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
Gatorzone
April 7th, 2010
1:26 pm
How many players are on a team? Over 100+, right? All 18-22 year old male, full of hormones trained to play a violent game. What do you expect a coach to do? There will always be some bad apples. Hell I have 2 kids (girls) and can barely control both of them. I could not imagine having so many men to constantly look out for. By the way, this kind of stuff has gone on forever. It just gets more exposure now. Who cares that there are punks on each team? That will happen in a diverse society, when many come from broken homes. I find it amazing that 20% of the players do not get in trouble on a regular basis.
Also, all of you guys who have lived a perfect life, then by all means go ahead and criticize. Otherwise, Pot meet kettle.
just sayin
April 7th, 2010
1:28 pm
Have to wonder what the arrest record would be for the general student population. Bet the % would be at least as high as it is for athletes.
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
1:30 pm
Bama fan, I assume that you were making an ironic point that when people say things like “20 arrest in the past year” it distorts the perception of the UGA program, no matter how untrue that may be?
The Arse
April 7th, 2010
1:30 pm
Coach Richt, this is the liberal mainstream media you’re trying to apply journalistic ethics to. 99% of them checked their consciences and morals at the door the day they were hired. Nice try though.
Cherokee
April 7th, 2010
1:36 pm
Sling Blade …you got proof to back up your comments
Georgia Peacemaker
April 7th, 2010
1:36 pm
As a peacemaker, I like to ride in cabs at 2AM to keep my homeys from beating up other people in the cab. I do my job well.
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
1:38 pm
Cherokee, no proof. But then you tell me why he didnt fire Willie the year before? Or was it Richt is an idiot?
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
1:39 pm
Can anybody confirm that in 3 years there has not been one single traffic voilation issued to a Alabama football player? Not one single time is 3 yrs has there been a case of underage drinking. BS.
gdawginkalamazoo
April 7th, 2010
1:39 pm
Bama Fan, Good post, I can agree with that. Richt needs to pound these kids into making better decisions.
Bama fan
April 7th, 2010
1:40 pm
Gatorzone,
True enough. There are 85 scholly players and an additional 20 walk ons are allowed for a full 105 man roster by the start of the season. If the players are reflective of the general population of which practically every 18-20 year old engages in underage drinking at some point and in which maybe 10-20% of young men eventually get arrested for something stupid like public drinking/intox, driving on a suspended license, dui, etc. then at least several players a year would be getting arrested. I see and understand your point but I still believe a very disciplined program with few if any arrests can be established.
But as I pointed out in a previous post what I like about Saban is that he has instilled such an overwhelming sense of discipline and even a little bit of “fear” in our program that we’ve had only 1 player arrested in the last year or so. You start with running off players just for small stuff like breaking team rules. If you do that preemptively then you avoid the larger problems such as player arrests. Its kinda like the broken window theory and the difference between players getting in trouble under Shula vs under Saban is like night and day. Saban has been called militaristic, authoritarian, disciplinarian, etc. That’s fine with me as long as it keeps our players out of the police blotter and the headlines.
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
1:40 pm
Cherokee, He actually did a better job in 2009 than 2008 with 2 top 10 Draft picks. The whole staff should have been fired for underacheiving in 2008, especially bobo the clown.
Facts Are Facts
April 7th, 2010
1:42 pm
Excuse Saint Mark, but……….
hasnt UGA football players winding up in various forms of trouble with the law,
become a kind of……….ANNUAL event ??
So, wouldnt it be expected at this point ??
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
1:44 pm
Robinson was kicked off the team after being arrested Sunday on a misdemeanor charge of simple battery/family violence, his third arrest in five months.
Richt=younger version of Bobby Bowden. I can understand a kid getting a second chance, but he blew the chance, was arrested again with still not being kicked off the team did it a third time.
Bama fan
April 7th, 2010
1:47 pm
Altamaha dawg,
Absolutely. In the last 3 years we’ve had underage drinking problems, player arrests, duis, and 2 players with serious felonies, etc. In 2007 Saban had something like 8 of the Shula holdovers arrested and he started booting them. It took a year to fully institute his sense of discipline on the program and start getting rid of the bad apples which we all have and forcing transfers of problem players. He then started booting players and forcing transfers of players just for breaking team rules. The man is tough as far as discipline goes.
