Kwame Geathers will show up for Dogs . . . eventually
We will all find out tonight, around 7:30 p.m. or so, whether or not Kwame Geathers actually showed up with the rest of Georgia’s incoming freshmen.
Drum roll, please.
Players were due on campus around 6 p.m. for a dinner and meeting and someone from Claude Felton’s talented media relations staff will issue a release sometime thereafter announcing if all are present and accounted for. Of course, nowadays they’ve all been on campus already, so all 19 other signees are expected.
As for the much-discussed Geathers, I have no idea whether or not he will be among the new recruits. And it’s not from a lack of trying. I don’t have a personal phone number for the 6-foot-6, 320-pound defensive lineman. I do have numbers for his coach, Nate Thompson, at Carver’s Bay High in South Carolina. But he has never bothered to return the half-dozen or so of my phone calls over the last few weeks. A clerk at the school told me something about Coach Thompson losing his cell phone but that he was supposed to get another one. If he did the ringtone on it is apparently “silent.”
I contemplated driving to Carver’s Bay, S.C., to see what was up. But the folks in accounting were sure I was trying to scam a free trip to Myrtle Beach out of the deal and nixed it (or budgets are just too tight, one of the two).
Georgia coach Mark Richt addressed Geathers’ issues at SEC Media Days last week, saying they “expect him to be here” for preseason practice but that he “still has some hoops to jump through” as far as NCAA eligibility and such. And I ran into Rodney Garner not too long ago and he said something similar, if not more succinct. “He’ll be here in August.”
So here’s my take on it: Geathers will be at Georgia . . . eventually. If he doesn’t make it for fall semester I suspect he’ll arrive not long after that. It’s certainly not as though the Bulldogs are counting on him for this fall. Georgia’s interior defensive line appears to be well stocked for this season. Now next season is a different story altogether. The Bulldogs will be losing some all-star talent in Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens and Kade Weston.
If it’s an NCAA clearinghouse issue as it sounds, then Georgia probably has until classes start on Aug. 17, and maybe a few days past, to get it resolved. If not, we’ll probably get to meet the mysterious young man come January.
I can understand fans’ paranoia over something like this. After all, Kwame’s brother Clifton Geathers was supposed to show up at Georgia eventually after signing with the Dogs a few years ago and he’s about to enter his junior season as a 6-foot-8, 281-pound defensive end at South Carolina. And the Geathers clan by nature seems to be a slippery bunch. Big brother Robert Geathers Jr. was a decent enough player at Georgia before surprising all by entering the NFL draft after his junior season in 2003. That turned out pretty well as Robert enters his sixth NFL season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
But every indication I get is that Kwame Geathers will be Athens . . . eventually. What’s your take?
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37 comments Add your comment
yoyoman
August 3rd, 2009
3:41 pm
First
The Voice of Reason
August 3rd, 2009
3:51 pm
From what I understand, the reason that Coach Richt gave is the accurate one. He has to have clearance for his grades prior to enrolling on the 17th. I suspect that clearance will come soon or not at all for awhile.
Scott
August 3rd, 2009
3:53 pm
It doesn’t matter, as long as we have Willie No Mas Martinez we will never win a National Title. Too bad Richt is too selfish to do what’s best for the program and go find a competent DC.
TampaGator
August 3rd, 2009
4:18 pm
From what I understand, the high school system in South Carloina is not the best for preparing young people for getting a college education. And, in a state that stills flys the confederate flag as if the state is still fighting the civil war, it might be even harder to prepare yourself for college if you are a young person of color. Saying that, I hope this young man will be able to enter Georgia soon and have both an outstanding college and professional football career.
dee
August 3rd, 2009
4:20 pm
I cant believe that Florida coach is worth 4 million! Them gators are totally smoking on something!
TampaGator
August 3rd, 2009
4:20 pm
Sorry, that should be “flies” not flys. My high school education was not that great either.
Chip Towers
August 3rd, 2009
4:25 pm
Love it, TampaGator! At least you owned up to it.
TampaGator
August 3rd, 2009
4:27 pm
dee…what would you pay your Georgia head coach if paying him a certain amount meant you would win 2 out of 3 national championships in 3 years and be favored to win another national championship in the 4th year. Yeah, the Gators are smokin’…and so is Meyer, both as a head coach and a leader of young men (read the ESPN story on Meyer today as related to the academic achievements of his athletes)…instead, go ahead with your “gay” this “cry” that posts. Looks like Meyer just cried all the way to the bank. He is simply the best head college football coach in America and he is now paid like it. Oh, by the way, sorry about the Notre Dame thing. The second myth to go down will be, “You will lose when Tebow is gone…NO to that, too, with a young man named Brantley leading the way.
