
1:17 pm
An athlete can endanger lives and get a DUI Thursday night; post bail Friday and if his coach is a sleaze-bag, suit up Saturday afternoon and the NCAA will do nothing.
That’s fair.
Marcus Hoodrat
July 15th, 2011
1:18 pm
After looking at this dipships questioning, i wonder how this ignorant fool has a job. must be his you know what.
Nate Kelsey - former white running back with jersey no. 1
July 15th, 2011
1:20 pm
Mark, you failed to point out that Radakovich intentionally ignored the instruction of the NCAA (as told to him by the GT Compliance Official) not to discuss the investigation with Paul Johnson. In the press conference yesterday, Radakovich gave his reasons for doing so. Regardless of the reasons, he knowingly and intentionally ignored the NCAA’s instructions. GT cannot have an AD who intentionally controverts NCAA investigations. He must be fired.
Mark Bradley
July 15th, 2011
1:21 pm
I believe the story makes note of that, Nate K.
atlindenver
July 15th, 2011
1:22 pm
Rawdawg needs to get a life.
Seriously.
2HLLWGA
July 15th, 2011
1:23 pm
This appears to be a new era of enforcement. I tend to think GT is relatively clean, so this spells trouble for any other institution who is found to have done something wrong.
Why doesn’t every team have someone on staff that knows NCAA investigations?
GT Alum
July 15th, 2011
1:25 pm
To me, the bigger problem is that we keep “misunderstanding” the NCAA rules and how to work with the NCAA. Isn’t part of the AA’s responsibilities to make sure they KNOW the NCAA rules? I know there’s a lot of complicated rules, but it’s their job to know. This country’s tax laws are numerous and fairly complex too, but accountants are supposed to know them, and what happens to them if they don’t follow them?
Radakovich has to make sure there are no more misunderstandings, miscommunications or misapplications with regard to NCAA rules, because if there are any during this probation period, the resulting penalties will likely make these penalties look like a slap on the wrist. And hopefully the only job D Rad would be able to get if that happens would involve the phrase “would you like to make that a combo?”
Danny
July 15th, 2011
1:26 pm
If I was an agent and I gave a player a turd in a ziplock bag, I guess the ncaa would deem that as a gift. Cause I could sell that as lawn fertilizer. The ncaa is a drunken insane sailor with power.
still wondering
July 15th, 2011
1:26 pm
Mr Mark, how did the NCAA find out about the clothes give-away?
just asking
July 15th, 2011
1:27 pm
wow one of you at AJC picked up a phone and interviewed DRAD, finally. Now how about going further and asking the NCAA a few questions.
Brian
July 15th, 2011
1:28 pm
Nate, you’re an idiot. I stand by drad and what he did and would have done the same. Maybe this marcus moron doesn’t have a clue how things work in the real world. Perhaps you are his twin.
Patrick in NYC
July 15th, 2011
1:31 pm
I still don’t understand. I thought we vacated all wins in which the ineligible player played, after we were told that he was probably ineligible. And we were fined for telling the players and the coach about the investigation. That’s what I got from reading the 26-page report, but maybe it was the latter that escalated the punishment of the former.
My question is, if that’s the case, how were we supposed to tell the coach that the player was ineligible without telling him about the investigation?
JB
July 15th, 2011
1:34 pm
I think the NCAA is under pressure to ” level out and act equally among it’s management of compliance in college sports. I think Tech was just first on the docket. Ohio St, NC and Auburn need to be worried. If not guilty, great…play ball.
Hate the NCAA
July 15th, 2011
1:35 pm
The NCAA “gets mad” and has a hissy fit with what they deem a hinderance and decides to throw the book. Nah, that’s not subjective at all. NCAA is arbitrary at best and selective and hypocritical at their usual worst.
Hey Chizik, nice work ticking off the NCAA a couple of months ago, you may be next.
D'Rad's Lies Make Me Sick
July 15th, 2011
1:36 pm
Nate Kelsey, I agree with you – D-Rad should in fact be fired for lying to the NCAA and trying to cover up the ineligibility with Coach Johnson’s help.
The Man With the Plan
July 15th, 2011
1:36 pm
Radakovich said ““The lesson learned from all of this is that when you get that inquiry, the initial phone call is to bring in someone like a Chuck Smrt [a former NCAA investigator who now counsels those being investigated and who was retained by Tech] … someone who is skilled in that kind of forum. You need a different set of eyes. As good as any university attorney is, this is not their forte.”
That is deeply disturbing to hear from the AD. He should have said “The lesson learned from all of this is to follow the rules at all times and this kind of thing will not happen. We are sorry and apologize. We will not let thiskind of thing happen again.”
It sounds like Peterson and Radakovich are still trying to manipulate the truth to the perception they are trying to sell and to their shame the players are following suit. Students learn what they are taught.
Tech has always acted like they were better than everyone else and apparently they now believe their own lies including the one about they do not have to follow the same rules as everyone else.
Pride commeth before the fall.
Harvey D. Pooka
July 15th, 2011
1:37 pm
I cannot speak as to what the AD knew or didn’t know, and when he kew it or what he did to stifle it, but I do have an opion to be voiced regarding Sean Bedford.
Well said, Mr. Bedford, well said. Now here is a man that can truly represent what this Insitution is and should be thought of: center of higher education, with standards and ethics to be envied. Mr. Bedford performed well on the field and obviously in the class room, also. Just check his posting. This is a man with intelligence and good background in communication skills. His posting is well thought out, well organized, well stated and leaves no doubt about his feelings on this subject.
Truly, he is a great Georgia Tech alum representative and will do well his his future endeavors, as a leader we can put our trust in. (Can we start a petition to change the law in order to lower minimum age requirement to be elected President?! I know where my vote would be placed, should he seek the office.)
Stung!!
July 15th, 2011
1:38 pm
The most entertaining thing about the last 24 hours, was when the news first broke yesterday morning that the “NCAA was to make a big announcement involving Tech”, all the pompous nerds jumped on these blogs speculating that it was something positive, like a chick fil a kickoff game announcement.
It’s also been just as entertaining reading the nerds and their players try to justify the lies and cheating, when they know good and darn well if this was UGA that they would be screaming for the death penalty.
thwgt
9-1
justdhoo
July 15th, 2011
1:40 pm
I am a Tech grad and there’s no need to fire Radakovich over this. Mistakes were made in a very unusual case. He’ll learn from it and I’m sure will not make those mistakes again. Yes it lost us the ACC title (for the time being) but the fact is we wouldn’t have even won it in the first place if it wasn’t for Radakovich. The guy’s a good AD and firing him over this would be too much of an overreaction. If it is proven that he intentionally misled the NCAA then that calls his ethical integrity into question and it may be a different story. But I believe none of this was intentional.
Stung!!
July 15th, 2011
1:40 pm
And you nerds act like a kid can write a well structured letter, and that instantly means the COVER UP never took place……..
Tech simply LIES and CHEATS!!!!!
Brace for Impact
July 15th, 2011
1:41 pm
Mark – I have yet to see you respond to ESPN’s tweet – “If you want to know how far the AJC has fallen, lack of reporting on Tech case is a great indicator.”
TechGuy
July 15th, 2011
1:41 pm
Hey Jay, you’re the real idiot. You obviously don’t know Sean Bedford. He’s a fine young man that spoke of his (and all of our) disgust at the NCAA and Dennis Thomas for their arbitrary sanctions on Georgia Tech. They did nothing wrong. Why don’t you try reading the whole story before you go espousing your wisdom for everybody to read? Tech did nothing wrong. Period. How are you going to like it when the NCAA starts investigating your beloved UGA? How do you think they’ll treat your program?
WreckBuzz
July 15th, 2011
1:48 pm
So basically the NCAA slammed GT because Dan Radakovich told Paul Johnson that the NCAA was coming to interview two of his players. Not that they covered something up.
That’s bullsh*t. The NCAA has gone too far. I think an appeal is definitely in order.
Mark Bradley`s Booster
July 15th, 2011
1:49 pm
Mark: Patrick in NYC has a valid Question:
How could DRAD inform CPJ Thomas was ineligible to play if he could not tell him about the investigation? Should he have just said he cannot play? That would have been
crazy.
Can you answer this question?
TechGuy
July 15th, 2011
1:50 pm
Hey TRON5000, you’re not even a Tech fan. Don’t try to make out like you are and pile on Tech! You’re pretty transparent.
George Stein
July 15th, 2011
1:51 pm
That idiot has a degree in aerospace engineering and starts law school in the fall, Jay. Grow up already.
Mischief Managed
July 15th, 2011
1:52 pm
I wanted to talk to one of my tech acquaintances about the fallout from the NCAA leveled sanctions but all of them were headed to the midnight premiere of Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Mark Bradley`s Booster
July 15th, 2011
1:52 pm
Stung!! you are pitiful. Bless you.
The Man With the Plan
July 15th, 2011
1:53 pm
Radakovich said ““The lesson learned from all of this is that when you get that inquiry, the initial phone call is to bring in someone like a Chuck Smrt [a former NCAA investigator who now counsels those being investigated and who was retained by Tech] … someone who is skilled in that kind of forum. You need a different set of eyes. As good as any university attorney is, this is not their forte.”
That is deeply disturbing to hear from the AD. He should have said “The lesson learned from all of this is to follow the rules at all times and this kind of thing will not happen. We are sorry and apologize. We will not let thiskind of thing happen again.”
It sounds like Peterson and Radakovich are still trying to manipulate the truth to the perception they are trying to sell and to their shame the players are following suit. Students learn what they are taught.
Tech has always acted like they were better than everyone else and apparently they now believe their own lies including the one about they do not have to follow the same rules as everyone else.
Pride comes before the fall.
Buck BalueBalls
July 15th, 2011
1:55 pm
First – JAy, blow it out your a$$ – everybody knows that the ncaa is the SECheat’s lapdog. Two words for you; Cam Newton
Second – you better believ that this is some 2bit investigator, showing his butt; any AD that wouldn’t tell his coach waht was coming, wouldn’t be worth his position. Any AD that says he/she hasn’t done this in the same situation, is lying.
Third – good grief, ugaggers giving GT hell about THIS?? MArk and the AJC has made enough of a mountain out of a molehil with this, but ugaggers?? PUH-LEEEEZE! Jim Harrick, Jan Kemp, the past 3 years police blotter in Athens…need I go on? This is a slap on the wrist compared to that crap.
What if we DO lose the ACC championship? According to you SECheat a-holes, it’s not worth anything anyways…so whaddya care? The NCAA is a bunch of overblown, outdated PC police that have too much powere anyhow…they can collectively kiss my butt.
GT HFC Bill Curry Circa 1985
July 15th, 2011
1:55 pm
We will bring the cheaters to their knees. Whoops its us – again!
Herschel Talker
July 15th, 2011
1:55 pm
MB:
Well put. If this happened at UGA, you know people would be howling for our ADs head. There’s no way this clown should keep his job.
By the way, it bears repeating that your writing is a nice break in the daily grind (except on rare occasion when you write silly things on Hawks’ mystery buyers). Keep up the good work and the good balance between being fair and being critical.
HT
Questions Needing Answers
July 15th, 2011
1:55 pm
Bradley:
Perhaps the AJC will look into the follwoing:
WHO, specifically, brought the issues to the attention of the NCAA?
(Clearly, SOMEBODY, with something to gain at GT’s expense?)
WHEN did the “event” in question actually happen?
This didnt start on Tuesday, November 24th. It happened WAY before that.
It seems interesting that WHOEVER notified the NCAA,
chose the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to notify the NCAA.
There was hardly a more DAMAGING DATE (the Tuesday RIGHT BEFORE Thanksgiving)
for the NCAA to have been notified…BY SOMEONE…of allegations.
Who would have had THE MOST to gain from notifying the NCAA
on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving?
Also, it has been previoulsy reported that GT contacted the ACC for guidance on the matter,
and the ACC office gave GT clearance to play Thomas. Why has that been discounted
and overlooked?
Lastly: When the NCAA notifies a school that they’re coming to investigate, the NCAA only notifies 1-2 KEY PERSONNEL at the school in question. The NCAA notice is…ALWAYS…considered exclusive, and HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL.
With that in mnd, how is it that the AJC’s UGA Beat Writer & UGA Alum, Tim Tucker,
was told that the NCAA was coming to Athens to interview AJ Green, BEFORE THE NCAA arrived?
How is that Tim Tucker, miraculously, discovered news about a HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL NCAA meeting in Athens, when the NCAA requires ABSOLUTE confidentiality from teh school in queston?
Only 1-2 key personnel in the UGA-AA would have known.
DC
July 15th, 2011
1:58 pm
^^until he writes something negative about UGA..