My point is that now that Saban has changed the whole culture of the team from a discipline and expectations standpoint that we no longer have the discipline problems we had under Shula or in Saban’s first year. The result of the whole change in culture and discipline is that we only have had one player arrested in the past year or so and that in that case the charge was basically dismissed because it was essentially nothing to begin with.
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
1:49 pm
He didn’t fire Wille the year before because he entered the season considered the (the team that finished playing as well as nay team/staff in the nation) and managed to win 10 game despite being the most injured team anyonje has ever seen. In short, no staff has ever done a betetr job with that many variables. Thats why. The next year, they didn’t live up to expectation, and he made a move.
Also I think its pretty clear NOW that his thought process was IF/WHEN he was going to do that, it wasnt just Willie, it would be a the whole (most) staff. And because he wanted to be able to ever hire any good coaches in the future, he wouldnt have done that after 2008 for the above reason.
Does that answer your question?
NewnanDawg
April 7th, 2010
1:49 pm
Sling Blade – please do a little research before posting. In the Robinson situation, the first two arrests were from the same incident. They just added a second charge later. So yes, Richt did kick him off the team at the appropriate time.
Go Dawgs!
sling blade
April 7th, 2010
1:52 pm
NewnanDawg I am truly sorry, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to your coach. He is the best thing to ever happen to the SEC East.
National Organization For Women
April 7th, 2010
1:53 pm
What was the first charge that Mr. Robinson was arrested on Mr. NewnanDawg?
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
1:53 pm
I would say that Richt also changed the culture and we no longer have the issue that used to exist under our last coach either.
Cherokee
April 7th, 2010
1:54 pm
sling blade …who is your team?
just askin
April 7th, 2010
1:54 pm
What issue was that AltamahaDawg?
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
1:55 pm
ABG Cherokee.
National Champ
April 7th, 2010
1:55 pm
Speaking of the future, why don’t you guys concentrate on not being overrated for once.
Cherokee
April 7th, 2010
1:56 pm
ABG??? Auburn?
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
1:58 pm
any body but jawja
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
2:00 pm
I will be a curious onlooker at Gday just to see how the nut fanbase see’s the team.
NewnanDawg
April 7th, 2010
2:00 pm
Hey – NOW – that’s Mrs. NewnanDawg thank you, and I believe strongly in second chances, even for people who have committed crimes against me or my family (I have forgiven). Coach Richt’s comments after yasterday’s practice regarding the situation are posted below. Sounds to me like a man handling the situation about as well as you can….
On the decision to dismiss Robinson…
“Montez had some things he knew he had to do, disciplinary-wise. Then there were some things he knew he couldn’t do if he wanted to stay. There’s some things I was expecting, there’s some things the Association was expecting, there’s some things the university was expecting, and the law for that matter. And he wasn’t able to live up to that. That’s why he is where he is now.”
On his feelings about what happened…
“I’ll say this about Montez – I really love that kid. I really do care very much about all the guys at Georgia, whether they’re on scholarship or a walk-on or whatever it may be. And when we sign a kid at Georgia and he becomes one of ours, I feel like it’s my responsibility to help him grow up into a man, and hopefully realize all his dreams athletically and academically, too. I take it seriously trying to help these guys make it in life. Some guys have farther to go than others, and if a guy makes a mistake or even a couple, you try like mad to find a way to keep them in the fold and hope that they can learn from it and become better for it in the end. But there are times when a guy does enough where he’s lost the privilege to play for Georgia, which is where Montez is at right now. But do we still care about him? Yes. Do we still want to make sure he lands somewhere where he can continue on and finish strong? If we remember Michael Lemon’s situation, Michael went through some things, and he got to the point where he couldn’t stay at Georgia. But we helped him get into junior college at Georgia Military College and he did a good job there. I’m thankful that Coach Bert Williams gave him a chance and when he left there, he was able to say this kid deserves another opportunity. I’m very thankful for Coach O’Brien to take a chance, because he had to stick his neck out a little bit to get him in there at NC State. But from what I hear, the kid is doing fantastic, and he’s got a chance to realize all the dreams he had. Even though he’s not here, we think about him and we want him to succeed, and we feel the same way about Montez.”
