Green receives four-game ban; UGA plans appeal
(Updated 8:40 p.m.)
ATHENS – The NCAA came down hard Wednesday on A.J. Green, ordering Georgia’s star wide receiver to sit out four games as punishment for selling a game jersey to a sports agent.
Green sold the jersey he wore in last season’s Independence Bowl for $1,000, according to the facts of the case stipulated by Georgia.
The school plans to appeal the NCAA ruling in hopes of having the length of the suspension reduced. The appeal could be heard next week, coach Mark Richt said.
Green was held out of last week’s season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette, pending the results of the NCAA investigation, which began in July. He must sit out the Bulldogs’ next three games -– Saturday at South Carolina, Sept. 18 at home vs. Arkansas and Sept. 25 at Mississippi State –- unless the appeal is successful. He will be eligible to return for the Oct. 2 game at Colorado.
“Certainly I’m disappointed with the outcome,” Richt said. “However, we have games to play, and that’s where our focus needs to be in the coming days and weeks. Other players will have to step forward, and I’m confident they will do that.”
Richt informed his players of the NCAA ruling shortly before Wednesday’s practice.
“He assured us we have the talent on this team to play with or without [Green],” tight end Aron White said. “We’re still Georgia. One player doesn’t make Georgia. That’s something [Richt] made very clear to us, that he still has complete confidence in us.”
The NCAA did not name the individual who bought the jersey from Green but said the person meets the organization’s definition of an agent -– “any individual who markets or promotes a student-athlete.” That put Green in violation of the NCAA rule against receiving benefits from agents.
Selling a jersey to a non-agent also would violate NCAA rules, which prohibit student-athletes from receiving money for memorabilia.
Green has donated $1,000, the amount he received for the jersey, to charity, the NCAA said.
The four-game ban is at the top end of the range the NCAA typically imposes for this type of violation.
The NCAA said it reviews each case “on its own merits based on the specific facts. Staff decisions are made based on a number of factors including . . . the student-athlete’s responsibility for the violation, as well as any mitigating factors presented by the university.”
In another recent case, the NCAA last week suspended Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus for two games for accepting almost $1,800 in benefits from an agent. In that case, the NCAA said Dareus received a two-game ban, rather than four games, “based on mitigating circumstances.”
Green will be allowed to practice with the Georgia team during his banishment from games and, in fact, did so Wednesday.
”I want to apologize to my coaches, teammates and the Georgia fans for the mistake in judgment,” Green said in a statement. “I very much regret all that has taken place and the distraction that’s been caused. I’ve learned a valuable lesson and hope others can learn from my mistake. I can only focus my attention now on practicing and looking ahead to getting back with my teammates as quickly as possible.”
Green did not meet with reporters. Richt summed up Green’s reaction: “He’s hurt. He’s sad. He’s sorry for what happened.”
Wide receiver Tavarres King said the Green news was “pretty shocking” to him and vowed to help pick up the slack in the star player’s absence.
“I got to step up and make plays to fill the void for A.J.” King said. “Big shoes to fill. Huge shoes to fill.”
Green, a junior from Summerville, S.C., was named to preseason All-SEC and some preseason All-America teams. He is projected as a high first-round pick if he enters next year’s NFL draft, as most observers expect him to do.
Green caught 53 passes for 808 yards and six touchdowns last season, when he missed three-plus games with injuries. He caught 56 passes for 963 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman in 2008.
Georgia’s appeal will be heard by the NCAA Division I Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, which is comprised of representatives from NCAA member schools. Green cannot play in games during the appeal process.
As is standard procedural form in such cases, Georgia declared Green ineligible and the NCAA set his penalty and the terms of his reinstatement.
The NCAA informed Georgia on July 21 of the Green investigation — one in a series of probes at a number of schools into dealings between athletes and agents. Green said on July 22 that he was asked by Georgia officials if he attended an agent-hosted party in Miami that triggered investigations at several schools. He said he did not.
