Richt on taxi incident: ‘I hope in the future people just reserve their opinions’
ATHENS — At his post-practice meeting with reporters Tuesday night, Georgia coach Mark Richt reacted at length to Monday’s statement by Athens-Clarke County police that UGA football players were not involved in an alleged March 28 attack on a married couple in an Athens taxi van. Police said the only UGA player in the cab acted as a peacemaker.
Richt’s reaction:
“I’m just glad that it all came out and that none of our guys were a problem. . . . The thing that is hard to take is just all the time and all the speculation and everybody just assuming it was our guys and assuming they would do these things.
“That’s just the thing about the Internet and police reports and all that kind of thing. It’s hard for anybody to really know what the reality is, but your mind starts racing and you start assuming things that may or may not be true. . . .
“That [why] the first time [reporters] asked me about it, I was, like, ‘I don’t want to underreact, I don’t want to overreact, because I really don’t know.’ Even me as a coach, I could assume that thing is true and get all bent out of shape and make myself crazy. But then on the other hand you don’t want to act like there’s not a possibility it could be. You don’t want to underreact or overreact. . . .
“I’m just thankful the news came out the way it did. . . . Let’s say it had taken another week or two. Who knows how much longer people would be forming their opinions on our guys when, in fact, they weren’t involved in this? That’s just kind of the way it goes. . . .
“I just hope that as much time as everybody spent reporting that, I hope they spend as much time reporting it was not our guys. If anything, somebody [the player who police said acted as a peacemaker] was trying to help out some people who needed help. . . . I hope in the future people just reserve their opinions and their posts and whatever they may have and just wait until you find all the information before you start throwing stones, you know.”
Also:
Tuesday practice notebook: Gamble moves to outside linebacker, etc.
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262 comments Add your comment
Patrick
April 7th, 2010
10:42 am
I scour the internet to get anything on that evil Gator program to make my beloved Helen Hunt, excuse me, I mean Mark Richt look better.
Litter Dawgs
April 7th, 2010
10:43 am
It’s kind of creepy when adult UGA fans trash the campus during football games, like a bunch of heathens.
Waste that people UNLAWFULLY dispose of outdoors.
Cullowheedawg
April 7th, 2010
10:43 am
I wonder if any of us remember the Duke Lacrosse team and what they went through. Yes we all “assumed” the worst and we got the worst as our assumptions did exactly what our mothers told us assumptions would do.
While we may want to defend our “team” against all accusations, we need to also not jump on other teams so fast, just because they the “others”.
I think that Coach Richt has done an excellent job in this and other situations. It is not a win/lose situation as we all lose when something really bad happens, but it is still a lose when the accusations are proved false, as the smear is never fully erased.
Cullowheedawg
59bulldawg
April 7th, 2010
10:45 am
RRG . . . I’ll put this as delicately as I can! You’re a freaking moron!
Ramma Bama
April 7th, 2010
10:45 am
UGA “peacemakers” at 2AM, after a hard night of partying downtown, in a cab full of thugs! Nice spin UGA—those people in sports marketing are really paying off–maybe they should go into politics next!!!!
Dawglasville
April 7th, 2010
10:45 am
Maybe if we stayed off of their blogs, they would stay off of ours. If you’re happy with Johnson, Meyer, Saban, Dooley then great, go support them. We are happy with Richt and we will continue to support him on Georgia blogs. Doesn’t the day in and day out of stereotypes and name calling ever get old?
Homer
April 7th, 2010
10:46 am
59bulldawg, no make that a racist freaking moron!
slingblade
April 7th, 2010
10:47 am
Dawglasville, this blog is on the AJC not the jawja newsline. I agree though we shouldn’t bash CMR, we hope he stays forever.
ESPN Video Compares Meyer to Miami
April 7th, 2010
10:49 am
ESPN’s reporters see the arrest under Meyer as VERY SERIOUS.
Excellent ESPN video about Meyer’s 24 arrests during his 5 year’s at Florida:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5_HtTQPWFg
houndstooth
April 7th, 2010
10:49 am
Just glad none of our guys were a problem.
Bear Bryant would kick some a$$.
Richt Speaks About Taxi Incident « MrSEC.com
April 7th, 2010
10:50 am
[...] practice yesterday, Mark Richt finally gave his take on the taxi incident that turned out to be a lot less football-related than initially [...]
Richt Speaks About Taxi Incident « MrSEC.com
April 7th, 2010
10:50 am
[...] practice yesterday, Mark Richt finally gave his take on the taxi incident that turned out to be a lot less football-related than initially [...]
Stinger
April 7th, 2010
10:56 am
Nice cover up Mark. I didn’t expect anything different.
Outstanding Young Men of America
April 7th, 2010
10:57 am
The young man deserves a pat on the back for making peace at 2:00 a.m. when all the other players were asleep getting ready for monday practice.
Stinger
April 7th, 2010
10:57 am
You people are fools if you believe this was not a cover up.
Stinger
April 7th, 2010
10:58 am
They were having breakfast with CMR @ 2am once he paid off their bond.
superDawg
April 7th, 2010
11:00 am
I hate to say it, but I have to agree with Stinger. We covered this up and we know it.