TampaGator
August 3rd, 2009
4:32 pm
Yeah, Chip, I got that high school education in south Georgia. Thank goodness I figured where to go for a great, college education…
MeasleyPeasley
August 3rd, 2009
4:35 pm
Tampa is right (did I just type that?), we would pay CMR 4 mil if he was 2 for 3 on MNC’s
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
August 3rd, 2009
4:37 pm
Tampa Gator, What would I pay the Ga coach for 2 of 3 NC’s, Personally I wouldn’t pay him anything, but I gotta believe if CMR would bring one MNC to Athens he would be paid about what Fla is paying Coach Myer, and not one Ga fan would gripe about it. Congrats on the MNC of 08 and except for Jacksonville good luck in “09
TampaGator
August 3rd, 2009
4:45 pm
If Georgia plays in and wins the BCS National Championship and the Sears Trophy this year (which is possible but not likely), I will lay big odds that not ONE Georgia Bulldog blogger will come on an AJC blog site the next day and call it the….”mythical national championship” or the MNC.
bigdawg
August 3rd, 2009
4:54 pm
Can’t understand the correaltion between the flag that flies in South Carolina and Mr Geathers education and academic scores but I guess that some people will play the race card whenever possible. I am more worried about a young man getting an education than about a state flag.
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
August 3rd, 2009
5:11 pm
Tampa, it is what it is. If memory serves there was a split Championship a few years back, starring USC so other than MNC what else can it be? I’m not taking anything away from Fla, LSU, or anyone else that has won a Championship in the BCS era but again MNC is what it is
Flo-Ri-Duh!
August 3rd, 2009
5:12 pm
TampaGator is beyond stupid…. when it comes to ignorance he is off the charts!
JBTs
August 3rd, 2009
5:13 pm
I have to agree with bigdawg.
cobradawg
August 3rd, 2009
5:20 pm
The confederate battle flag flies on a monument on the state house grounds, and is not part of the state flag. I suspect Mr Geathers problem has more to do with the Georgetown school system, one of the weaker ones in the state.
Einstein
August 3rd, 2009
5:22 pm
I think the Geathers family is related to the Browner family. We won with out Gerald and we’ll win without Kwame. (BTW, what does “Kwame” mean?) Peace
Paul
August 3rd, 2009
5:22 pm
saint simons is slipping
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
August 3rd, 2009
5:26 pm
Flo-RI-Duh!, Sometimes, heck most of the time I disagree with TampaGator, but I don’t think he’s stupid or dumb or anything of the like. He’s a reptile, he goes on instinct. I appreciate that in an SEC fan
Paddy
August 3rd, 2009
5:31 pm
I agree bigdawg. The state of SC just does not spend the money on their education system. It has been documented for years how wasteful and poorly administered that dept has become over the last 20 yrs. As for the flag, who knows what those goobers are thinking? I guess there always must be the last person to read the memo? And SC is really last in alot of things except speeding tickets.
Mitch Cumstein
August 3rd, 2009
5:52 pm
The confederate battle flag hasn’t $#!t to do with shinola.
This kid probably doesn’t feel as though he “needs” to put forth an effort because he’s a legacy in the NFL. Those feelings will come crashing down to earth soon enough. He’d better work his tail off to get here and stay here and excell.
quaildawg
August 3rd, 2009
6:09 pm
Don’t think UGA’s season will make or break if Geathers does not show so what’s the point in this article other than to “stir the pot”.
What about an article on those that DID show?!
quaildawg
August 3rd, 2009
6:12 pm
This just in…Geathers has been held up pending funds being forwarded on the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Awaiting Senate approval for extending program (or The Almighty raising taxes on the middle class)!
raymond
August 3rd, 2009
6:24 pm
It seems these Geathers are always a mystery, their recruitment is like a soap opera.
Loyal Dawg
August 3rd, 2009
7:55 pm
Shhhhhh! Don’t tell Saint Simons that we’re here!
ReptilesRule
August 3rd, 2009
8:05 pm
My question is…where’s all all those Urban Meyer’s going to Notre Dame idiots now??? Yep, I think I’m hearing crickets, just like I did when I looked across the field in the 4th quarter at the opposing stands in Jacksonville last year.
BigMike
August 3rd, 2009
8:21 pm
Notre Dame people get over yourselves ! This is the SEC and big time coaches won’t to work with big time players. Period!…. Geathers will be here and UGA will win the SEC east this year! Laugh now, but come November we’ll be, and that’s before we beat the YELLOW off the jackers.
Saint Simons
August 3rd, 2009
8:26 pm
Woops! Sorry I’m late, was in the bathroom with YellowFuzz! Oh, and by the way, I’m gay!!!! hahahahahahahaha
Kenny Powers
August 3rd, 2009
8:26 pm
Leave it up to the democrat from Fla. to bring up the flag in a discussion about football.Mr.Tampa gator,take a look at your state flag and get back with me .