The Terminator
July 15th, 2011
2:01 pm
Radakovich said that he lesson learned from all of this is that when you get that inquiry, the initial phone call is to bring in someone like a Chuck Smart.
He should have said that the lesson learned from all of this is to follow the rules at all times and this kind of thing will not happen. We are sorry and apologize. We will not let this happen again.
It sounds like Peterson and Radakovich are still trying to manipulate the truth to the perception they are trying to sell and to their players are following suit. Students learn what they are taught.
Tech has always acted like they were better than everyone else and apparently they now believe their own delusions including the one about they do not have to follow the same rules as everyone else.
Hal
July 15th, 2011
2:01 pm
After reading everything that has been written so far a question remains. How did four guys in an obscure meeting end up on the desk of the NCAA as an investgation with no real merit?
George Stein
July 15th, 2011
2:05 pm
I hope we play in eff you mode all season.
btgt69
July 15th, 2011
2:07 pm
I think the 100K fine should come from Drad’s bank account.
John D
July 15th, 2011
2:10 pm
Mark – answer the following question honestly..
Is the punishment appropriate?
As evidenced by the Auburn situation and the moronic ramblings of the NCAA investigator who had to interview D Thomas AGAIN – clearly this should have been a 1-week investigation. Why did it drag out 20-months??
Is this Tressel lying during questioning? Pete Carroll? I mean really – are you suggesting the punishment is in alignment even with the “crime” of disagreeing with the NCAA?
The shutdown of Chizik at the SEC meetings is evidence that the NCAA is now overreaching (as Bedford has illustrated quite elegantly) during investigations of minor crap. Really – penalize the institution for providing ‘recommended’ textbooks to student athletes across 16 sports (Bama)? I know that those softball players typically make their college decision on where they might get an extra $40 textbook. Yet – they keep the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe?? ZERO credibility.
GT Alum
July 15th, 2011
2:11 pm
Hal -
Sounds like they were investigating a cell phone they thought might have been given to Derrick Morgan and paid for by an agent and found this. Quite frankly, it does seem like the NCAA is out looking for reasons to penalize schools.
T3
July 15th, 2011
2:15 pm
Need some clarification.
Did the NCAA find Demarious Thomas and/or Morgan Burnett…ELIGIBLE or INELIGIBLE
to have played in the 3 games in question?????
Lindsey Snot
July 15th, 2011
2:21 pm
This is an absolute joke! The real deal is that some snot-nose nccaa dude got his feelings hurt because Radakovich didn’t play step-and-fetchit fast enough. Politics, plain and simple. There’s nothing to see here. You want something to complain about? Two words – Cam Newton.
Eric
July 15th, 2011
2:21 pm
REPEAT OFFENDERS – that’s why the punishment is harse
DawginLex
July 15th, 2011
2:24 pm
I can see why he felt the need to tell his head football coach. This comes out later and he hadn’t said anything to Johnson and their relationship is done.
Mistake was not holding the kid out. Hold the kid out and telling the coach becomes WAY less of an issue to the NCAA.
I am really surprised he is still employed as AD though.
His job is to keep GT OUT of this kind of mess and the way he handled it got them in it.
teamguy
July 15th, 2011
2:25 pm
Tech needs to leave the cheating to folks who are good at it. . .no wonder they had to leave the SEC. . .if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’!
ASG = JERKS
July 15th, 2011
2:26 pm
Team Goals
9.) Cheat
10.) Lose to UGA
Tifton Jacket
July 15th, 2011
2:26 pm
Mark
In comments I have read by yourself and Schultz it appears that you guys are calling into questions Dan’s ethics and integrity. I agree that he used bad judgement but you guys are saying he spoke with Paul with intent to tamper with the investigation. That’s a direct attack of Dan as a person and his moral character not his decision making. From Dan’s comments, it seems he was unclear of his ability to talk with coach unless you think he is lying about that.
And while we all agree that coaches (assistants included), boosters, agents, etc often take action to cover things, you will be hard pressed to find more than a few ADs and Presidents of universities that knowingly seek to mislead the NCAA there is too much at risk beyond just football. So it seems to me that while its fair to question some of the judgement decisions Dan made when you start attacking a man’s integrity you better had come with facts that you seem to be lacking.
From what I read, the NCAA is decided to call this situation a major infraction because: a) Dan told Paul about the impemending interview (bad judgement) and b) the NCAA didn’t like how Tech cleared the players to participate in the last three games (seems like a peeing match between the school and the NCAA) 3) our legal counsel was not prepared (judgement not a character issue)
My question is why didn’t the NCAA go back to Tech after Thomas and Burnett played in the UGA game and demand we sit them out for the ACC Championship and the Bowl game (which occured almost two month after the incident)? If the eligibility was still in question, why didn’t the NCAA push back after the first game. It speaks that the NCAA knew they didn’t have the proof to hold these guys out of competition. They let this occur for another two games and then they make a stink about 20 months later. This seems like the NCAA wanting to dole out punishment. Plus all three games were on national TV so it wasn’t hard to find out they were playing. Why not ask that question of the NCAA? Where are the hard questions to the NCAA?
So as a Tech graduate and fan, I would appreciate you and your paper withholding comments that challenge a man’s ethics unless you have more facts that he knowingly lied and tried to cover this up. You can question his judgement but I think you and Jeff are stretching things by stating Dan took action in an attempt to withhold information. To me that is the thing which insulted and angered both Dr. Peterson and Dan yesterday. The fact that the NCAA publicly tried to humiliate the AD and President of the school by saying their actions were not of the highest integrity. I look forward to watching the appeals process.
DawginLex
July 15th, 2011
2:26 pm
I still believe the NCAA practices selective enforcement.
Worm
July 15th, 2011
2:27 pm
The arrogance of their former players is absolutely amazing..Gentlemen, Those rings NOW have no meaning or revelance..It’s like a FAKE diamond..It you contimue to wear them, then you’re a bogus imposter..I’m sure over time you’ll do the right thing and turn them over to the NCAA…Isn’t it an “improper benefit” to be sporting a ring that has been “RECALLED” by the NCAA.
Jake
July 15th, 2011
2:28 pm
I agree with WreckBuzz. It’s another example of NCAA arrogance — demanding unquestioning obedience. But who in their right mind would give unquestioned obedience to an organization that reeks of hypocrisy and incompetence?
Worm
July 15th, 2011
2:29 pm
whoops, meant relevance.
Greg
July 15th, 2011
2:29 pm
I don’t understand how Drad compromises his relationship with CPJ by saying nothing. Of course CPJ will catch wind of the investigation and ask about it, and DRad tells him “NCAA procedures prevented me from alerting you, I’m sure you understand”. CPJ is a reasonable man, and that’s the end of it. That rings incredibly hollow.
Sonny Clusters
July 15th, 2011
2:35 pm
Any school that builds its library that close to a tunnel is asking for trouble. We think the AD should be left standing out by Grant Field late at night with an i-Phone and a Macbook Pro clearly visible. See how he comes out. If he makes it we say forgive and forget.
MDubTheWiz
July 15th, 2011
2:37 pm
How Radakovich still has his job after this is beyond me. He must have pictures of the Tech President in a compromising position.
Hal
July 15th, 2011
2:40 pm
If there is no smoke there can’t be a fire. That’s how people like Tech get upset and ask people from the NCAA to take a hike. The question is how did four friends in a room chillen out make it to the front Desk of the NCAA Infractions Committe so quickly. Who turned them in and for what?
Harold Banks
July 15th, 2011
2:41 pm
This is a very harsh penalty for $312.00!!!! I’m not a Tech fan but DAMN!!!!!! I guess USC, UNC, Oregon and others should be very nervous about any allegations. 4 years probation for $312.00!!!!! I guess Tech is in the same league with the other big boys who broke some kind of rule to be stripped and probated.
Sir Barks A Lot
July 15th, 2011
2:47 pm
Agree with Dawginlex – the NCAA is selective and is a huge part of the problem.
GT should have received a secondary slap of the wrist.
The real issue is timing – and the timing of all this was bad for GT.
1. The NCAA has to appear tough and in control now that the OHIO STATE fiasco has happened.
2. The Fiesta Bowl mess – has the NCAA looking like chumps.
So now what happens – the NCAA is now making mountains out of mole hills in order yield power and manage by intimidation.
Tech’s AD had the right to tell CPJ – even if the NCAA did not want him to.
This is complete BS.
It will be interesting to see how consistent the NCAA will be with it’s sanctions against OHIO STATE as compared to GT.
tim
July 15th, 2011
2:48 pm
Lyinkovich pants are on fire and his nose is growing………
Buzz 2011
July 15th, 2011
2:49 pm
Quite “colorful” comments from the Dogs in reference to a ” nothing incident at GT..
What a joke!!!! You have recently been embarrassed with an AJ ” Green” and Let’s
a Michael ” red panty” Adams.. Adams was the AD, right? Get back in you dog house
with UGAS and sleep…..By the way we beat Clemson two or three times to win 2009
ACC championship and won it.. It will not go away..
techfan
July 15th, 2011
2:49 pm
Greg, you summed up what I was going to say pretty well. DRad intentionally went against the requests by the NCAA because of his relationship with CPJ. That kinda doesn’t make any sense. He could have also told CPJ not to talk to the players, which apparently he didn’t do. I’m with Mark on this one. DRad should feel lucky he still has a job right now. You could argue that him alone costs us an ACC championship, although I still feel the punishment was way over the top and would never happen to a bigger school.
Saban
July 15th, 2011
2:52 pm
Once Georgia loses to Boise State 66 to 0 the dawgs will have something else to worry about.
DC
July 15th, 2011
2:52 pm
Worm,
Give me a break…arrogance…really? arrogance?…
gt4ever
July 15th, 2011
2:55 pm
Bradley, YOU are a COMPLETE IDIOT! Good Grief. Does the AJC have anybody worth a DAMN as a journalist…
Saban
July 15th, 2011
3:01 pm
Yo quiero hombres.
Auburn 28 – Alabama 27. I am still in tremendous agony. Get me some whiskey for I still can’t get over that Camback. Up 24-0, and we lost at home. Maybe I am not as good a coach as I thought.
Yo quiero hombres.
George O'
July 15th, 2011
3:03 pm
Been caught cheating? Funny how non important this program is to rest of college football these days. SAD just SAD I tell ya. Maybe the old compliance guy can expose the cheating that takes place in AU now.
404
July 15th, 2011
3:04 pm
Folks, its AJC.
Its the friggin UGA School of Liberalism (oops) I mean Journalism over there.
George O'
July 15th, 2011
3:06 pm
BTW, FSU is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
George Stein
July 15th, 2011
3:09 pm
Did I get blocked and, if so, why?
Buzzzed
July 15th, 2011
3:09 pm
Dan did okay. NCAA is in rare form.
I guess Ohio St., UNC and Auburn are getting the death penalty.
Party it up!
July 15th, 2011
3:11 pm
when will the tech president fire radokovich?
Matter of Fact
July 15th, 2011
3:11 pm
If you want to fire someone,,,FIRE all of those inept attorneys in the Tech legal section. They are resposible as anyone for this mess!!!
funny....
July 15th, 2011
3:13 pm
Undefeated at home. LOL
How’d that work out for them?
404
July 15th, 2011
3:17 pm
Besides me, any other GT fans happy to pay $312.00
to see Sean Beaford pound Mark Bradley into the pavement ??
jbzm
July 15th, 2011
3:24 pm
How can this guy still have a job? I would have fired him when he agreed to the six million one year roll over conract with Paul Hewett. This guy must be an idiot. Tech is getting what they deserve allowing this caliber employment.
Gordon
July 15th, 2011
3:28 pm
I normally agree with you, Mark, but you are WAY off base on this. To suggest Radakovich should lucky to keep his job over this is absolutely ridiculous. One of the worst things you have ever written.
rduck
July 15th, 2011
3:34 pm
jbzm.. try to know a little bit about something before spouting off. DRAD didn’t give Hewitt the roll over contract. Dave Braine did. Feel free to study up before posting your ignorance…
AGTFan
July 15th, 2011
3:34 pm
I know a bunch of DAWG fans are having fun at Techs expense. Thanks to the few DAWG fans who have noted how arbitrary and capricious the NCAA was in this case. We keep hearing over and over about this one investigator who got his panties in a wad. Makes you wonder about his other investigations. This is prime example of the NCAA’s abuse of power, If and when this happens to UGA, you’ll see the DAWG fans loadin up thier shotguns. I don’t question DRADs integrity. I do question the NCAAs.
juvenal
July 15th, 2011
3:40 pm
Buzz2011 makes a point-how many of the dumbmasses dauugs saying we should fire Drad stuck up for evans? 1st-the nzaa is not the law, taking legal advice to disagree is a business decision-the result of turning collegiate $port$ into a business(Mark-WHERE did this nordin guy go to skule?)2nd, the decisions made by the nzaa are inconsistent enuf to be farcial, which i bet we see in the triad they are still working on….Paul, must respectfully disagree till all facts(you usually like those)are in, perhaps in appeal….got my yellow jump suit ordered, dickies has ‘em…….