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1,225 comments Add your comment
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
September 8th, 2010
5:58 pm
complete BS by the NCAA. if he was cooperative, repaid the amount, and already sat out 1 game, why is 3 more game suspensions necessary?? ncaa makes billions off these kids, not just football. i’m all for a 2 game suspension but 4??? you just took away a 1/3 of his season. time for the other UGA receivers to step up, especially durham & king. maybe this will keep AJ around for another year.
Little Extreme
September 8th, 2010
5:58 pm
So he tells the truth, gives the money back and feels terrible about it? And still gets 4 weeks. Way to extreme for something under $1k, considering the Bama player had twice as much and got 2 games for it. Massoli “stole” much more and transfered through a loop hole and he gets to play. I don’t see how he gets the most extreme.
ryan
September 8th, 2010
5:58 pm
Let me remind you when Green was hurt at the end of the season UGA won 3 strait we beat Auburn, Vandy and Tech. NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND !
travis
September 8th, 2010
5:58 pm
you douche bags do not know he lied to anyone.
RAMBLE ON!!!
September 8th, 2010
5:58 pm
You know, none of this ever happened at FSU when St. Richt was there. Umm, wait a minute
Saban Inside
September 8th, 2010
5:58 pm
Saban’s in good with the ncaa–his thugs taking money, doing worse, but only a 2 game deal. Richt—too many problems in the program to get any breaks. The president needs to take over the program, not the new AD who will just be richt’s gofer.
JacketFan
September 8th, 2010
5:58 pm
No, Seriously – Please? Thank You?
phil
September 8th, 2010
5:59 pm
Let’s see, UT players get free bar passes, and that is legal. The NCAA is a bunch of idiots.
players get
59bulldawg
September 8th, 2010
5:59 pm
Does the NCAA make this crap up as they go? Seems very arbitrary to me!
heartofdarkness
September 8th, 2010
5:59 pm
College football! Everybody gets paid but the player.
Einsteindawg
September 8th, 2010
5:59 pm
Folks, as a Dawg fan for 50+ years, graduate of UGA, season ticket holder and contributor for 42 years, I am fed up with our program. The rules are what they are…9 arrests in 5 months…our best player suspended for 4 games…no respect for our coaching staff, the fans, or the university. I would immediately withdraw AJ’s scholarship and tell the other players, “one and done”. I would rather have a Vanderbilt type program with integrity, than the cr*p we’ve had under Richt. Just my opinion…have at it!
TidePrideGA
September 8th, 2010
5:59 pm
There is more to this story, some of it has not been revealed. I think Green lied to the NCAA. As for the Dareus situation these aren’t even remotely similar. Dareus left the party once he realized agents were there, he reimbursed the costs and even the NCAA said his honesty is what made the suspension 2 games. Stop blaming Bama. while the laws may suck. There is only one person to blame A.J. green. he should have known better.
allycks
September 8th, 2010
5:59 pm
The NCAA is like the mafia. They make the rules, they make the money, and nobody gets in on the action without their say.
Sorry AJ Green, but you just got WHACKED by the NC double A.
See no evil
September 8th, 2010
6:00 pm
N.C. Double A-holes.
Damon Good Dawg
September 8th, 2010
6:00 pm
Damn jerseys and red panties
RAMBLE ON!!!
September 8th, 2010
6:00 pm
How much trouble has FSU been in since St. Richt left?
Hmmmm
Reggie Ball for Heisman
September 8th, 2010
6:00 pm
You know who else got a four-game suspension? BEN ROETHLISBERGER!
And Tech fans, 30-24 Suck it Nerds
rmille
September 8th, 2010
6:01 pm
The coaches, athletic director and campus president can get wined and dined across the country while the kids (football team) generating all of the revenue get whacked.
Gary Gibbs
September 8th, 2010
6:01 pm
I can come back and coach
UGA = Clemson = Perennial Underachievers
September 8th, 2010
6:01 pm
Dawg Dude
I’ll take 11-3, BCS bowl, and conf championship all day compared to 5 losses and a Bowl game in what was it, South Dakota or something?
