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
old man
September 8th, 2010
6:42 pm
A shirt for $1000? What’s the difference between that and a replica? His signature? OK, so he sold his signature for $1000, to a guy who wants to be his agent?
Pay college players? That makes sense until you try to figure out how much. Right now, they’re all getting the same–the tuition. Yet some want more. You can pay them a stipend, but greedy players and agents will always create more. The only solution is to pay the big stars more money, right? OK, try to manage that program. You don’t think the kid who thinks he is “underpaid” won’t take money from an prospective agent?
So the final solution is just to let them get paid whatever they can get–agents, endorsements, anything. At that point, colleges just need to get out of the athletic business.
I say just draw a line in the sand, as long as you can, to preserve the great college game we have. AJ Greene is part of that. He crossed the line and has to pay.
Mike on Lake Hartwell
September 8th, 2010
6:42 pm
seems to me the ncaa rules are similar to nascar…
no consistency and make em up as u go.
Jim Carroll
September 8th, 2010
6:43 pm
Bull CRAP!!!! It is time to take on the NCAA!!! They ahev way TOOOOOO MUCH power.
Einsteindawg
September 8th, 2010
6:43 pm
The Real Jackets 12-0, you better hurry on over to dragon con so you can get your usual seat. This is for Dawg fans!
DeadDawg
September 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
It won’t be long before we won’t even be able to get a seat at a game. All the seats will be taken by parole officers.
Michael
September 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Tech cheerleaders are way hotter than Dawg cheerleaders. Thought I’d mention that. GO DAWGS!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Mommy’s calling, got to go take a bath and nite nite kindergarden tomorrow. bye love you
5150 P.O.A.D
September 8th, 2010
6:44 pm
Dawgs # 1 BABY !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul in RDU
September 8th, 2010
6:46 pm
juvenal – I always thought that “Yellow Fuzzy” was a troll. “Yellow Fuzz” is an idiot.
5105 has some serious anger problems.
Alabama Jack
September 8th, 2010
6:46 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!!!!”
This kind of crap is why mutt nation is the laughing stock of the country. Dude, if you can’t write or speak, then f’in’ don’t.
just a fan
September 8th, 2010
6:46 pm
I have a question it says he sold his jersey to an agent or someone acting on behalf of an agent; what if he sold his agent to a regular fan would he still have gotten in trouble is he in trouble for agent contact or for making money off of his property?
catlady
September 8th, 2010
6:46 pm
Time to suck it up. The guy screwed his team. UGA needs to recruit smarter rule-breakers. Quit whining, UGA, and give it a rest. And I am a UGA fan (PhD 1995). Maybe you can make him a special jersey that says, “Thanks to me, my team has little chance of winning.”
SLim
September 8th, 2010
6:47 pm
Mark it down…Georgia only wins 4 games this year. What a poorly coached team and A.J. deserves to be out for at least 4 games….
RedBone
September 8th, 2010
6:47 pm
Kick him off the team. We are 4 – 0 without him.
The Real Jackets 12-0
September 8th, 2010
6:47 pm
einsteindawg… if you were einstein you would know that…
1. No Einstein comes out of UGA
2. I’d rather go to dragon con (whatever that is) than prison
5150 P.O.A.D
September 8th, 2010
6:47 pm
Look my best friends wife is proud to be a UGA grad. She is proud she lived on the Slu.Deck. That is the top 2 floors of Brumby Hall for the UGA fans that never went to UGA for a college class. UGA has always been a class place. How could Craigslist sell the hooker page without all the UGA girls looking to pay for their college educations on their Backs and Knees?
No, seriously, Yellow Fuzzy, I will personally kick your ass. Just give me an address.
September 8th, 2010
6:48 pm
fair enough, juvenal — classy post. (btw, i never called tech the ghetto/cabbagetown. hard to do being from east point)
Kramer
September 8th, 2010
6:49 pm
We still hang 40 on the OBC and our stout D holds them to less than 21. You heard it here…Kramer. Remember the name.
LogicalUS
September 8th, 2010
6:49 pm
Nothing to worry about AG had already lost his spot to the great Kris Durham.
By Saturday, the delusional THUGA fans will have him down to waterboy on the girl’s lacrosse team who was never see the field anyway because of their 9 other Heisman-winning WRs.
ben
September 8th, 2010
6:49 pm
when will these greedy, selfish brats learn that you can’t screw with the NCAA and expect to win?
GaBorn2777
September 8th, 2010
6:50 pm
SOUTH CAROLINA DAWG….I’m willing to bet that you are tired of seeing Mr. AJ GREEN on the sideline…I mean he did kinda hand south carolina their ass to them last season… and hahaha…he’ll go higher than any south carolina draftee even if he doesn’t go to the 32nd round…KAB
ryan
September 8th, 2010
6:50 pm
I predict that his suspension will be reduce because 1st he gave the money back and plus it was an old jersey .
daddydog
September 8th, 2010
6:50 pm
A J did wrong and I am sure he was warned about selling his stuff, while still in school. If he sold his jersey on ebay, he did not sell it to an agent, he sold to the high bidder.