On his visit with Robinson in prison…
“He’s just hurting. He’s suffering right now. But we’re helping him understand that he can still have a bright future if from this point forward he does what he’s supposed to do, what he needs to do. He still has the goal of getting an education. He still has the goal of playing college football. And so I don’t think he’s been robbed of that opportunity. It’s just not going to be at Georgia. But he loved it at Georgia.”
Cherokee
April 7th, 2010
2:01 pm
So you don’t have a team…sounds like you belong to Tech
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
2:01 pm
Issue with discipline on the Donnan’s team? I assume that’s not a serious question.
BTW, I was around when coach Dooley was the HC, and IF we had the scrutiny then, that we do now…….oh man.
NewnanDawg
April 7th, 2010
2:01 pm
sorry – yesterday’s
keep on truckin' dog
April 7th, 2010
2:03 pm
The food at truckstops stink. Thank goodness for partners who drive so we can blog.
back to the story (now a non-story), if, then, if this, then that, all conjecture. The if and buts, came to naught here boys.
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
2:04 pm
When Dooley was coach, that was a different era altama. Things were swept under the rug then and the media was different + you didn’t have the internet. Boys will always be boys.
NewnanDawg
April 7th, 2010
2:05 pm
Altamaha – you got that right – can you imagine any team in the 80s from any big school having cell phone cameras and the internet? Every top 10 school in the nation would have been in trouble.
Go Dawgs!
Sling Blade
April 7th, 2010
2:05 pm
Out boys; had fun irritating you today.
Cherokee
April 7th, 2010
2:07 pm
Sling Blade off to your shift at the Varsity?
NewnanDawg
April 7th, 2010
2:07 pm
Sling Blade – if all you want to do is point out flaws, complain, and be negative, why don’t you go to a Congressman’s office somewhere so it will be put to good use. Talk about a bunch of criminals!
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
2:12 pm
You don’t have to watch the G-day game, I’ll go ahead and tell you how the fan base is going to act. We’ll be excited, supportive, informed and counting on a good year, just like any fan base of team, any year. I’ll save you the trouble.
BTW, obsessed troll is the term you were looking for, not curious onlooker.
Sling Blade's Bestest friend
April 7th, 2010
2:14 pm
Sorry, off to the clarke county jail to bring refreshments to the team.
Gatorzone
April 7th, 2010
2:15 pm
Bama Fan, that is really good. However, I would be careful about bragging too much about that and how Saban has the keys to discipline that no other coach has. It may be true, but then again it could come back to haunt.
I do not think Urban is a saint, nor does he recruit choirboys. By the same token… Saturday football aint not prayer meeting!!!
Just keep winning. That is all I care about. UF has plenty of scholar athletes, and plenty of punks. So does Alabama, and every team for that matter.
AltamahaDawg
April 7th, 2010
2:15 pm
Really, captain obvious! That was a different era, really? My fipping point exactly.
Bama fan
April 7th, 2010
2:16 pm
“if all you want to do is point out flaws, complain, and be negative, why don’t you go to a Congressman’s office somewhere so it will be put to good use.”
Newnan Dawg,
I get your point about sling blade’s negativity and complaining. Taking his complaints to his congressman would seem a good idea except that I doubt our congressman listen. Mine definitely doesn’t.
how2fish
April 7th, 2010
2:19 pm
Gatorzone as much as it pains me I have to say great post..and for the bama fans..2 of the wins vacated were on Saban’s watch by the way. My hat is off to him however up to this point he is the only Bama coach to win without cheating since the Bear.But there will be arrests at Bama too..wait for it.