No, seriously, Yellow Fuzzy, I will personally kick your ass. Just give me an address.
September 8th, 2010
6:02 pm
JacketFan — No need for thanks, it’s all out of the goodness of my heart. Just say when.
Vince Dooley
September 8th, 2010
6:02 pm
Walker sold his jersey and did not get caught so whats the big deal?
NCAA BITE ME
September 8th, 2010
6:02 pm
NCAA YOU NEED TO RETHINK WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
BE FAIR. THIS ISNT FAIR.
JUST AWFUL DECISION MAKING.
yes sir
September 8th, 2010
6:02 pm
Einsteindawg
your program is $h*t, and corupt to the core
always has been
Boston Dawg
September 8th, 2010
6:02 pm
He deserves a 4 game suspension. It’s not like he only tried to gouge out someone’s eyes. That sort of playfullness only gets you suspended half of the Vandy game.
Yes, nice work NCAA. This makes perfect sense.
Vince Dooley
September 8th, 2010
6:03 pm
no need for violence children, play fair
5150 P.O.A.D
September 8th, 2010
6:03 pm
Norris what is the Diff. when MURDERS get 25-to-Life and a chance at paroll in 13 years or get out in 30 yrs?
The punk kid made a mistake for sure and he needs to pay.
Students at my Military school didn’t think about doing what I did to get 50 tours and 2 months home leave.
Bust the kids azz once nad you will not have to bust the other kids azz next. You people are the same people that complain about your public schools, but take power from the teachers. You can’t have a SOCIETY with rules. You don’t like the rules then work to change them. Richt holds the Bible but he hides the ROD.
Einsteindawg
September 8th, 2010
6:03 pm
YES Sir…and your school would be?
No, seriously, Yellow Fuzzy, I will personally kick your ass. Just give me an address.
September 8th, 2010
6:03 pm
And by the way, JacketFan, your tacit approval of Yellow Fuzzy’s comments is sickening. Hilariously ironic that it’s the the Techsters making darky comments, then chiding UGA for being full of rednecks.
Another Thug bites the dust
September 8th, 2010
6:03 pm
KICK his AZZ off the team !
Sierra Baker
September 8th, 2010
6:04 pm
It’s the old scam that people used to use to scalp tickets. Pay me $200 for this Snickers bar and I’ll give you two tickets to the game for free. It does point out that the kids should get some sort of disposable income spending money for the billions that the schools make off of them. He shouldn’t have done it and he’s going to pay the price for it. If Coach Richt hadn’t already told them not to sell their Bowl rings, it wouldn’t be so bad. But he knew better. Lesson learned. Price paid. Time to move on.
Vince Dooley
September 8th, 2010
6:04 pm
AJ Green is a very humble fellow, he is a classy cat daddy who sold a jersey to have cash for some LeBron shoes, big deal
KeepDreaming
September 8th, 2010
6:04 pm
I see history repeats itself
We didnt learn anything from the ring selling incident. Just disappointing.
Time for Marlon, Kris, Tavarres, and Co. to STEP IT UP!!! One man cant win a ball game anyway.
sys
September 8th, 2010
6:05 pm
Basketball players leave school early to join the pros. Baseball players leave school, early. The top football players should be able to do the same thing. The best players are not going to become teachers and engineers, they are going to become ball players. At least that way they will be reimbursed for their efforts. Right now only schools are reimbursed for their efforts. Why are colleges being used as triple A ball teams?
Lawsuit!
September 8th, 2010
6:05 pm
Ga should hire some big dollar attorneys and sue the NCAA to get AJ eligible to play this weekend! Sue them for millions and they’ll back down!
AJC Editor
September 8th, 2010
6:05 pm
How you like me now, Georgia will beat all you whimps talking crap
JacketFan
September 8th, 2010
6:05 pm
Who is YellowFuzzy?
SickandTired
September 8th, 2010
6:06 pm
Seat getting a little warm down there in Athens Saint Mark of
Bowden?