Mr. ACC.com
April 7th, 2010
11:03 am
This “breaking” news is great for police reports and all that internet stuff people read.
slingblade
April 7th, 2010
11:05 am
ESPN Video Compares Meyer to Miami, Please get Patrick his meds.
WR Carl Moore--Florida Cover Up?
April 7th, 2010
11:07 am
Speaking of cover-ups, anyone ever find out the REAL reaosn why Carl Moore, the Florida WR, abruptly walked off the field during practice, left for several days? Was it something Meyer or another Coach said to him? Why did he leave the team in the first place specifically?
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/01/1558018/ufs-moore-is-not-at-practice-again.html
1eyedJack
April 7th, 2010
11:07 am
Looks as if BuLLdawg is off his lithium again.
Any fan of another team on here calling UGA ThugU is a hypocrit. Every college program has these problems. You try totally controlling 100 18-22 year old males raging with testosterone…impossible…somebody is going to take a drink and turn into an idiot. It doesn’t help though if you are an idiot in the first place (Montez). Alcohol is a helluva drug!
Richt is not the problem…society as a whole is the problem. A lot of these kids grew up with no “daddy” around and no father figures. They look up to and try to emulate their babysitters…professional athletes, many of whom have their own problems and rap artists who for the most part glamorize anything that is antisocial.
Jackson being out at 2 am may explain why his number is not getting called.
As for all you trolls on here…you’re whale sh*t…the lowest thing in the ocean…and you will never be comfortable in your own skins until you can bring UGA down to your level.
Go Dawgs!!!
slingblade
April 7th, 2010
11:08 am
You see jawja boys; we have to come onto your blog to talk to Patrick.
WR Carl Moore–Florida Cover Up? Here is video of mark richt
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1158327737&ref=name
Delbert D.
April 7th, 2010
11:09 am
‘I hope in the future people just reserve their opinions’
The AJC blog on the original report played a part in people ‘reserving their opinions’. Comments were closed.
Montez Mania
April 7th, 2010
11:09 am
Here is an opinion for Richt – He is 2-7 against Florida and that is just down right pathetic.
“Imagine what Urban Myers reaction would have been. It is nice to have a balanced coach like CMR”
CMR can keep the balance and Meyer can keep the Titles
TMZ
April 7th, 2010
11:10 am
So now we know the peacemaker is Jackson,
good report 1eyedJack.
Georgia Fan
April 7th, 2010
11:12 am
Here’s a newsflash to “Outstanding” and other MORONS who have posted similar idiotic remarks: When the clock passes midnight, for example 12:01 a.m., it is the NEXT day!! Get it?!? The taxi incident occurred on a Sunday because it was after midnight from the SATURDAY night that the player went out to the bars with his buddies from Heard County.
I know it’s difficult for you to understand … but please, try.
Gen Neyland
April 7th, 2010
11:13 am
The Fulmer Cup race hasn’t even begun. Is this just spring training stuff for when it starts to really matter..?
Cullowheedawg : Your post regarding Duke’s Lacrosse players and ‘all of us assuming the worst’ should read ‘all of us that believe half of what we see and all of what we hear and read’. Please exclude me from your list of ‘All’. Thank you…
Meyer 0-2 Against Auburn
April 7th, 2010
11:13 am
Why is Meyer winless against Auburn? Richt has an excellent record against Auburn in the last 5 years. Why can’t Urban win a single game against Aubrun? At least Richt has a win against any team he’s player twice. Why doesn’t Meyer?
gdawginkalamazoo
April 7th, 2010
11:17 am
Oh well, maybe coach Richt should have mentioned something about imposing some sort of curfew on the players during spring ball and that this kid will be internally disciplined for not following it.
BUT, if the player in question had been at Tennesee all he would have had to do is call up the helicopter that Kiffin no longer uses for a ride back to the football dorm (I think it has a helipad)….
OR, if he was at Auburn just dial for limo that they use for recruiting.
20/20
April 7th, 2010
11:17 am
The peacemaker was Dontaviius Jackson from Heard County High School.
The four thugs who hit the married woman at 2:00 a.m. just happened to be from Heard County by coincidence,…..right !
Washington Post
April 7th, 2010
11:21 am
This may turn into a Taxigate Scandal.
laughin larry
April 7th, 2010
11:33 am
the story here, is why it’s a story, when there is found out there in no story???
Georgia Fan
April 7th, 2010
11:38 am
By the way,
that was Palm Sunday.
Hoke1355
April 7th, 2010
11:41 am
Good for you coach. This time your players weren’t the ones actually in trouble. It was only their friends. Oh, and they did a masterful job of peacemaking.
PMC
April 7th, 2010
11:42 am
I want to reserve my opinion but Michael Adams has raised the prices for opinions and moved them far beyond the old opinion shouting areas.
Richt's Elephant
April 7th, 2010
11:45 am
richt won his only 2 SEC titles when florida and bama sucked with zook and shula. He didn’t win before and hasn’t won since. Richt actually lost 2 of 3 to the incompetent ron zook! Why is that Ga fans????? Where’s the accountability?????