Per all precedence, if all he did is what has been announced, proper punishment should be repaying the money and 1 game suspension. UGA should certainly be seeking an appeal THIS WEEK.
Sec Fact Finder( the real one)
September 8th, 2010
6:51 pm
Last evening around 8:00 p.m. the beloved Dawg Post was that AJ would be cleared and would play against USC on Saturday. Many Red and Black visioned fans were taking this as a minor matter. This is all related back to the Gary Winchard players party and his “runners”. It may take a year or two but at some point this is going to come out in the open. These top players are a tight knit group and these agents and runners are all over them, however unlike the underground drug trade in this country, these kids have turned on one another and AJ was too close to a couple of players caught up in the investigation. The thing with AJ was just in 2003 the NCAA passed a regulation regarding selling of player issued memorbilia and gifts from schools or bowls, this rule was directly pointed at UGA for selling bowl rings. AJ was not immediately forthcoming and that is where his trouble took him. Several other players on other teams were aware of this practice and opened up about everything to get the NCAA to move on to the next guy.
So if anyone thinks this is unfair, remember this particular NCAA rule was put in place due to UGA players selling their bowl rings, and the UGA compliance office stated they had addressed it.
Feel sorry for AJ and his family, it sounds from other post that his family has had some recent hard times. But keep in mind in 9 months this kid will be a multi-millionaire. The ones that are hurt are his teammates who sweated all summer with USC in their sights as the game to get them started off right in the conference. Now because of a decision he made with the influence of an agent or runner he now jeopardizes his school and they could possibly be out of the SEC race by the 4th week without some players stepping up and playing their fannies off.
Good Luck
VolMan
September 8th, 2010
6:51 pm
Wow and you thought Da’Rick Rogers was a criminal….. Don’t ya wish you had him now!!!!
cann
September 8th, 2010
6:53 pm
I wonder how long we will be shrouded in Hershel’s mystique ? I am convinced that many of those in our proud Dawgnation believe that Hershel alone brought the national championship to Athens. We conveniently allow ourselves to forget that Danny Ford and Clemson never allowed him a home touchdown, but we won there just the same.
We had Matthew and Knowshon and nobody was going to stop us. Alabama had other ideas with lesser talent and greater hearts.
AJ will be missed, no doubt, but greatness in teams never falls to one participant, it falls to the TEAM. I do not believe that one member of our football team believes that they cannot win without AJ. I also do not believe that our team could have been presented with a greater motivator than to see the “Mighty Casey” sidelined by youthful indiscretion. AJ did not strike out, he merely passed his time at bat to others.
Expect a home run. This one for AJ !!!
This jacket will beat a dawgs ass
September 8th, 2010
6:54 pm
Sucks for you guys…..but I’m sure you all still think you are going to the national championship. Yall crack me up. And I have had a bunch of you Dawgs mention that you really dont like my screen name and that you would “beat my ass”. I live in Marietta right off of whitlock avenue. Yall can come line up and give it your best, I would TRULY enjoy it.
mike
September 8th, 2010
6:54 pm
coach richt and all coaches , get your head out of your assssssssssssssssssssssssss and get
this team together , carolina and the rest of schedule is not layf layf….this whole off season is a joke
and i got a bad feeling about this on the field is also..aj green go on to the pros ….hope you land in
st. louis or tampa bay …..go dawgs and with my comments i forgot about the great example our ex
AD set….this is like dallas and f………………without jessica..needs to be in people magazine..damn joke
F. Sinkwich
September 8th, 2010
6:55 pm
Dear AJ,
You are a DUMBA$$.
You can’t play this week, at least. Get out of the meeting room, get off the practice field, and run steps and laps while you watch your teammates prepare for war against a tough SEC opponent.
Wear a pink jersey while you suffer that exertion because if you can’t go on Saturday, you’re a pu$$y and you might as well be dead because you’re now worthless to your team.
With love,
F. Sinkwich
UGA man class of 71 & 73
September 8th, 2010
6:56 pm
We all know that when we play, we pay. These kids are dumbasses and if he were my kid, I would also be ticked. AJ Green has not won any titles for UGA …………YET ……….so let him sit, be fresh and ready for the big year ending games. He can heal from prior issues and have frsh legs late. Imagine having a third string ( by then ) All American flanker coming in in October. I like it.
Now ………….. Marvelous Marvin Brown @ 6;5″ and Israel Troupe and Chris Durden and the what? 5? tight ends and Tavarres King, Rontavious Wooten, and that Bennett FROSH kid from Alpharetta …….can all get a shot. Sometimes, things do work out for the best.
Wagons ……………load them up ……………. move em out!!!