Herschel Talker
July 15th, 2011
3:43 pm
jbzm @3:24:
You, sir, are a fool. That was Dave Braine, not Dan Radakovich.
HT
Techmate
July 15th, 2011
3:51 pm
All you little UGA boys, please go back behind your mama’s skirts. You don’t know how to play in the real world. You just pick up gossip like your mama and squeal like little girls. Bye, bye.
Peter
July 15th, 2011
3:56 pm
If it were me I would fire Paul Johnson…not only is he arrogant, he obviously was part of the cover up, and his idea of football is boring, and sucks.
George Stein
July 15th, 2011
3:56 pm
Eh, MB is a UK guy (not mate, though), 404. I have no idea what his political leanings are, and that’s a good thing.
Dan Pearson
July 15th, 2011
3:59 pm
This whole case is bizarre…as I understand it, the only think the AD did “wrong” was to notify his head football coach that the NCAA wanted to come in and talk to a player. As a head coach, I would be pissed if my AD knew this was going to happen and he didn’t notify me. The school launched its own investigation and the NCAA did a unilateral investigation and neither could definitively say the player did anything wrong. To say Tech deliberately “misled” and “impeded” the investigation is a stretch at best. With the crap going on at Auburn, Ohio State and Oregon, this really appears to be nothing more than a witch hunt.
wxwax
July 15th, 2011
4:00 pm
100% correct, mark.
I’m was waiting for someone to write this story. I’m glad you did so.
I like Tech and Radakovich, but this was his blunder all the way down the line. It needed to be pointed out.
(Any discussion about how the NCAA goes about its business is a separate issue. Radakovich needs to get his head around that. It sounds like he’s still in denial.)
George Stein
July 15th, 2011
4:02 pm
Did you bother to read the report, Peter? Johnson comes out looking even better.
As to you other three criticisms, he has every reason to be arrogant and brand of football is awesome. But if you don’t like it, I have great news. Don’t watch.
Mark Bradley for UGA Pres!
July 15th, 2011
4:03 pm
I have always found the sports columns in the AJC fun to read, as a UGA Fan I love reading some of the “Let’s rub it in GT Fans Face” articles Mark Bradley writes humorous! But Mark enough is enough… you clearly are smart enough to know what you incite with your writtings and I suppose that’s great for ratings and showing your superiors you have followers, but even you need to have morals and be fair!
GT and its AD haven’t done anything other than not kiss the NCAA investigator’s Hinnie! This case clearly shows how childish the NCAA is from top to bottom.
from a legal stand point I hope GT appeals and I genuinely hope you Mark Bradley find a better way to sell news rather than perpetuate ignorance.
Coach Hewitt...
July 15th, 2011
4:14 pm
“Dan Pearson …As a head coach, I would be pissed if my AD knew this was going to happen and he didn’t notify me.”
FWIW… CPJ works “FOR” DRad,.. Who GAS if CPJ gets pissed, is DRad scared of him? If the NCAA tells you not to tell the HC, you comply or suffer the consequences…
Delbert D.
July 15th, 2011
4:15 pm
The part that bothers me is that the NCAA demands that the AD must keep the information from anyone else. Is this organization one part inept and three parts Gestapo?
LexJacket
July 15th, 2011
4:17 pm
Dawgs who wear ‘RED’ panties should not throw stones about judgement. What color panties do you Mark??
YellowJacket
July 15th, 2011
4:17 pm
Screw the NCAA and the AJC, don’t give a crap about them. Dan’s not going anywhere
blazer
July 15th, 2011
4:19 pm
the game was played and we still won!!
YellowJacket
July 15th, 2011
4:20 pm
Does Murdoch own this newspaper?
mrb
July 15th, 2011
4:24 pm
Mark- You’re way off base on this one. Bad decision to not allow someone with more experience to handle the issue? Certainly…..in retrospect. But from what I can infer, this seems pretty clear to me. Some NCAA dork bureaucrat didn’t “like” the fact that Tech didn’t play nice, so he arbitrailly smacks the program with a big ‘ol incriminating report and fine and takes away the ACC Championship. I admit, I haven’t read the report and don’t intend to. Does it say that any of our players were ultimately ruled ineligible?
Bottom line, I think the NCAA is out of hand and this kind of ruling does not help their credibility. But what do they have to lose, right? They get to make an example out of Tech. Tech will appeal, and in my opinion may very well win that appeal. But there won’t be any big headlines when that happens, will there? If that happens, it won’t make the front page, will it? And I doubt you’ll write a story about it, because nobody will care by that point, right?
And by the way, all of you sanctimonious Dawg fans who have been barking about how well you handled the AJ Green deal, ask yourselves one question: If that had gone down three weeks before the SEC Championship, would you have been in favor of sitting a guy who may or may not have “benefited” to the tune of a couple hundred bucks, and therefore, may or may not be ineligible? Thought so.
tar and feathers party
July 15th, 2011
4:26 pm
Exterminate the NCAA! Stinking English professors, fire them all! A pack of worthless deadbeats!
tar and feathers party
July 15th, 2011
4:27 pm
I hope the ajc folds real soon, so we can yell FIRE MARK!
Atlien
July 15th, 2011
4:29 pm
Why hasn’t anyone from the media picked up on the fact that the allegations came 4 days before the UGA-GT game?
Telling Johnson is not against NCAA rules. Being mean to the investigator, or discrediting him is apparently.
Alabama Jack
July 15th, 2011
4:30 pm
Damn I thought St. Mark referred to Richt. Obviously it is the title of the all-knowing all-seeing Mark Bradley. Thanks for sharing your infinite wisdom with us, o holy one. Maybe get on your pony and ride.
Blah, blah, blah
July 15th, 2011
4:30 pm
Hey Jackets, allow me to put this NCAA stuff in full perspective:
I emailed a friend of mine who is a huge Wisconsin and Big 10 fan and he lives in Wauwatosa, Wisc. Big college football fan he is. He can always name the fabled top 10 from week to week and is loaded with opinions on college ball and of course, The PACK.
We discussed back and forth all kinds of sports stuff and I asked about his thoughts on the GT probation thing with the NCAA. He said “I have no opinion, I mean are they not like in some lower level classification”? He really had no opinion because GT is irrelevant outside of Fulton, Cobb, maybe Paulding County and Dekalb County, Ga.
GT ………………….. some saving grace in all of this is, if you are on a Delta flight and were to mention your alma mater as GT, they would say great. Good school, because byond that ………………….NO ONE follows GT sports.
You all at GT are taking this far too seriously. Gee, go hit a golf ball this weekend or hoist the sails on your boat at the lake. I plan to do both.
UGA man, class of 71 & 73
Paul N Destin
July 15th, 2011
4:31 pm
Folks the NCAA is slowly plodding along blasting team after team in order to get college football back on track! UNC,UT and OSU will get clobbered in the very near future as well but the Big Nuke will take place in Auburn but not until these other 3 are completed. Shame on the AD for playing the Hootie Ingram and Gene Stallings GTFO of my office card with the NCAA. As you recall Auburn played this card last fall before the UGA with Cam and the payback will be really something when the NCAA finally gets to Auburn. There is no excuse for what just happened at GT…none. The AD should resign on his own if he had any honor but hey honor is yesterday’s news in this country. Look no further than DC and you see a collective bunch of weak azz slackers without a doubt no character.
GSU
July 15th, 2011
4:34 pm
All this means is that the Furmans and Charleston Southerns have a good chance to get techs recruits
Spartan
July 15th, 2011
4:35 pm
Tech’s attitude was that “we’re smarter than the NCAA”. Arrogance cost tech $100,000.
jabster
July 15th, 2011
4:35 pm
Don’t forget that Tech got their azzes burned by the NCAA when they SELF-REPORTED retiring registrar Frank Roper’s failure to track which student-athletes were taking sufficient degree courses some 10+ years ago. Tech self-reported the infraction in good faith, thought they would get off easy, and all hell broke loose and “lack of institutional control” and all that. Considering that, now being less than completely forthcoming seems completely understandable.
Plus, a Tech LAWYER telling his client to STHU or not volunteer information? I’d FIRE my lawyer if they DIDN’T tell someone to do that. Law 101: Never have someone testify if you don’t know what they are going to say.
Maybe Tech needed an unlawyerish lawyer for counsel here…?
Alabama Jack
July 15th, 2011
4:38 pm
Remember Patton slapping the enlisted man? This is all because a former second string UNC Tarheel football player, now big-time NCAA investigator, named Marcus Wilson got his feelings hurt.
Fo real
July 15th, 2011
4:41 pm
As usual, most media outlets believe the penalties are way overboard but the local media cannot do anything but criticize and try to defame local teams. Psst, do you wonder why nobody buys your paper anymore???
wild bill
July 15th, 2011
4:47 pm
Well, well,well. So the “holier than thou” Techies, the self-proclaimed paragons of excellence, virtue, honesty and perfection are on probabtion AGAIN ! Winning the ACC Championship just means you are not as bad as the other mediocre ( at best) teams in the conference, so having to vacate the 2009 title is no punishment…..more like a relief. You folks cheat, and then cheat again and still can’t beat the Dawgs!
If you cheat you should win, so cheating and still losing must be very embarassing for you.
Fo real
July 15th, 2011
4:47 pm
Wow, one guy in wisconsin does not follow GT sports. Color me amazed, especially since this is one of the two months of the year he can actually go outside. I’m sure every person in wisconsin can, on a moments notice, name every uga football player of the last ten years.
PerimeterCenterJacket
July 15th, 2011
4:51 pm
Sorry, but I don’t pin this all the way up the chain at Radakovich and Peterson. Yeah, they figurehead all this, and it’s D-Rad’s conversation with Coach Johnson which you write about regarding firing him (wonder why you’d like to whip up THAT debate), but this all reeks of an incompetent compliance director. He’s gone, so let’s see if we can get through 4 years on probation without doing something else. Radakovich doesn’t need to be labeled a cheater and a liar and then shot down for this. I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine with him at the helm for the forseeable, thanks. But nice try at sustaining the hype of a here-then-gone story. With a “friendly” hometown paper like the AJC, I’m not sure Tech needs to self-report anything anyway….
Fo real
July 15th, 2011
4:58 pm
As a Tech fan, I can say that there has been a fair amount of less than stellar employees in the ranks of the AA, especially a few years ago in the ticket office. DRad is not one of those. We are very lucky to have him running things and, outside of this overblown blemish and security issued in the first game last year, every part of GT sports has improved under his leadership.
Fo real
July 15th, 2011
5:00 pm
I will also add that the AJC has went nowhere but down under Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz’s tenures. Bring back Furman or a few like him!!!!
Wolfman
July 15th, 2011
5:11 pm
How can anyone believe that the NCAA acts consistently, and has and credibility remaining….
Big Ol Stinger
July 15th, 2011
5:15 pm
Wauwatosa Wisconsin?? That’s funny right there, I don’t care who you are. Who gives a flying flip what some Big 10 fan from Wauwatosa Wisconsin thinks? The richest part is you think anyone outside of Georgia and the states on it’s immediate borders pay any attention to UGA football.
What this comes down to is D Rad and Tech’s attorney didn’t jump as high and as many times as some pencil neck NCAA investigator thought they should. When the NCAA shows up next time at UGA (and they will), you best ask how high, how many times, and say “Thank You Sir, may I have another”?
don bozeman
July 15th, 2011
5:16 pm
In my opinion the NCAA has become a vindictive, petty, overblown and ineffective bureaucracy. They strain at gnats and swallow camels.
GT
July 15th, 2011
5:18 pm
There should be a relationship and loyalty owed to the coach, the NCAA should have known there was one and should never have asked the AD to lie to this coach. This is truly petty stuff. The only thing not petty is the outcome. Also no results were changed because of the communications to Johnson, no conspiracy was afoot.
roughrider
July 15th, 2011
5:20 pm
I think this will reduce the holier than thou attitude of Tech.
GT Hulk
July 15th, 2011
5:22 pm
I agree Mark, Dave Braine really hurt GT finacially with the long term contracts and Rad really dropped the ball on this one. GT is a very high school of integrity, but to not suspend Thomas when everything was in doubt, really hurt us. He really has let GT down. I have to commend Richt for holding out A.J. Green.
Fo real
July 15th, 2011
5:29 pm
AJ Green clearly broke the rules. The info DRad had indicated that D. Thomas did nothing wrong. Furthermore, D. Thomas was cleared before the game and cleared again during the investigation.