Contractor
September 8th, 2010
6:06 pm
My sister is his next door neighbor, and I told her to tell him to go one semester without screwing up, one damn semester. Don’t go Downtown and get arrested, fight, cheat in class, or anything, cause you will be a multi-millionaire by next Spring. And he pretty much ruins his year and his teams by making $1,000. Not a lot of money compared to the millions that await him. Couldn’t he have taken out financial aid or something. Gracious alive. The guy is an amazing player and has done a lot to win Georgia games, but the stupidity just tears that all down. I don’t think the punishment fits the crime, but he should have been smarter than that. I am just annoyed at the mistakes people make, considering they have already paved their future, and created a life to take care of their families for generations if they finance it correctly. Hopefully the suspension will be reduced, but being punished for breaking the rules is a must. Hopefully we can have someone step up in Columbia, and not disappoint all us traveling to watch. Practice hard, and Go Dawgs.
AJC Editor
September 8th, 2010
6:06 pm
UGA = Clemson = Perennial Underachievers who do you root for?
txdawg
September 8th, 2010
6:06 pm
Buzzkill- get lost assh*loe
Red Panties
September 8th, 2010
6:06 pm
The USGA only allows golfer to receive $750, or they lose their
amateur status. Greene is lucky he wasn’t ruled ineligible from this
point forward-very lucky.
why not
September 8th, 2010
6:07 pm
A few years ago we had players sell the sec championship ring. Did they get suspended? I don’t remember games missed. I just remember the embarrassment.
Seems like the rules and results are all over the place. Just a kid making a big mistake. I guess this means he was telling the truth about not going to the party in Miami. Hopefully, that means something.
Not an NCAA fan
September 8th, 2010
6:07 pm
Someone connected with college sports really needs to take the NCAA to court and have them legally justify schools making millions off star athletes like Green, while the players, especially those from less-than-privileged backgrounds, have to scrape together a few bucks.
The NCAA combines the worst elements of capitalism and fascism. A skilled lawyer would have a field day pointing out the rampant hypocrisy and plantation-style mentality of the NCAA, and would certainly get the attention of sports fans who think it’s a wonderful organization.
I wish Georgia would challenge this ruling, but there’s no way Michael Adams would ever buck the system that has made so much money for schools like his.
TidePrideGA
September 8th, 2010
6:07 pm
Ga should hire some big dollar attorneys and sue the NCAA to get AJ eligible to play this weekend! Sue them for millions and they’ll back down!
LOL, they should hire gilbert and montlick.
Aj
September 8th, 2010
6:07 pm
Yes AJ Green was wrong BUT HOW IN THE HELL DOES UGA EXCEPT THIS BACK WOODS PENALTY>>>And U Know what I am Saying this is BULL and Unfair???Any incoming prospect should take a hard look at this, because IF UGA ALLOWS the NCAA to impose this harsh of suspension on a small in fraction just think what’s coming…IT’s Time CMR and AD to SHOW the BULL DAWG NATION that THE NCAA is not getting away with this on their watch>>>MAN UP MARK..Protect your PLAYERS.AS U ALWAYS SAY FINISH THE DRILL..True DAWGS BITE BACK!!!!
A.J. Green Is Under Investigation For Selling A Worn Gameday Jersey
September 8th, 2010
6:07 pm
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colorado bulldog
September 8th, 2010
6:07 pm
JacketFan, what does “win our lose” mean? Guess they don’t teach English Grammar at Tech.
AJC Editor
September 8th, 2010
6:07 pm
Yellow Fuzzy is a piece of useless crap, thats it
STUNG AGAIN!!!
September 8th, 2010
6:08 pm
ONCE AGAIN THE NCAA HAS DROPPED THE BALL!!! UGA HAS BEEN AS CORRUPT A UNIVERSITY AS THERE IS IN THE SOUTH,BAR NONE AND I FOR ONE THINK THE DEATH PENALTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN IN THIS CASE!!!