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
12:11 pm
Stinger, as I said a few days ago, I WISH our staff had better cover up skills. 2/3 of the “arrests” we read about are minor B/S that deserves no publicity, and everybody would have been done a huge favor if it HAD been covered up. Nobody is better off with that stuff getting out. First of all, its a private matter in the first place, but even taking into account they are scholarshiped players, (presumable thats what makes it important) it’s still a waste of energy to talk about the majority of this stuff. The kid, the program, the parents, the fans, even from others school gain nothing from it.
Seriously, you can’t cover up a damn traffic ticket anymore?
Patrick
April 7th, 2010
12:16 pm
I honor of Mark Richt, I even bought my own tanning bed. I am now too such a handsome tan man.
reality
April 7th, 2010
12:21 pm
Just a bunch of Thugs…
Patrick
April 7th, 2010
12:30 pm
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1158327737&ref=name aren’t I pretty?
Cherokee
April 7th, 2010
12:37 pm
reality ….You are talking about the folks over on North Avenue correct?
Happy Dawg
April 7th, 2010
12:41 pm
amen brother indeed
gtfanfrom1951
April 7th, 2010
12:44 pm
Why is it that UGA players make the 6:00 news but not on the field?
reality
April 7th, 2010
12:46 pm
Richt can’t handle all of his thug players? He had plenty of practice at FSU..
DawginLex
April 7th, 2010
12:51 pm
sling blade,
Low expectations? Yes, that is why 3 coaches got fired after an 8 win season.
Idiot. Think before you type.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 7th, 2010
12:58 pm
General Neyland, So it is still called the Fulmer Cup?
For everybody on here harping about what players have been in trouble at Bama, Florida, UT, Tech etc. I don’t care what they have done, I care about what UGA has done. The trouble caused by their athletes have nothing to do with UGA players getting into trouble or “peacemaking”. Sure most of these are “minor” offenses, although there is nothing minor about a DUI. Richt needs to address these things start making these kids understand that they are blowing a chance at getting an education at minimum and possibly blowing a chance at the NFL. To say kids will be kids isn’t enough when you are on a full ride scholarship, these kids have a lot more riding on this for their future. There’s got to be a way to point that out. God’s knows we have seen a few cases at UGA to use as examples.
Bama fan
April 7th, 2010
1:19 pm
gdawgkalamazoo,
“For everybody on here harping about what players have been in trouble at Bama, Florida, UT, Tech etc.”
They can harp all they want about Bama players getting arrested. We’ve had one player arrested in the past year or so and the charges in that case were dismissed. It was basically just an argument after a player’s girlfriend bi@$ch slapped him for talking to another girl and then he had to hold her down to keep from getting hit more. A campus cop doing his rounds witnessed the argument and had to arrest both but overall this arrest was essentially for nothing.
2007 was a mess as Saban had to clean up all the lack of disciplined and unruly players Shula had but since then we don’t have that nonsense going on at Bama. If you start disciplining players and booting them from the team or forcing transfers for smaller things like breaking team rules then you never get to the point of having to deal with players after they’ve been arrested.
The reason a lot of people unfairly jumped to the conclusion that UGA players were involved in the taxi incident is because it is what people have come to expect of UGA players. Fair or unfair the now 20 or so citations and or arrests of UGA players over the last year and a half have generated a view of UGA players as out of control thugs. Not my personal opinion but it seems to be the opinion of a lot of other fans and all the UGA players do is keep giving them more ammo like with the recent Montez Robinson arrest.
Richt needs to get a hold of his program. If he wants his players to be disciplined on and off the field he needs to start cracking down hard on the smaller things like breaking team rules before it ever even gets to the point of player arrests. Otherwise the dogs are going to continue to have the newly found thug image that a lot of people seem to be attaching to the program lately.
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
1:22 pm
DawginLex, your the idiot; Richt fired them a year too late and only because the AD said it was him or them.
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
1:24 pm
I think he has tried. The question is, and do what exactly?
The point about most things being minor is in reality IF you took those out, and it was only the really bad things, the very few handfull of serious issues (which have seemed to have been dealt with in most cases as harsh as possible) then nobody is talking about “all” the times. It would be a case of a few bad apples and most rational folks can look around in life and see that just exist.
But you DO have those minor instances that get treated as big deals in the media/public skewing the perception. So ok if its case of cracking down on those, what is fair? what is the fair penalty for a minor traffic violation? is multiple games suspension called for? personally I dont think 4 games or 1 game is really going to stop any of that. First of all none of them thought they were going to get “arrested” for a suspended license, so a harsher penalty wouldnt change that. And they certainly arent saying, “well its just 1 game” so why not. Kicked off the team for traffic violations. That’s what it would take to trully say…..there, it’s addressed. Anything short of that is just varying degrees, and It seems like they juggle that about as well as they can.
savannahdawg
April 7th, 2010
1:24 pm
Hey “Jimmy,” No one, no matter how much money they make, should have to listen to any idot. People like you should just keep your mouth shut! If you don’t have an intelligent comment, shut the hell up!