Why did uga not get hit for publicizing to the entire world AJ Green’s investigation when they received the same notice not to tell the player of the interview. Hmmm, no bias there.
dagnabit
July 15th, 2011
5:29 pm
D-rad should be AD for life. I like anyone who talks back to the NCAA.
tar and feathers party
July 15th, 2011
5:41 pm
I piss on the ncaa, and markus too!
Dan
July 15th, 2011
5:57 pm
He still has his job because there is such a culture of corruption at Tech the school and fans see nothing wrong with cheating.
RAMBLE ON!!!
July 15th, 2011
5:58 pm
DRAD’s worst mistake was taking too long in firing Paul Blewitt has HC.
He did to GT Basketball what King Obama is doing to the USA.
…oh yeah, the NCAA is just making an example out of GT. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime (if there even was one).
Dan
July 15th, 2011
6:03 pm
In the report the NCAA posted they said Tech’s general counsel Randy Nordin “adopted and obstructionist approach” to the NCAA investigation.
That’s why Tech got hit so hard. They cheated and tried to block the NCAA’s investigation. Accept it cheaters!!!
Alan
July 15th, 2011
6:03 pm
To “Blah, blah, blah”:
So, you use the opinion of a friend from Wis-freaking-consin about the state of GT athletics to show how irrelevant they are? If they were really irrelevant, then why did you waste your time and ours by writing this pitiful diatribe about it? If you really were a man, and not just a UGA man that has to mention that he has two degrees from UGAs, you would have taken the time to find out what this is really all about, and not just use it as an excuse to inflate your hollow and bottomless ego by ridiculing a program and a school that really gets under your skin. Real men do not have time for ridicule or hate – they are too busy doing constructive things for their families and communities, unlike those who went to school in Athens – that drinking town that has a football problem, which unfortunately for you is one of the best things that can be said about it.
Ekim
July 15th, 2011
6:07 pm
@Chris @ 1:09: “Fine a team because a player got some freaking clothes. Most stupid story I’ve ever heard of.”
If you think that’s the crux of the matter, you’ve missed the point.
superDawg
July 15th, 2011
6:08 pm
I believe the NCAA is on the verge of putting the major hammer down on OSU,NC,AND THE SLEDGE HAMMER ON au.Tenn. you may be next before the big gun comes out.
Ekim
July 15th, 2011
6:10 pm
@roughrider, “I think this will reduce the holier than thou attitude of Tech.”
I doubt it, because Tech really is holier than thou.
MB: You're off the mark
July 15th, 2011
6:26 pm
MB: Are you serious? DRAD should lose his job over this? Have you ever been involved in an investigation like this? or any litigation? You don’t have near enough information about what has gone on in the past 20 months to make this kind of judgment call. What is insane is that the NCAA has spent 20 months investigating $312 worth of clothing that appears to have ended up in an athletic dept. closet, unworn. This could have been cleared up in a 60 minute conference call between the NCAA and GT’s principal players if investigators weren’t trying to make themselves important. Why spend tens of thousands of dollars investigating something this stupid? I said the same thing about “the jersey incident” at UGA.
The NCAA is like all other bureacratic organizations – they become behemoth and useless – spending money to justify that they need more money. Their rules and infractions are intentionally ambigous so that lawyers can generate millions in “defending” or “prosecuting” them. The game is to “lawyer up” and see whose got the best lawyers. Meanwhile, while millions of dollars transfer into the lawyers’ bank accounts, innocent kids are punished for things in which they were in no way involved.
NCAA needs to get a life. And you should not be sitting in your cubicle chair passing judgment on someone based upon the scripted press releases of the NCAA. If anything, DRAD is probably thinking what the rest of the normal people are thinking…the NCAA has lost their collective minds!
AustinJacket
July 15th, 2011
6:27 pm
I think it’s a stain on the institution. It got out of hand, and it’s bad for DRad. He needs to learn from it and move on. I don’t think he should be fired. Tech needs to do better in the future, on the field and in the front office.
But I’m more angry and the NCAA. there’s no way the crime justifies the punishment. How is it even plausible that anyone would construct a cover-up over $300 in clothes? Why is the NCAA even investigating a case involving $300 in clothes when there are much more egregious violations rampant all over NCAA football, and from repeat offenders! Go police those schools (and we all know who they are) to earn some credibility!!
juvenal
July 15th, 2011
6:29 pm
osu was NOT penalized for the games dez bryant played in before the nzaa declared him in eligible on oct. 9…
VaBeachDawg
July 15th, 2011
6:33 pm
I’m a Dawg fan but i think it’s absurd that the NCAA is coming down like this on Tech. Radakovich has to be careful in how he phrases it now but he’s right. He’s got to keep his coaches in the loop. The NCAA is naive if it thinks ADs don’t talk to their coaches about ongoing investigations. Unlike other ADs, maybe Radakovich didn’t tell Johnson to act like he didn’t know. So, he gets slapped for NOT conspiring with Johnson. I just think it’s ridiculous that the NCAA can come into an institution and tell the AD not to talk to the people who work for him who NEED to know that there is a player on THEIR team being investigated.
Adam
July 15th, 2011
6:41 pm
At least DRad didn’t get a DUI with a woman in the car that wasn’t his wife…
Cardinal Sin
July 15th, 2011
6:44 pm
“I’m not a Tech grad, but I wouldn’t call that good business. I’d say it’s close to being a firing offense.”
No Mark, you are far from being a Tech grad. And people aren’t fired for such things as a kneejerk reaction – not good business – however, DRad will have that mark to contend with down the road, and who knows what may happen in a years time.
Obviously, by the way the NCAA interprets and enforces its rules, Tech gets spanked. It is amazing that they, the NCAA, spent so much of their time and resources at so litlle transgression.
The real issue obviously was GT’s appearance of failed cooperation. It is not what you do that the NCAA cares about, just don’t diss them.
“Yet – they keep the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe?? ZERO credibility.”
Just think about the Auburn/Oregon TV ratings if Cam had to sit out.
GDBurdell
July 15th, 2011
7:16 pm
BBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Melinda
July 15th, 2011
7:27 pm
Radakovich made a huge error. And he may not pay for it with his job, but his career trajectory certainly looks dismal in the future. He made one decision that turned out to be perhaps the worst one decision of his life.
In my opinion, the NCAA took it a bit too far. They infer that the administration coached the player on his interview, which they did not prove and which I, for one, do not think happened. I’m not naive enough to think that there isn’t a really good chance that this infraction happened. But how can the NCAA, which had several Ohio State players under investigation give the okay for them to play in a bowl game, which is what they just nailed Tech for doing?
Clemson
July 15th, 2011
7:38 pm
Referring to the photo in this story… didn’t UGA beat Tech at Tech that year? Cause 2008 was the year Tech beat UGA in Athens, correct?
Midtown
July 15th, 2011
7:41 pm
Chris,
The NCAA did not fine GT for getting some clothes.
The NCAA fined for trying to cover it up.
Ask Richard Nixon, Bruce Pearl, and Jim Tressell to explain it to you.
Gordon
July 15th, 2011
7:41 pm
The idea that Radakovich would lose his job over this is completely ridiculous. This has to be one of Mark Bradley’s poorest posts ever.
Fo real
July 15th, 2011
7:41 pm
AJC writers, such as Mark Bradley et al., are just embarrassed that GT was being investigated for so long and they had no clue. They are making up for it by blasting DRad and Tech for not spoon feeding them this info. It’s unfortunate that such a world class newspaper (lol) does not understand how the Freedom of Information Act works.
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 15th, 2011
7:51 pm
Good job Mark.
Mark Bradley
July 15th, 2011
7:52 pm
Thanks, Chef.
Solid Gold Dancer
July 15th, 2011
8:17 pm
Woustawawawosa Wisconsin just got served!
Simple Techster
July 15th, 2011
8:23 pm
I see that you are still checking the comments, taking the time to thank someone patting you on the back, while not taking the time to answer some very reasonable, logical and pertinant questions in regards to the article you have written. Now, I am a very, very big GT fan and have always been…and I have always been a fan of your work. I genuinely enjoy reading your articles, even though you have a tendency to side more with UGA. As a journalist, you are paid to put your thoughts and opinions on paper, the right of every US citizen. I strongly disagree with your stance, however we can agree to disagree.
at 149pm….How could DRAD inform CPJ Thomas was ineligible to play if he could not tell him about the investigation? Should he have just said he cannot play? That would have been
crazy.
Can you answer this question?
And then my question….
There is an appeals process. You are taking the NCAA report and completely landblasting GT and DR, taking the NCAA report as complete and unrefutable fact…while taking the statements of BP and DR and wiping them away with disregard, disinterest and what seems to be disbelief (you don’t believe them). SO, if GT appeals and wins…..WILL YOU POST A PUBLIC APOLOGY?
GTforever
July 15th, 2011
8:28 pm
I think Drad should be let go. He did not follow simple instructions from the NCAA. This is unacceptable. If our President does not see it this way, then he should be let go also.
DuluthDawg
July 15th, 2011
8:30 pm
As much as I dislike the Jackets this is really overblown IMO. The AD is upset because he believes, and I do also, that there was no intention to deceive or hide anything. What I think happened is the investigator felt like he was being disrespected and punished both the AD and the lawyer for that. I think that’s an abuse of power and tech should appeal this. If this is the way its going to be I think there will be a lot more teams in similar situations. And then again, maybe the NCAA was sending a message and others will get it. It just seems so much to do about nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to continue the tradition of beating the techies on the field each year, but this isn’t right.
Go Dawgs!
The Spirit of UGA VII
July 15th, 2011
8:32 pm
Well, dang! Didn’t they teach the Tech people anything? If it’s clothes, you ought to get at least a thousand bucks out of the deal on e-bay. Otherwise, it’s not worth cheating for. The Big Guy up here is chuckling about it. Talk about dumb. First the QB throws the ball away on fourth down. Now this. Not only can’t those guys play football, but they can’t even cheat halfway decent. But I’d say this is going to get the Techies all fired up for the big game with the Dawgs in November. I’d guess Tech won’t lose by more than three touchdowns now.
Jeff
July 15th, 2011
8:44 pm
Mark, does Bill Curry let Thomas play?
Big Ten Champs Nebraska.....Dawg
July 15th, 2011
8:46 pm
If Tom Osborne were at Tech, this never would have happened this way……Covering up such a simple infraction…..Nice.
Jeff
July 15th, 2011
8:56 pm
I meant if Bill Curry were AD does Thomas play in those three games?
original ole yeller
July 15th, 2011
9:17 pm
Hey Bradley are you not supposed to be a reporter of fact? Yours is always a one sided observation. You are a homer, and at times sicking in your opinions. D’rad is a good man and only wants the best for Ga. Tech. I find it hard to understand your biased opinion after all that goes on in the gutter antics that occur within UGA football. You remind me of a Terrence Moore of your newspaper, always biased never telling the whole truth just only to get a blog going. Shame on your reporting antics. Hopefully, you will find the same door that T Moore found.
george
July 15th, 2011
9:22 pm
Well that makes two of you who are lucky to have a job. If you worked for anything but a fishwrap newspaper you would be out of a job yourself. Kudos and duly noted.
Justafan
July 15th, 2011
9:28 pm
I’ll believe Rads any day over the NCAA. Agree with@8;23..Mark I’d hate for you to be on my jury….
LoyalDawg
July 15th, 2011
9:41 pm
As a Dawg Fan, the NCAA investigator has a problem. Too harsh of a penalty. This is insane. Lordy, what is going to happen to Ohio State and Boise State?
Tony
July 15th, 2011
9:59 pm
If this stands as is or anything close then North Carolina should get the “Death Penalty” as they have a total loss of institutional control going on there. But I bet they get just a slap on the hand as swafford will go to bat for them since he was their AD before becoming commissioner. No wonder they get all the help from officials and still can’t put together a decent football team. Think how bad the basketball team must be cheating.
EDIMGIAFAD
July 15th, 2011
10:04 pm
If GT had come clean from the start this would have been too harsh of a penalty BUT given this cover-up is part of the third infraction case against GT Football in 10 years, 4 years was probably accurate. GT fans need to go investigate what happened to SMU when they got the death penalty because if GT violates probation, the death penalty may very well be in play.
Rafe Hollister
July 15th, 2011
10:10 pm
Can’t sell college football in the largest city in the South, even with Rad and Johnson cheating!
BG
July 15th, 2011
10:21 pm
He should have been fired! CHEATER!!!
Ron Hyatt
July 15th, 2011
10:27 pm
Investigate all D1 programs, and give them all the death penalty. No great loss.
snoop
July 15th, 2011
10:28 pm
at least Radakovich wasn’t flashing his date’s red panties to the ghp….