Kwame Geathers a no-show among reporting Bulldogs | AJC College Sports Recruiting
August 3rd, 2009
9:25 pm
[...] speculated here earlier today, Kwame Geathers did not show up with the rest of the Georgia Bulldogs’ freshmen [...]
"falconsR4real"
August 4th, 2009
1:07 am
to the point..
Kwame Geathers is a “BEAST” and would be a welcome addition. he wouldn’t get much playing time in “09″, but we definately want him in the red & black.
looking forward to an unexpected season.. 8-4 not a chance…time for the team to show up…especially on D
it WILL happen…
watch out gators, just watched last years films
if you watched anything other than the final score you’d understand, but KUDOS again for a well coached team..and a well played game excluding the last few minutes.
can’t wait for the final time-out this year.
later gators…
KD
August 4th, 2009
8:16 am
The Confederate Flag is part of history and the state of South Carolina still respects that as all of this country should, you cannot change what has happened in the past, and that has nothing to do with the Geathers kid.
TampaGator
August 4th, 2009
10:04 am
KD…my comment had to do with an educational system in a state that for a long period of history denied equal and fair education and representation to people of color and about a current not-so-good state educational system in which Mr. Geathers was schooled, which might have led to his entrance issues at the University of Georgia, which does have something to do with football. On the other had, the confederate flag does not have anything to do with football. But it does represent a former union of 13 states that stood in defense of the slavery of people of color (which Mr. Geathers is), a state of being that denied basic human rights to human beings just because of the color of their skin. The confederate flag also stands for the right to have human beings work for free so that rich land owners (mostly cotton growers) in those 13 states could continue their way of life that included abusing, torturing, and even killing those that did not have access to that same way of life. That is the part of history of South Carolina (and those other 13 states) that you want all Americans to respect and honor. I say not. I say, instead, that this country and the states that make it up should have and should have always had just ONE FLAG, a flag that just so happens to stand for “freedom and liberty” for all people regardless of race, religion, or creed. That is the “Stars and Strips”…and that flag does stand for a history in which “all” Americans can take historical pride. But dishonor and shame sometimes dies a slow death, as does the images that represent a nation’s dishonor and shame…which the state of South Carlina proudly places on the grounds of its state capital. Now, let the hate begin….
lovethemdawgs
August 4th, 2009
12:30 pm
TampaGator, I’m from Georgia, have lived in SC for 32 years and the Confederate flag is exactly where the NAACP demanded that it be. They wanted it off the dome, that was done, they said put it next to the Confederate Monument, that was done, and yet that is still not good enough. They continue to boycott SC, which hurts black and white families, Small business owners have had to close because of this stupid boycott. The ACC reneged on an agreement to play the league baseball tournament in Myrtle Beach. Now TampaGator, who did this hurt, who was this a slap in the face to???? Good black and white atheletes who play their hearts out, are going to college on scholarships, how do you think they feel. Guess the next step is for the NAACP to boycott any good black atheletes from accepting scholarships from colleges in SC, right??? What the NAACP needs to do is stop worring about the flag and remember what their name stands for and start doing it, especially in the state of SC. Read how the blacks are killing blacks, I know whites are killing whites, but young black people are being killed everyday and all the NAACP is concerned about is the flag. If people would stop preaching hatred and that the flag is responsible for the hatred then things would get better. People teach hatred, not a pc of cloth. And yes, I’m a die hard Georgia fan.
junebaby
August 4th, 2009
1:05 pm
tampagator…, well said!! only the facts as they say. posters are always posting neg. putdowns of the pres. on these blogs. all the time knowing that 75% of the players on these college teams come from a democratic or democratic leaning family. but they’re very quick to defend the s.c. kkk flag. makes you wonder how educated people could be so stubborn, as to not see how this is hurting their state. but they would rather place blame on the naacp, or blacks, instead of looking in the mirror.
Old Dawg 55
August 4th, 2009
3:24 pm
Note to Scott early on in this blog…Scott, as well meaning as you might be, let me say that I value CMR’s evaluation of Martinez a helluva lot more than yours…what fans don’t appreciate is the totality of work of CWM as known by Richt..not by you. Fans, and I use the term loosely, look at a game, a play, or isolated plays in a season and jump to immediate qualitative opionions on a man’s ability..as Corso is want to say, “not so fast, my friend”. Willie has spent more time and sweat on football fields than you ever thought about so I’ll go with his plans and not yours. As for Mark Richt’s loyalty to his staff, it’s what teams are made of..knowing their inate abilities and sticking with them not pandering to the howls of part time Bulldogs and “couch coaches”!! Give it a break Bulldog Nation..the players, and coaches are with CWM..why not join them for a great 2009 season…rock on Dawgs, we’re with you all the way…unlike we’re with you win or tie like some “fans”….GATA!!!!!!