Go Dogs.
Go Dogs.
T-MAN
September 8th, 2010
6:58 pm
let’s face it fleabags,he broke the rules,like other Ga players,and some of you are right about not knowing all the facts,but please what’s this 9 Ga players this year….see a pattern here.You’re telling me AJ didn’t know what he was doing….now he’s put your University in a bad light and you dimwits defend him..That’s what’s wrong with UGA…not hatin just saying,somethings wrong there.
ryan
September 8th, 2010
6:58 pm
People it was just an old jersey it not a crime to sell your own jersey you haters are the retards .
bornloser
September 8th, 2010
6:59 pm
PRAISE JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD FORGIVES YOU AJ, WE LOVE AJ. LET US PRAY
Chuck Doodle
September 8th, 2010
7:00 pm
Coach Richt…. Why do you think your players likes to tell stories?
bornloser
September 8th, 2010
7:00 pm
IT IS AGAINST THE RULES YOU MORON. HE KNEW THAT PRAISE JESUS
dawgman
September 8th, 2010
7:01 pm
Why in the world does CMR not see that he has a receiver every bit as good as A.J.on the team right in front of his face.I personally saw Alex Ogletree make catches in high school that bordered on magic.He probably would have been one of the best high school receivers in the nation last year ,if he had not played offense and defense.I have been watching football for 40 years and he was the best receiver I have seen in high school.Given a chance he would easily surpass a thousand yards,he is that good.Just a thought since we will be thin at this position for a while….
bornloser
September 8th, 2010
7:02 pm
PRAISE JESUS FIRE MARK RICHT HE IS WEAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET US PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
SuperB
September 8th, 2010
7:03 pm
Total BS. The NCAA is so hypocritical. The BCS schools should form their own alliance and finally tell the NCAA to— Go to Hell! Coaches and schools make millions off stars like AJ, but expect him (and many others) to help them make the million$– while living under the poverty line.
GIVE ME A BREAK
September 8th, 2010
7:03 pm
” IDIOT ” They know the rules. Richt has lost control over the players.
Paul in RDU
September 8th, 2010
7:04 pm
ryan – AJ sold an object that is worth maybe $100 if it has not been worn by him in a game to a person the NCAA classifies as an agent for almost $1,000. It is not a crime and AJ is not being prosecuted for anything, but it is a violation of NCAA rules.
TheTaxJacket
September 8th, 2010
7:05 pm
4 games is OK, but he deserved more. What a greedy punk this kid is.
((( 45 – 42 )))
ryan
September 8th, 2010
7:07 pm
UGA will be fine Chris Durham, Marlon Brown, Wooten , and Orson Charles Murray will have plenty of weapons also Murray is threat him self .
ThaNCAAgent
September 8th, 2010
7:07 pm
I guess the NCAA Homeland Security Division has another big trophy to add to their case. 2 1/2 months to resolve this. Give me a break. The NCAA pays big bucks for agents to monitor blogs, postings, ect to catch all our terrorist type athletes in breaking one of their 412,667 rules just so they can justify their continued existence. Green is just the first in a long line that will fall prey this year.
Please, please, please , deliver us from this NCAA abomination.
collegeballfan
September 8th, 2010
7:07 pm
A lot of fans are blaming the NCAA. The NCAA did not sell the jersey. The guy that knowingly broke the rule by selling a jersey to an agent is the guy you want to blame. Or, blame the Athletic Department for doing a lousy job educating their players on the rules.
HE IS A LIAR!
September 8th, 2010
7:08 pm
ALL LIARS GO TO HELL! RIP AJ GREEN! CURSE YE SINNER! BURN! BURN!
Gavin Taylor
September 8th, 2010
7:10 pm
Ok people, we ALL have made mistakes and our family members have too, but get over it! Think about the times that you have done wrong and did not get caught…YET! Think about you and your familiy’s DUIs, infidelity, stealing, your father’s abusive behavior to your mom, your brother’s drug abuse, rape, incest…do you want people to keep rambling about it. ALL of us would have been casted out if it wasn’t for GOD’s Grace…so…be very careful and mindful of judging others. And this is not to mention the things that have not been revealed about us and our families…Just be a bit more sensative to others.
And what is up with all of this “THUG” lingo thrown around…does anyone know AJ’s background or what his GPA is? his character and his contributions to society? He could possibly be a great young man. Stop being so judgemental folks!
willie g loves football
September 8th, 2010
7:11 pm
ncaa who made this decision needs to die , where is my voodoo doll at
willie g loves football
September 8th, 2010
7:11 pm
th etax jacket go kill yorself.
gatorboy62
September 8th, 2010
7:12 pm
another boy from the hood! what can you say………besides Go GATORS, ha,ha,ha,
Stuck in Afghanistan
September 8th, 2010
7:13 pm
Maybe this will keep A.J. around next year.