IllinoisRed
July 15th, 2011
10:38 pm
GT Alum said: “I know there’s a lot of complicated rules, but it’s their job to know. This country’s tax laws are numerous and fairly complex too, but accountants are supposed to know them, and what happens to them if they don’t follow them?”
Some of them get to be US Treasury Secretary—maybe Dan R. is auditioning for Attorney General instead of the job @ Tennessee……
Yellow Fuzz
July 15th, 2011
10:55 pm
lol
original ole yeller
July 15th, 2011
11:14 pm
Bradley you are a eyesore to all the real reporters out there. You seek nothing but to add to blogs that do nothing but get attention to your one sided opinions. Guess what, everyone realizes that your reporting is slanted to your beloved Dawgs.
May you go in the direction of Terrance Moore, out of here. No one wants to read the bias and hate you bring to the table.
Lets remember the really good non biased reporters. Jessie Outler, back to Ed Danforth, Furman Bisher, Jim Mintor. These reporters had talent, and skill. The base now at the AJC are hacks who do not report facts but personal attacks just to get the public outraged.
GT GRAD
July 15th, 2011
11:16 pm
GT is not “dirty” and Radakovich is a solid high character AD………the NCAA investigator got mad and is trying to “teach GT a lesson” that he has POWER and GT better cower to his every demand or else. Pitiful and embarrassing……..thus guy (from the NCAA) should probably be fired.
GT GRAD
July 15th, 2011
11:17 pm
Bradley……..please grow up and quit trying to spin this story in such a negative light (in an attempt to hurt GT)!
Paul in RDU
July 15th, 2011
11:44 pm
GT Grad
D-Rad is not dirty, but the GTAA blew it big time with their reaction to the NCAA investigation and D-Rad was the guy in charge.
original ole yeller
July 16th, 2011
12:01 am
Because of your contempt of Ga.Tech I have cancelled my delivery of the Journal. I just do not want to hear your idiot opinions any longer. I urge all the Tech nation to do the same.
original ole yeller
July 16th, 2011
12:06 am
Bradley you are a coward. You would not publish my last comment because you knew I was right.
Navigator
July 16th, 2011
12:20 am
It’s obvious to Rad now that he is not in the SEC where this is minor crap. The NCAA may be afraid to deal with SEC teams but is willing to crush the teams in the lesser conferences. Tech had better be squeaky clean for a long time.
LydiasDad
July 16th, 2011
12:44 am
What does 4 years of probation really mean to Tech? Is it a slap on the wrist, or will it really affect the team?
Coach Grohbo
July 16th, 2011
1:00 am
Radakulous double-secret probation. No big deal.
The Truth
July 16th, 2011
1:04 am
Here is the simple truth: GA Tech’s president, their AD and their head football coach continue to Lie about the situation. They make it sound like GA Tech is the only school in history to get put on probation for doing nothing wrong. LOL! You did not follow instructions by the NCAA. And you told Lies about what really happened. You knowingly played ineligible players. You guys deserve a much greater punishment than the one you are receiving. GA Tech Lies & Cheats & Everyone knows it! Especially the NCAA. GA Tech = Liar and Cheater City.
Jeff
July 16th, 2011
1:09 am
I’m not a Tech fan and I don’t have a dog in the fight, so to speak, but I find this interesting on several levels:
1. Some Tech fans (not all) seem to have a hard time accepting this. They excuse, blame others, and try to sweep it under the rug, but they don’t seem to be willing to say “Yeah, we screwed up, we got caught, we’ll take our beating.” It seems very pretentious, arrogant, and condescending for some GT fans (again, not all) to act “holier than thou” when things happen to OTHER schools, but yet they bury their heads in the sand when something happens to THEIR school.
2. That being said, the NCAA seems a bit rediculous here. USC and Ohio State and Auburn are literally buying and selling players and pretty much giving them perks (cars, housing for their families, etc.), acting as if college athletics is fantasy football…. but Tech gets in trouble over $300 worth of clothes? Seems quite the minor infraction for such a penalty. Perhaps the NCAA could better use it’s resources to look into the really seedy things going on at places like Oregon, UNC, Ohio State, etc. instead of this?
3. Finally, this is a rhetorial question for anyone… something worth considering… do you ever see a day when the colleges and universities on the Division-I level say “ENOUGH” and find a way to extricate themselves from the NCAA and form some sort of new college athletics organization? Seems to be that NOBODY is happy with the NCAA and how it does things — not the school presidents, not the academics, not the coaches, not the fans, not the media, not Congress, not the players, not ANYBODY. In essence, what would it take to “fire” the NCAA… to blow the whole thing up and start over? Looks like to me, everybody could start over with a clean slate.
Just some food for thought…..
Overblown Arrogance
July 16th, 2011
4:37 am
C’mon! It is not like DRAD had a hooker in his car, drunk with the red panties!!!!
The NCAA has such an inferiority complex and lost control of this investigation.
Asking an AD not to tell his coach about an investigation – then slamming the school when he does – ARE THEY NUTS????????????
YES,
Buzz me
July 16th, 2011
4:50 am
AJC as usual was clueless about what was going on
Mark Bradley`s Booster
July 16th, 2011
6:05 am
Mark Bradley: This is my last response as your booster.
You must surely have a personal vendetta against DRad.
Otherwise you would not have written such a biased article like this one.
Hugh17
July 16th, 2011
6:12 am
How can anyone making $600k screw up something so simple so badly. The penalty of forfeiting the ACC Championship does not fit the complaint. It penalizes the effort of a fine team & coaching staff because the AD is stupid. I believe the decision should be appealed and that that President Peterson should offer Radakovich’s head or a%# or both to the NCAA. I also agree that the $100k should come out of Radkovick’s salary. Surely there must be a stupid clause in there somewhere.
SMITTYSTHEMAN
July 16th, 2011
6:16 am
Still not as bad as getting caught with red panties in your lap.
bcall123169
July 16th, 2011
6:35 am
Hey Stung if were nerds,which one are you a DUMB REDNECK OR THUG.GOOOOOO JACKETS
ss
July 16th, 2011
6:42 am
Mark,
Than why is the AD at UNC not getting heat? The stuff that came out about them was a whole lot worse, between the suspensions with the agents, the kids not doing their own school work, and even the parking ticket fines im not sure they got paid.
You do this to sell papers during a slow time period?
Stuff like this happens, im not going to be two about it!
juvenal
July 16th, 2011
6:49 am
dez plyed b4 he was suspended, it did not cost osu any games.the AD talked to his coach, & that equals tressel? that this was an attempt at a cover up is an allegation, but the nzaa is judge, jury & executioner, don’t make them mad, especially at a time they look like the bozos they are…….
JimTech
July 16th, 2011
7:26 am
I’m a big, life long, Tech fan, went to Tech, daughter went there…. But, if I were Bud Peterson, my news conference would have gone something like this: “I’m here to annouce, effective immediately the termination of Dan Radokovich and Coach Paul Johnson. I am further putting all players on notice that if they are involved in a violation of NCAA rules that they will be kicked off the team immediately and expelled from school. No further comments.” End of press conference.
BankerDawg
July 16th, 2011
7:33 am
@ Truth
I guess I am just a little to dense for this, but can someone please explain to me how Tech lied or covered up anything, or played ineligible players for that matter?
There seems to be a lot of misinformation put forth out there that has not been cleared up by the wonderful team of “journalists” at the AJC.
A cover up would be DRad lying to the investigator about telling CJP about the impending interviews…much like Tressel lied about contacting anyone else about the Pryor situation or how Chip Kelly lied about knowing someone names WIllie Lyles. However, DRad told the investigator he talked to CPJ as part of normal protocol based on previous NCAA cases of the same type. Again, the NCAA cannot place a “gag” order on an AD. They can request him not speak to anyone, but it does not result in an actual violation of he does not do so. This is what ticked off the NCAA.
Again, no cover up here.
Regarding ineligible players, no one, not the NCAA, the ACC, or Tech has found anyone to be ineligible at this point…none. You can say in hindsight that they should have held out Thomas for prudency sake, but that would not change the fact that ultimately he was found to be eligible, so it’s moot. This makes no sense, and this is why when Tech appeals they will get their ACCC back.
This should scare a lot more people, and is why I have been vocal in my support of Tech on this. The NCAA cannot operate like this because it can ultimately hurt MY team.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS! SIC ‘EM!
Buzz 2011
July 16th, 2011
7:45 am
Be lucky you have a job, Bark Madley!!
A Dawg keeper fits..
BankerDawg
July 16th, 2011
7:47 am
@ Truth, and I guess, anyone else yelling “cover up”,
I may be a little too dense for this (my wife may agree), but can someone please explain the notion that a cover up took place here?
IMO, a cover up would have resulted from DRad advising the NCAA investigator that he did NOT talk to CPJ about the pending interviews. In this case however, DRad very plainly advised that he did talke to CPJ and that further, he did so based on information in several other similiar NCAA cases. This ticked of the investigator, but that’s about it. It’s not even a violation to do what he did.
Again, where is the cover up?
Also, regarding using ineligible players….neither Tech, nor the ACC, nor the NCAA has shown any player to have been ineligible at the time the final three games were played in 2009. None. It seems they are saying that Tech should have exercises more prudency at the time, and held out Thomas, but he was ultimately found to be eligible, so the point is moot. They would have been in error to hold him out, in hindsight.
This is why Tech will appeal and get their ACCC back. They never used ineligible players.
So, let’s see, the NCAA did not prove cover up, manipulation of witnesses, or the playing of ineligible players, yet they vacate a title and place them on 4 years probation, with a nice tiny $100,000 fine.
This is why I have been vocal in my support of Tech on this. The NCAA cannot operate in this manner, or it has implications for any team, inlcuding my Dawgs…and that is very much my business.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS! SIC ‘EM!
Notso Fast
July 16th, 2011
8:01 am
I hate to see this for GT or any team over $312 for 2 players. I guess the NCAA doesn’t care how much just that it was done. If a player sells his jersey for $1.oo a guess he would get the same 4 game suspenion as one that sold it for $1000. Can’t wait for their ruling on Ohio State.
Alabama Jack
July 16th, 2011
8:06 am
Please make sure all future items by Mark Bradley are clearly by-lined so that I can avoid reading them. I have a sensitive stomach and high blood pressure, both of which are adversely affected by Drabley.
CJJScout
July 16th, 2011
8:07 am
I hate Tech, but the penalty does not suit the crime.
Sess Poole
July 16th, 2011
8:32 am
In the 1986 Jan Kemp trial, O. Hale Almand Jr., a lawyer for UGA, offered a justification for the favorable treatment accorded the athletes, citing a hypothetical player. “We may not make a university student out of him,” he told the jury, “but if we can teach him to read and write, maybe he can work at the post office rather than as a garbageman when he gets through with his athletic career.”
That trial exposed UGA for the football factory that it was, and exposed Vince Dooley as a fraud and a sleazebag. It also derailed Dooley’s plans for a political career. That’s why we see the decrepit old fraud doing TV commercials even now.
Mark Richt is just the latest in a line of sleazy UGA coaches who coddle athletes and discard them after four years of football. He recruits illiterate morons he knows aren’t smart enough for college, but he doesn’t care, as long as they help him line his pockets with millions of dollars each year.
gt4ever
July 16th, 2011
8:41 am
These people who are big 10 fans are priceless…. GT has more history in football than most, with the exception of two… Wisconsin football???? Do they even play football?
Big Ol Stinger
July 16th, 2011
8:41 am
Sess Poole
You’re really an embarassment. I hope you’re in middle school, otherwise there’s no excuse for your sorry azz.
Just stop.
dawg day afternoon
July 16th, 2011
8:56 am
Number 9 on that list should have been Catch The Damn ball. Sorry, nerds!
D.
July 16th, 2011
8:59 am
My comments keep being deleted. I taught at Tech for a few years in between 2000 and 2010. I had the misfortune of getting a class that had about 75 so-called student athletes, including one present NBA player (who was actually a decent student). Because of the hoops players the athletic foundation assigned a guy to follow them to class, take attendance, harass me about their assignments, etc. Now, it’s already against the rules for this fellow to even contact a professor except through official channels – but he wanted daily updates on their performance – all sorts of special stuff that ordinary students don’t get – I told him to get lost. Later, when I failed one of the athletes (one out of about 75 – most were no worse students than all the rest), this same fellow came to my office, to offer me tickets to men’s hoops to change the grade. Of course he didn’t say it quite so clearly, but he said it so I understood it. I told him to get lost and reported the conversation to the dean’s office. They acknowledged my complaint, and it ended there.
Between what doesn’t get reported and what gets ignored, there’s lots of garbage going on, though none of this is peculiar to Tech – rather it’s a natural consequence of the cancerous arrangement whereby public educational institutions subsidize professional athletics, something which makes absolutely no sense.