Bama fan
April 7th, 2010
2:23 pm
Gatorzone,
I don’t mean to sound like I’m bragging. We all have our share of punks. I’m just saying that Saban seems to be nipping it in the bud most of the time by changing the culture of the new player and giving him a set of expectations that he knows he has to abide by. As for the players that won’t buy into the discipline of the program and continue to break team rules Saban definitely pushes these guys out the door. He has had several starters Brandon Fanney, Prince Hall, etc. that he forced transfers because these guys were continuing to break rules. I’m just sayin change the culture by punishing the small stuff hard like breaking team rules to begin with and you’ll have less problems with arrests on down the road. And the guys that won’t adhere to the discipline. Tell them to transfer.
But as happy as I am with the way Saban runs a disciplined program its only a matter of time before we get another player or a couple of them arrested. Its inevitable and as you aptly point out we all got our fair share of punks in every recruiting class that comes in. I just want to keep the punks to a minumum and get rid of the ones that won’t change. So far we seem to be doing a good job of this. Knock on wood of course.
we have heard that before
April 7th, 2010
2:26 pm
all the criticism of coach richt being a bad guy, we’ve heard all that before. Nothing new here.
Mrsec.com wrote a very nice article about Coach Richt today, you guys should check it out, couldn’t agree more with him THIS TIME.
Mrsec is exactly right, while Meyer goes nuts on reporters for the dumbest of all reasons, and Saban isn’t known as being “too nice of a guy”, richt’s biggest criticism is that’s he’s too nice.
I’ll take it. so was Tony Dungy as a coach.
2 class acts. 2 great successes, in the TRUEST sense of the word.
we have heard that before
April 7th, 2010
2:27 pm
oops, forgot to give you the link for the google impaired.
http://www.mrsec.com/story/richt-continues-to-show-that-hes-the-class-of-the-conference
Richt Prays and then Reacts « Loser with Socks
April 7th, 2010
2:29 pm
[...] Richt on taxi incident: ‘I hope in the future people just reserve their opinions’ | UGA sports b… [...]
Russ
April 7th, 2010
2:34 pm
O.k. I’ve about had it with this you don’t buy tickets or contribute you have no rights crap. First let me verify I am not a Tech Alum but I did go to a Ga school where ther was no football. That being said, I do pay taxes in this state which does support the university system where where programs are being cut, majors are being done away with and good folks are losing thier jobs. I do understand that Uga’s athletics does support itself to a point but they do use school facilities. Why don’t they kick a little in to help offset the schools losses. I guess if they did they couldn’t give thier A.D. a huge raise and Mark Richt couldn’t build his vacation home on the lake (probably built with illegal labor). So just shut up please about people complaining. We do have a right as fans and taxpayer.
1eyedJack
April 7th, 2010
2:34 pm
These blogs are full of trolls that somewhat learned to write but evidently can’t read. If they could read their stuff, they’d stop writing.
Title #14 in 2010!
April 7th, 2010
2:36 pm
Saban doesn’t put up with this stuff at bama–he runs a disciplined program and the players know what is expected. At schools like georgia, fsu and miami, the players run the team and do what they want.
Bama fan
April 7th, 2010
2:37 pm
how2fish,
I can’t blame Saban for the school doing a sloppy job of not monitoring the textbook distribution system. This was something that had been going on for years before Saban got there and nobody was paying attention to it. After the major probation of the early 2000s I think we did a good job of reigning in rogue boosters, educating the boosters overall, and avoiding major stuff. Its always the stupid little stuff like not monitoring how textbooks are distributed closely enough that can still get you in trouble though. Who really would think about something like that? Most of the violations were not intentional and although this happened during the Shula era I seriously doubt Shula or anybody else really intended to cheat through textbooks of all things.
As for winning without cheating since Bear the only real cheating was during the Dubose era. Stallings program was put on probation but that was because Antonio Langham signed with an agent prior to his senior season and never told anyone. It was only after his senior season that anybody found out that he had signed with an agent, thus losing his eligibility, and us forfeiting 9 wins from the 93 season and us getting our first probation ever. Its not as if the school cheated or had any knowledge that Langham had done this and thus jeopardized himself and the program. You really can’t do anything about one person making a poor decision under pressure from an agent.
As for arrests as I just pointed out its only a matter of time before one of our players or a couple get arrested again. Then everyone can jump on the bandwagon and call us thugs for a few days.