THE DUDE
July 16th, 2011
9:14 am
DEAR ga tech , REMEMBER ; LIARS ALWAYS CHEAT, CHEATERS NEVER WIN. NOW JUST MAN UP AND TAKE YOUR PUNISHMENT, THE ATHLETES WERE PROBABLY STUDYING WHILE THE LYING WAS GOING ON. GOOOOOD DAAAAY.
gt45
July 16th, 2011
9:14 am
There you go, Bradley. Keep kicking us when we are down. You are a terrible excuse for a writer. Instead of bashing the NCAA and it’s ineptness, you continue to try and get a rise out of the local fan base by bashing Tech. You recognize the elephant in the room, but you ignore it, just to fuel your over inflated ego. You call yourself a writer? Columnists and talk show hosts around the country are ripping the NCAA across the country, because they recognize the injustice of the punishment handed down by them. But you use it as an opportunity to bring a few more UGA fans back on board with you. I didn’ t agree with the AJ Green punishment, and to the best of my recollection, neither did you. They missed on that one, and they have missed on this one. For a man who I use to enjoy reading his column, I am losing a lot respect for you. I am sure Furman is ashamed!
GT
July 16th, 2011
9:27 am
What makes this unbelievable is unlike Evans or Hamilton that were just let go, Radakovich would easily get a job if he left Tech. His body of work has been excellent. In this competitive world I am sure there are a lot of smirks. There is one from Dave Braine who did more damage not even violating the NCAA rules, and another from Bill Curry snubbed from the job for Radakovich who is a much younger and more capable man. 10 years ago the view of Tech was we put a team out there and we show up expect to lose, but we have a social event for the alumni. Even Curry left Tech wanting a “chance” to win the national championship at Alabama. Tech won one after he left Curry never did.
We have these disadvantages and low esteem because we have an academic reputation to protect. People were convinced you couldn’t have both. Character was for losers. Radakovich came along and believed you could have both. Damn near proved it, then 317 dollars came between him and something the NCAA needs worse than Tech does. A legitimate college being competitive. Tech still comes a lot closer to what the NCAA claims it stands for than 95% of its division one. You put Tech back into what it was 10 years ago and all college football loses, unless that is not the agenda.
John
July 16th, 2011
9:27 am
Mark, there are lots of good comments in this blog both from UGA and Tech fans once you read thru all the clutter garbage from the UGAg fans. One question YOU need to ask yourself: Is this worth you getting stiff-armed each time you enter The Edge to do interviews? Is it worth sitting off all by yourself in the press box this fall as the GT people give you watered-down Cokes and stale hotdogs or whatever the hell they give you reporters by being so one-sided in this whole fiasco?
Did you even bother to read Ga Tech’s response??? Did you even read where Tech disagrees with the NCAA over and over and offers clear and comprehesible reasons why the NCAA overreached in this ridiculous investigation?
Have you even bothered to contact the NCAA investigator and interviewed him??
If you want to gain credibility from Ga Tech fans now and in the future, maybe you should look in the mirror and understand that YOU and the other reporters at the AJC are the reasons why Tech is so wary of the media in this state.
Last Feburary, I was listening in you interviewing Paul Johnson on National Signing Day in the hallway outside the press room and it was CLEAR that the utter disdain the people at Tech have for you. But professional Paul Johnson was, he was very cordial and polite in answering your questions. I was also struck how some fans asked an assistant coach on what their opinions on how the media influences the recruits in picking their schools, and that coach replied, “This is not the time and place for this particular question.” And he stole a glance in your direction.
I know the AJC and Ga Tech has a very bad relationship and I’m certian its beyond repair. But you could have gone a long way in repairing that by being fair in your reporting and not throwing around crap articles like this. Its clear that the NCAA was on a witch hunt and while mistakes were made on Tech’s part, I have to stand by DRad’s decision to inform CPJ. That was a no-brainer. Trust between employees and friends is too important for some two-bit second-string former UNC player who got his butt whipped on the field by Tech to throw his weight around.
You also might report that this same investigator was initially named to investigate North Carolina current mess and was forced to rescuse himself only after NC State fans raised hell. It goes on and on.
Just be fair, Mark. That’s all I ask.
John
ACC friend
July 16th, 2011
9:29 am
What exactly does 4 years probation mean?
GT
July 16th, 2011
9:30 am
Lets go back 10 years ago and just put a uniform on a field, no spirit, not competive. That is where academic school belong. You know if Rad quits or is fired he would get a good job in 10 minutes, unlike Hamilton or Evan whom Bradley is indirectly comparing him too. Rad’s body of work is excellent, that is why he would be in demand.
Charlie Harper
July 16th, 2011
9:31 am
The NCAA is slamming GT so they can look the other way at OSU and UNC. Based on this, both programs should recieve the death penalty. They will say look what we did to GT, wink wink, but OSU and UNC worked with us so we will fine them revenue from one hot dog concession.
Sting'em!
July 16th, 2011
9:50 am
F**k you Mark! F**k you NCAA! F**k you UGA!
Go Jackets! Sting’em!
Jacket Dad
July 16th, 2011
9:57 am
DRad made a mistake. However, overall he’s done a pretty good job at a difficult place to handle the AD job. My main grip with him is the delay in firing Hewitt, but even with that his hands were pretty much tied.
I don’t think he should be canned for this. I do believe GT should appeal this as it is obviously another example of the NCAA using them for an example. Also, if other schools with MUCH more serious situations get off with less, I suggest everyone highlight their hypocrisy.
Big Ol Stinger
July 16th, 2011
10:02 am
D.
I’m proud you were able to resist tickets to watch a Hewitt coached basketball team. I know that must have been tough, especially when you could have found somebody giving away tickets outside AMC.
Unemployed
July 16th, 2011
10:07 am
I think that it’s a crying shame that the NCAA has to nickel and dime college athletes while their coaches are cleaning up and their schools are raking in the dough from their play.Why not give each athlete a $1000 voucher to buy clothes and odds and ends so they don’t have to resort to behind the back deals with shady characters?
dawg day afternoon
July 16th, 2011
10:17 am
Thanks for telling it like it is, Bradley. Too bad you got on the nerds’ bad side though. No free hotdogs, Cokes, fried fish, or hushpuppies for you.
bob
July 16th, 2011
10:20 am
I guess the more appropriate question would be that Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz and company are lucky to have jobs. How is it that this investigation has been going on for 20 months and not a peep out of what once was a great Newspaper? How does that happen? Amazingly horrendous journalism is probably a polite description.
Beast from the East
July 16th, 2011
10:33 am
Bash Bradley and Schultz if it makes you feel better, but the Tech AD took a minor violation and turned it into a huge enbarassment. Bradley and Schultz had nothing to do with that. Tech’s $600,000 per year head of the athlectic department did that.
Misplaced anger, boys.
Make Me Happy
July 16th, 2011
10:43 am
Vacate the NCAA.
Paul in RDU
July 16th, 2011
10:54 am
@gt4ever
GT may have more football history than most Big 10 teams, but more than all but 2? That’s a reach. Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Nebraska all have a far more illustrious history than GT and you could make a case that Michigan State does too.
messin with sasquatch
July 16th, 2011
11:20 am
john – well said – think bradley has moved on now after tossinhisturd – screwudogbois – suck on a redpanty
You are who we think you are
July 16th, 2011
11:23 am
For all those who blame the investigator, it should be noted NCAA investigators do not determine punishment handed out to member institutions. Also, while this is a severe blow to GT’s image, there was no loss of scholarships, TV, postseason eligibility, etc. GT is now a repeat offender, but it’s still in the game.
Reconstruction
July 16th, 2011
11:25 am
Yes… Tech people do understand business… and this was a raw deal. Dan Radakovich erred in telling Paul Johnson about the investigation, but the punishment for this error — vacating a Conference Championship — does not fit the crime.
Here is our message to the NCAA:
1) Coca-cola and UPS (both headquartered in Atlanta) are sponsors of the NCAA. Our graduates hold great sway in these companies. It will happen subtly, but these sponsorships will decline precipitously in coming years.
2) The power of social media and technology will be used to expose your tactics and the biases exhibited by your investigators.
3) A full list of investigators and their backgrounds and activities will be published. Now the NCAA will come under scrutiny as well. Beware of any minor infractions.
4) We will expose three specific conspiracies inside the NCAA where employees and leaders have impeded investigations to support a personal bias or connection to a school.
This will not be forgotton. And the good news is… even Dawg fans know this is BS. Hunker down NCAA… the Tech Mafia is coming for you!
dawg day afternoon
July 16th, 2011
12:16 pm
If you believe Coke and UPS will pull sponsorship from the NCAA because tech got caught breaking the rules, I know a hot girl on tech’s campus that I would like to introduce you to.
dawgfan
July 16th, 2011
12:23 pm
Dawg fans know this is BS? LMFAO. What planet were you on when we lost our best player for FOUR GAMES because he sold a lousy bowl game jersey? And guess who had the biggest mouths in the south over that little incident? TECH FANS. And you expect us to feel sorry for you? I cannot figure out if Tech fans are incredibly arrogant or just incredibly stupid. You people are unbelievable. Wow.
juvenal
July 16th, 2011
1:29 pm
hey, Mark, anybody home? just tell me how osu plays dez bryant till 10/9/09, the nzaa kicks him out, osu gets no penalties? cam plays, pryor plays, no problemo till athlon & others gripe, then the nzaa tressels some moral back bone & nukes everybody…our AD talked to his coach? i would have less respect for him if he had not, &, since i have no respect for the nzaa, i will treat him as innocent till proven guilty, (after all, he’s not a priest).so we did not toady to some tarheel bozo who maybe was trying to deflct stuff from unc,,,,,,,& uga did—you lost those games anyway, maybe if you hasn’t sat up & begged the nzaa wudna got so tyrrrannical!!! to hell with uga, to hell with the nzaa, & folks purporting to be Tech fans ready to throw GTAA under the bus without due process, join the 1st 2 groups!!!!
Reconstruction
July 16th, 2011
2:03 pm
Exactly… you should not have lost your best player because he merely sold a jersey. These rule are getting rididulous. The creep of regulation into our lives — at every level — is getting to be absurd.
But you are partially correct… I misspoke… intelligent Dawg Fans know this is BS. You, on the other hand, think this is justified.
Refute this logic: The game was played on the field. Tech won. Later, an AD told his coach about an investigation. It turned out that the investigation was unwarranted, but because an AD mishandled information about the investigation, the kids that played so hard should be punished and stripped of something they earned. You must be a Democrat because the same logic is applied to support redistribution of wealth. Decent people know that when something is earned, it should not be taken away. Last time I checked, we still live in a meritocracy… despite the efforts of Barrack Obama. If UGA or Tech players earn a championship, then that should not be impacted by what an administrator does off the field.
But… if your hatred runs so deep that you cannot maintain logical sequences of thought, then you deserve the job in the lawnmower repair shop that you have.
2BT
July 16th, 2011
3:02 pm
The nice thing I just realized I’ll save about $300 during the next year by NEVER AGAIN spending 1 cent towards an AJC newspaper. Both Bradley and Schultz have finally pushed me over the edge with their ridiculously rosy-red (and black) colored glasses this week. I only wish the Macon Telegraph was available at convenience stores in McDonough. Mark and Schultzy, both of you can GET BENT and GO TO HELL!
hey mark you have time on your hands....
July 16th, 2011
3:27 pm
and you get payed for it. you have time to do a bit of research.
i think there is more going on here than meets the eye. imo the ncaa is looking for a lower level bcs school to met out the death penalty.
over the last few years the rep of the ncaa has taken a major hit in how the ucs, the au and the tosu scandals were handled. they are looking to send a message loud an clear and regain some respectability.
what better way than to pick on a lower level bcs school that does not provide a lot in the way of revenues. a lower level bcs school that over the past 10 years has had a history of major and minor violations in multiple sports. a minor bcs school that has had its bb coach call the ncaa a racist organization.
gt fits that bill quite nicely. we have had mutiple violations in mutiple sports over the last 10 years. both major an minor. we have had schollies pulled for a lack of academic progress. our former bb coach call the ncaa a racist organization.
unfortunately for us we have put a huge bulls eye on our back and have to try and toe the line now for 4 years. after having seen how the ncaa dealt with us in this most recent case is it too hard to fathom that they could easily come up with more dirt in the next 4 years and deem our program a repeat offender and out of control ala msu?
after all they did not find any major violations but they hit us with major sanctions … just because. what they penalized us for was not a direct ncaa rule but rather smoke and mirrors.
what i would like to see you do is… compile a list of all the schools over the last 10 years that have any ncaa violations and rank them by the total number of violations per school. i would bet that gt finishes high on that list. i would bet that gt is probably the best target to get the death penalty.
we have prestige but not a whole lot of dollar impact. we are the perfect school to set up for a death penalty.
come on mark earn your keep this weekend.
J dawg
July 16th, 2011
3:58 pm
will tech make radakovich pay back all that taxpayer money they had to pay to the ncaa in fines?
messin with sasquatch
July 16th, 2011
4:21 pm
dawgfans eat a redpantywad
Mark
July 16th, 2011
5:04 pm
Mark, Please answer these three questions
1-Who notified the NCAA of the alleged infractions
2-If the School principal called you and informed you that your daughter was was being investigated for cheating but he was doing further investigation so don` t tell her.What would say to her at supper that night?.
3-If the School principal called you and informed you that your daughter was was being investigated for cheating but he was doing further investigation so don` t tell her , but don`t allow her to go to the prom this weekend.what are you gonna say when she asks why..
GTJeff
July 16th, 2011
5:53 pm
Reconstruction. Dude, most of the GT grads working for UPS work in IT & PE (some of us at the Data Center like I do) & don’t have jackshiot pull on who UPS will sponsor. That’s just a stupid statement.
IL Jacket
July 16th, 2011
6:00 pm
Mark,
While your column is a little strident, I do agree that the Institute was not well served by its Athletic Director, which even DRad admits. He had a regrettable misjudgment and should suffer some consequences for his actions. I am not sure dismissal is appropriate under the circumstances however. His salary probably should be reduced and he should undergo some additional training. The Institute should also stop acting so aggrieved. It is hard to see how there should be any confusion about a directive not to tell anyone but the Athletic Director and the President about the investigation. Admittedly, I can understand some people’s frustration with the NCAA and the highly technical rules, but if we have signed on to be a member we should abide by the rules like everyone else.
BankerDawg
July 16th, 2011
6:01 pm
I guarantee you, if the AJ Green situation had occurred before an impending SECC Game, we would have fought tooth and nail to know for sure if he were eligible or not, rather than holding him out in a “better safe than sorry” strategy. The fact the NCAA operates like this sickens me.
I can’t say if we would have held him out in that instance, even knowing what we know now.
I think I would rather win the title, then haggle over whether we could keep it or not. Who knows what we would have done.
I do know that Tech got hosed out of theirs, and I’m pretty sure they are going to get it back on appeal.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS! SIC ‘EM!
ASG = JERKS
July 16th, 2011
6:13 pm
I think Gtu cheats too much. FACT.
@dawgfan
July 16th, 2011
6:15 pm
They are both incredibly arrogant and stupid.
wreckmaniac
July 16th, 2011
6:30 pm
This really smells. No warning was issued to the public at any time. We’ve talked about Auburn and Ohio State now for months but no innuendo or rumor about GT. Why was that ?
DRAD could have begin the expected self- induced punishment but did nothing. What was that ?
I’m waiting to hear of massive punishment to Auburn and Ohio State. If they receive just a slap on the wrist, DRAD and several of his minions should plan to spend at least 2-3 weeks visiting Auburn and Ohio State to be taught how to handle the NCAA. Its clear they are clueless.
ACC Champs: Tee shirts don't lie!
July 16th, 2011
8:12 pm
Wonder why the investigator would not want Johnson to be told?
tickle pile
July 16th, 2011
9:05 pm
No commits from friday night tickle pile?
Jacket Man Regardless!
July 16th, 2011
9:10 pm
The NCAA can kiss my, well, you get the idea. Thomas got some clothes, gave them back with the labels still on them. He’s still a kid. What’s the big deal? Anyway, I got the tapes of those games. We won ‘em, and no danged bunch of suits better try to take them away from me. By the way, I went tu UGA, sad to say. Check St. Mark’s closet, look through his Bible, and tell me what you find.
dawgster
July 16th, 2011
9:22 pm
First let me preface what I am about to say in that “I think that Tech got hosed when you compare what other schools are or have gotten away with..That being said I feel the AJC would have been on top of this if it was the dawgs at the very beginning, but you heard nothing from the AJC..Why not?…As a dawg fan, no love for Tech, but I’m not going to crow as some have because it could easily be us and we dealt with similar issues last season, so its not something to wish on anyone…From the blogs I have read and comments, most dawg fans feel as I do, that Tech is getting ‘hosed”, where is the NCAA when a players “Dad” is shopping him to the highest bidder…Now thats some serious crap….Maybe that story isn’t over, but we will see….Anyway to all dawg fans..although we have no love lost for Tech, lets be respectful and show some class…I would also ask the same of Tech fans….But if you go back to last season, many Tech fans laughed at us for some of our issues, so I guess you can see why turn about fair play from some….One last thing, I think some accountability should be expected from our administrators in matters such as this expecially in dealing with the NCAA and their absurd thinking in some matters…go dawgs
John
July 16th, 2011
9:34 pm
Who is Calvin Booker? I never heard of him I didn’t even know he ever played for GT.
AdmiralPRR
July 16th, 2011
9:44 pm
I’ll still take an Institution known for academic prowess, excellent tradition, and being at the forefront of ingenuity even with this trivial issue aside in favor of a “university” that a nontrivial share of its athletes get in trouble with the law, one that has the audacity to administer an exam containing the question of “how many halves are there in a game of basketball”, and one that considers the Etch-a-Sketch a marvel of high performance computing. I’ll gladly trade off a smaller more dignified fanbase in lieu of a bunch of primates that cannot locate Zimbabwe on a world map.
Wes Durham's Gigantic Bottom
July 16th, 2011
11:06 pm
Admiral…..you obviously did not learn anything from this episode……..GT Football and Basketball players are not different from those at other schools. They take gifts and money, drink and smoke weed, and get help to stay in school….this happens at EVERY Division 1-A/FBS school, and the sooner you accept it, the less hostility you will have toward UGA. If you are a GT alumnus, you need to realize this is not 1960 and GT players are not saints…….
DRad’s days are numbered……
Gotoguy
July 16th, 2011
11:34 pm
Enter your comments here
Tech Engineer
July 17th, 2011
12:23 am
ADRad is the guy who gave himself a $300,000 raise when there was no sitting Tech President. Now he gets Tech on probation. Are these the actions of a man of integrity?
Dr. Peterson should fire him immediately. Tech fans have always valued the integrity of the school more than success on the football field. Let’s see what Dr. Peterson believes…
Chris
July 17th, 2011
12:48 am
If Tech’s next three games had been against Duke, an FCS school and Virginia, they’s have sat those players in a heartbeat. But they were not about to sit them against UGA, Clemson for the title, and the Orange Bowl. Tech though the situation serious enough to ban Booker and another former player from campus, yet when answering why they didn’t sit the players they say they didn’t think it was a big deal. Cheat, cheat, cheat! Reputation ruined.
robynbarry
July 17th, 2011
2:15 am
Remember Tech won the National championship with a weak schedule. Knowing the BCS system Tech would not have played in the championship under today’s system because the schedule was very weak. http://bit.ly/rfJns6
bail out
July 17th, 2011
6:09 am
$100,000.00 fine for having a bunch of t-shirts worth 312 bucks ?
Billyboy
July 17th, 2011
7:15 am
Mark, the bottom line is that Radakovich demonstrated poor leadership and judgement. Integrity is doing the right thing, even if you think you can get away with doing the wrong thing.
threetrone
July 17th, 2011
8:15 am
There’s alot of Tech grads commenting here that plop a halo over Ratikovich and rate him highly, but this Tech grad realizes that Ratikovich did not hire Mark Price or Noodles for the new roundball coach. Only a RAT would be that brainless.
Buckeye
July 17th, 2011
8:57 am
Bradley is Rawdawg
Buckeye
July 17th, 2011
8:58 am
Headline you will never see in the Columbus Dispatch:
Jim Tressel indicted for Ponzi Scheme
Bulldog Joe
July 17th, 2011
9:32 am
I see the humble bumbles and the rest of the Urination are pretty upset about this.
Bulldog Joe
July 17th, 2011
9:35 am
Looks like now the jackets were shutout on the ‘09 Team Goals.
Fair Play
July 17th, 2011
10:00 am
UGA sat AJ Green preemptively and cooperated with the investigation. We took a season on the chin, limped off, and to hopefully rebound this season. Tech on the other hand, played ineligible players, STILL LOST to UGA then won the Another Crap Conference Title and followed that up with a stink of an Orange Bowl game against Iowa. Sucks when you cheat and still lose to UGA and in your big time bowl game in the spot light! Tech graduates are the only people who think they have any integrity. Tech has proved to be an elite technical school when a $312 mistake turns into major violation. Only the North Avenue Trade School could figure out an equation to fit that!
william
July 17th, 2011
10:25 am
Funny how Mark thinks drad should be fired, but that wonderful specimen of dog killer Mike Vick should be worshpped and held up as a role model to children.
hey bulldog joe...
July 17th, 2011
11:08 am
why would the urination be upset about the jackets? we sure as hell dont give a turd about the urination aka the dawgs aka the bullfrawgs aka the goats.
and before you answer back lets make sure you get this right…. their is only one urination and it is not the jackets.
the jackets do not urinate on their library carpet every saturday.
the jackets stadium is not referred to by all opposing fans as the urinal with hedges or is it the cesspool? doesnt matter … same difference. the jackets dont have fans drunken toothless necks urinating on opposing fans from the top of their stadium like the dawgs do. such class……………….
having said that there is ONLY one fan base that can honestly be referred to as the uri nation.
btw have you guys started pointing to the uga vs gt game at the end of your season as your salvation game once again? its never tooo early when you consider you have 2 months to kick in gear for another run at the fulmer cup.
you’ve already lost 2 starters an ol and a coach.
tooooo funny you frawgs. tooo funny!
hey bulldog joe...
July 17th, 2011
11:15 am
their is only one urination and it aint the jackets.
google …… what fan base has
toothless neck fans who piss on opposing fans
students and fans that urinate on their library carpet
a stadium that smells like stale urine
a stadium that people refer to as the cesspool
it sure does not come up the jackets!
headley lamar
July 17th, 2011
11:22 am
One thing is for sure.
Tech is now one of the dirtiest programs in college football.
You know how Miami is refered to as the “U”
Maybe Tech should just embrace is dirty thug ridden cheating program and call themselves the “T”
It could be there own little thing.
hey headley....
July 17th, 2011
11:58 am
i got something for ya. lets see if you live up to your nic.
as far as dirty goes….. wasnt uga on probation ever 4 years under dooley?
as far as dirty goes….. tell me again how many of your players have been arrested over the last 5 years. tell me again about panty gate.
yeah i thought so. guess i muffled you up…….
headley lamar
July 17th, 2011
1:10 pm
One team has been on probabtion twice in the last ten years
Another team hasn’t
Tech is one of the dirtiest programs in CFB
Case closed
threetrone
July 17th, 2011
1:44 pm
he is lucky because he passed on Tech grads Price and Neal when hiring Gregory, and he hasn’t been fired for that; what AD would not want to hire Price whose jersey was retired? is experience better than what Price had to offer? man, I don’t think so; is Ratikovich on Tech’s side or LSU’s; I don’t agree with the hiring of Gregory; I believe Mark Price should have been hired; I understand he expressed interest in the position
Ramblin Recluse Road
July 17th, 2011
1:54 pm
I think Tech’s doing lousy in sports these days. They wear black and powder puff pink, the football team does not pass, they have Buzz and not the BD years yj on the T-club jackets, they passed on Price and Noodles. Once the football team wore all white with gold helmets for one night game, and it looked like they wore white long johns. They have lousy uniform art. Their all white basketball uniforms look like white underwear, and that’s why they lose in them. I’ve concluded to ramble reclusively from Tech, my alma mater. I ramble very little with them.
KAW
July 17th, 2011
2:28 pm
When we Tech grads/fans look at the past two athletic administrations (notably AFTER Dr. Rice stepped down/retired), the athletic program has had secondary and top-level sanctions levied against it. INEXCUSABLE!
I definitely agree with Nate Kelsey’s recommendation, but I also believe one other blogger may have a point when it was pointed out the NCAA may have made Tech’s case an example. This would simply have resulted much lighter against Tech (punishment-wise) – possibly – had the school’s counsel not advised President Peterson so poorly, and had D-Rad not been so amateurish in his reactions. Summarily speaking, NONE of this would have transpired under Dr. Homer Rice. Braine’s not without criticism here – the weighty, cumbersome contracts, etc. Let’s get Tech representatives who CORRECTLY advise our school’s president, and who expertly and SOUNDLY run our athletics department. Lastly, this may add fuel to the fire for those who advocate paying players some type of stipend. If an argument like this comes to fruition, I’d suggest getting boosters & so-called “friends of the program” (doesn’t every I-A program – no, I WON’T call it FBS, or whatever the clumsy acronym is – have these guys/gals/community fans hanging around?!) contribute to some pot that is distributed and have the cash flow to the players monitored.
@buckeye
July 17th, 2011
2:33 pm
Thanks for caring so much about Georgia football you have to go on a TECH blog and write about some irrelevant past coach. You are pathetic. Tressel sets a new standard for hypocrisy. Congrats. Own it.
captguitarman
July 17th, 2011
3:28 pm
Wow! What a game going on here. Toothless, neckless rednecks on offense vs. snooty, hypocrital nerds on defense, reffed by a biased, but blind sports writer, and under the auspices of all powerful and all seeing, but perspectiveless and totally clueless OZ. Hard to pick a winner here. But, in the big picture, the rednecds and nerds will not be the losers. It will be the clueless NCAA that continues to lose ground and credibility by taking an unreasonable, “tough guy” approaches in much ado about nothing cases like this — reasoning that if they continue to play tough, these problems will begin to dissipate. Not to be contrary, but these kinds of problems and this bad behavior (mildly bad in this case) will begin to dissipate when big time college football ceases to be what it has surely become despite all the “student-athlete claptrap” . . . Big Business. And just when will that begin to happen? Next week? Because this tough guy approach (along with the USC decision, Ohio State decision, and so on) has all the schools, players, agents, alumni, opportunitists, hangers-on, relatives, entrepreneurs, lawyers, NCAA rules consultants (a whole new burgeoning field of opportunity), and the NFL execs closely watching what is going on in their free minor league) all just quaking in their boots? Or perhaps, next month before the season starts, everyone will disavow all this monetary influence permeating super lucrative, big time college sports and all gather on the playing fields for the first kick off singing Kumbya, and swearing blood oaths to never to it again? Or, more likely, when monkeys fly out my butt. The great and powerful Oz took back a title over $312 because of the incidental misconduct of a couple of players and the decision by the adults in charge to view it as a small matter and handle it badly. Most adults involved in top tier collegs sports these days make $312, or more, per second. What kind of message does that send to all the other players on that team? If you think the APS cheating scandal was a travesty because the adults in charge made it all about themselves and not about the students, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet . . . until you get inside of big time college sports. The only place in America where indentured servitude is legal. Millions and billions of dollars floating around, and everyone involved gets richer than Cresus except for the gladiators out on the field, foreced to suffer these kinds of indignities over $312, and bad adult behavior??? Are you kidding me? This system is corrupt, and as long as it remains like it is, these stories like this will continue. There is just too much money in the system for the worker bees not to be getting any of it.
DawgPoo
July 17th, 2011
3:39 pm
If the NCAA plans to stay in business, they will need a staff of 20,000 investigators in order to apply this kind of justice to all. Some of their rules are archaic, but they are still the rules, and we all are supposed to follow them. If anyone is laughing at Tech’s misfortune here……be careful. There isn’t much room for error……. And, if I’m a Buckeye, I’m worried……
Sven Ottke
July 17th, 2011
4:42 pm
After reading the entire case and response, Tech got shafted and the NCAA is a joke and should be ashamed of themselves. A total witchhunt.
Brian
July 17th, 2011
6:26 pm
Funny you make such a deal over an athlete getting $300 in clothes but you say NOTHING about jim loser donnan and his ponzi scheme of over ten million.
Memo to ga fans re aj
July 17th, 2011
6:29 pm
you lost to colorado with him
you lost to fla with him
to auburn with him
and cent fla with him
so quit acting like his not playing was why last season was bad. in fact, using your logic, this year should be dreadful since he and kris durham are gone. they accounted for about 3/4 of your receiving offense.
gmcinva
July 17th, 2011
7:25 pm
My concern as a Tech Graduate is the incompetence shown by the Tech Athletic Director and the Administration in this event. I’m not interested in the eternal Tech vs UGA b.s., or in the question of whether the punishment from the NCAA fits the “crime”. I’m concerned with the lack of intelligence shown on the part of the Tech Administration. I understand that they are not Tech Graduates, but surely some basic notion of Business Judgment would have indicated that thumbing your nose at NCAA directives is unlikely to be a sound strategy. Coupled with the poor performance of the athletic teams and the ridiculous contract with Hewitt, this should lead to an evaluation of just what performance is expected in the athletic program in view of the funds invested.
Doc
July 17th, 2011
7:32 pm
mark maybe but dont the heads of the ncaa have bigger fish to fry and though they might have done some proceedural things wrong and antagonized the investigators is it worth this or is ohio state with their egregious disregard of everything get the death penalty since it went on for ten years? i have come to expect so little from the ncaa that they make examples of the little guys and get paid off by the big boys. very little to respect about big time college sports as yo follow the money that rarely lands where it ought to nor the penalties meted out.
juvenal
July 17th, 2011
8:02 pm
again, what about dez….no penalties for playing someone with eligibility issues……….drad did some dumb things, but intent? no proof….as for the dauugs, reason # 2 to the 27 why they don’t apparently reason, you want the nzaa hanging around Georgia 4 more years? aint that far from the ATL to athens(geographically, anyway)……..also, big price to pay, recruiting 1st. rounders…..glad i’m just in this for fun……
original ole yeller
July 17th, 2011
9:45 pm
Everyone needs to understand that Bradley makes his living by stirring up stuff that may or may not be true. I’ll give him this he has over the past two years managed to have most all the state schools call him an idiot including UGA when he was after Richt’s hide. Well he gets paid for publishing anything to cause controversy that will keep his blogs going. Just understand, he is a hack. Not worthy of a real news reporter title. Just don’t respond to his idiot columns and maybe he will just go away like Terrance Moore did.
original ole yeller
July 17th, 2011
10:04 pm
Hey Bradley and Schultz I CANCELLED my subscription to the fish wrapper today. I do not need to spend money on such worthless bias reporting. I really hope that anyone out there with any since of fairness in reporting would do the same. The AJC has become the National Enquirer of Atlanta. Full of half truths and sensationalism.
original ole yeller
July 17th, 2011
10:31 pm
I just cancelled my subscription to the AJC. I do not need to read biased reporting. Both Mark Bradley and Mr. Schultz need to back to journalism school. Hey guys, it’s supposed to impartial and non biased, just the fact please. I really hope that Atlanta subscribers wake up and understand they are being hosed by negative reporting I would also suggest that neither of these
so called “reporters” are allowed on either the Tech or UGA practice fields. Tells you a lot dose it not.
GT93
July 17th, 2011
11:53 pm
GT managed to turn a minor incident into a major violation, largely through bad communications and bad decisions. We’ll tend to our wounds and move onward and upward.
What I’d like to know is this: what accountability do these sports agents and their friends have for gifting $312 worth of clothing in the first place?? Also, isn’t it a conflict of interest to have a former UNC football player [Marcus Wilson] conducting NCAA investigations at his former opponents schools?
http://www.examiner.com/sports-in-raleigh/ncaa-violation-2010-rumors-and-talk-of-investigation-conflict-of-interest-at-unc
Stinger2
July 18th, 2011
3:45 am
Bradley: Your ego must be the largest between you and Jeff Schultz. I say this because of you writing in this post about the NCAA coming to you to show cause why DRad showld not be fired. I realize that your mission here is to stir up as much negative feelings as you can against DRad. Why? Because its an opportunity to get an attaboy from your bosses for almost 300 responses. Good job….you did well in this respect. An to top it off and rub salt into the wound….you statement ” I liked DRad until this” is sickening.
VC
July 18th, 2011
7:52 am
Has the NCAA become the FDIC of college athletics? Meaning, every investigation/audit the “rules” change. It shouldn’t take 20 months to determine whether someone accepted clothes or held a basketball tournament whatever they’ve determined was an infraction. DRAD I think many of us would have done the same thing. It’s unfortunate that the NCAA is making an example of something that every institution would have done too. Granted, there were infractions (if the NCAA says don’t accept anything from anyone etc) but lets punish for the infraction. It took the NCAA how many weeks to determine if AJ Green sold a jersey? Ridiculous. I’m all for doing things the right way but lets be real, did getting some athletic clothes make Tech better? Did they cheat recruiting an athlete by giving him things? Was there anything that was done that gave Tech an advantage over another team? The answer is NO! Give them the punishment they deserve. It’s time we move on, lets get another ACC Championship in 2011! Taking away the 2009 championship is on paper, we all know who really won in 2009.
Beast from the East
July 18th, 2011
8:47 am
Once again, misplaced anger. The Tech AD created this mess…..not Bradley. How about writing a scathing letter to Tech’s President about how sickened you are with the way your AD botched this whole deal instead of the persoanl attacks on a writer that is paid to write his opinions? What do you want Brdaley to say? Is he supposed to say that Tech is holier than thou and the NCAA is just a bunch on meanies? LOL! YOUR $600,000 PER YEAR HEAD OF THE AD DID THIS! Hold him accountable. I assure you he would not survive this in the private sector.
hahahahaha!!!
July 18th, 2011
8:49 am
Nothing better than being on vacation enjoying some adult beverages with family and friends at a local pub and then seeing the news that Yech has to vacate wins, YET AGAIN, come up on ESPN!!!
LOL, when will the cheating, dirty, corrupt bugs ever learn!?!?!
What's the Good Word?
July 18th, 2011
9:19 am
Tech’s chances of winning an appeal with the NCAA would improve radically if the AD who messed things up were to be let go.
Tech Fan
July 18th, 2011
9:54 am
LOL @ Mark Bradley and the ENTIRE AJC.
The FAILURE to report on Tech has to be one of the biggest FLOPS in sports media, and none other than your Athens Journal Constitution.
LOL. So credibility has been lost for the AJC and their biased reporting.
True Dawg
July 18th, 2011
10:56 am
Some of the comments from BOTH GaTech and UGA fans are embarrassing for the state of Georgia. Do you not realize how ignorant you sound when you make ridiculous comments about each other’s schools and teams? If you are a true UGA fan please, please quit making the 98% rest of us look like idiots.
That being said I have to say this NCAA ruling seems excessive and inconsistent with penalties handed down to other schools. Who knows what the best course is to take with these Barney Fifes. UGA cooperated with the NCAA with AJ Green and still got 4 games suspension. On the other hand, the Alabama player gets 2 games suspension for a very similar situation. But Cam Newton’s father can demand $200,000 and the NCAA says he knew nothing about it. What a huge loophole they opened up with the Cam Newton decison. In my mind a player getting a few clothes or selling a jersey is nowhere near as big a potential infraction as shopping your son around for the highest bidder. But the message the NCAA is sending is that it is ok for a representative to ask for money as long as the player doesn’t have knowledge of it. NCAA seems to be trying to act as the big enforcer with GaTEch and they don’t deserve this.
MarkK
July 18th, 2011
12:37 pm
I’m a bit late to the party here, but this link should put things in perspective.
https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=UGA+football+major+violations+timeline&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=UGA+football+major+violations+timeline&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=gyR&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&tbs=tl:1&tbo=u&ei=HzsfTpWTFKbm0QGz_82eAw&sa=X&oi=timeline_result&ct=title&resnum=11&ved=0CGoQ5wIwCg&fp=1&biw=1152&bih=567&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&cad=b
Nice try, tool
July 18th, 2011
1:15 pm
@ “True” Dawg –
You are as much a real Dawg fan as I am a real Yech fan. At least be man enough to admit what you are.
What a gutless d-bag, but typical Yech fan.
Riiiiiiight
July 18th, 2011
1:18 pm
@ “True” Dawg –
You are as much a real Dawg fan as I am a real Yech fan. At least be man enough to admit what you are.
What a gutless d-bag, but typical Yech fan.
Riiiiiiight
July 18th, 2011
1:19 pm
True Dawg is a spineless Yech fan, fyi
Sam
July 18th, 2011
1:21 pm
I heart Mark Bradley!!!
GTGuy44
July 18th, 2011
3:23 pm
Dr. Peterson Radakovich must be fired. Three big benefits will accrue from that action. One we will fire the guy ultimately responsible for our problem (one made major by Radakovich versus the minor slap on the hand had he cooperated), two the NCAA would in all likelihood reduce the penalties because of the Radakovich firing and third Dr. Peterson would help re-establish his good image with the Tech alumni. Anything short of that will be an increasingly big problem for Dr. Peterson.
GTGuy44
July 18th, 2011
3:25 pm
Don’t you Georgia fans have anything better to do. We screwed up big time, but overall most all of you responding act like little children. You are incredibly immature.
GTGuy44
July 18th, 2011
3:51 pm
Don’t you Georgia fans have anything better to do? We screwed up and admit that we did. The comments posted by some of your fans are incredibly childish and immature.
Jketman
July 18th, 2011
10:00 pm
If i ever see m.bradley in person i think i may slap him for stupidity.