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
Al
September 8th, 2010
5:17 pm
UGA would be much better served by not appealing and teaching a liitle “consequences for actions” to all involved.
Mountain Dawg
September 8th, 2010
5:17 pm
What a complete moron. Since he will miss nearly half of his last season, he might as well go ahead and sign with his agent/buddy and get it over with. Too bad he couldn’t keep his nose clean, prepare for his last season, and help the Dawgs regain Glory; plus enhancing his position in the NFL draft and awaiting a fat contract. Instead, he will miss his final year and end up going lower in the draft. I wonder if there are any kids on this team of rule-breakers who love and want to play for UGA and are not whiling their time away in Athens breaking laws and slaking their mercenary greed at UGA’s expense.
J Moore
September 8th, 2010
5:17 pm
This is why I don’t follow UGA. They cheat in most every sport.
Bama's Back
September 8th, 2010
5:17 pm
Just like the good ole days….
Bama is in its rightful place back on top and when others try to tear Bama down, somebody else gets punished by the NCAA. The way it should be.
RTR!!!
swimdawg68
September 8th, 2010
5:17 pm
How does the “bama” player get of with two games and AJ gets 4? UGA plans to appeal, I hope they get a rulling on their appeal as fast as Miss. did on their appeal on the gangster they have at QB. The ruleing on their appeal came down in less than 24 hrs. By the way, it was reported that AJ cooperated with the NCAA.
I think the NCAA has always had it in for UGA and OKLA. for taking them to court years ago and removing them from the control of TV rights for schools.
I will be shocked if this suspension is left at 4 games, it will probably be reduced to 2 games.
For all you Carolina fans, we will beat your butt anyway.
tim
September 8th, 2010
5:18 pm
Look, it’s four games because they’re punishing Georgia for REPEATED IDIOTIC AND UNDISCIPLINED BS. Green just happened to be the fall guy because he’s a big target. Plus, I’m sure this isn’t the only thing he’s done.
And who would want an Independence Bowl Jersey?
drzlstrangelovejr
September 8th, 2010
5:18 pm
JBDawg, all you are is a CMR apologist. LALAF doesn’t have a player that UGA would have even offered. I don’t care if they put 11 in the box, if you block them you can run anywhere you want to. Obviously you never played OL. Fact is CMR just wants to throw. Never win championships that way. Continue to be happy losing 3 or more games. Go Dogs, get a real coach.
DTC
September 8th, 2010
5:18 pm
One Jersey. $1,000 in the pocket of the person who in effect owned the jersey. The agent he sold it to is dumb enough to expose the jersey. The agent? Nothing happens to him. He and the agency he is connected with should be penalized $100,000 each, the first time this happens, and both parties/entities fines are doubled every succeeding time it happens. Spurrier, Saban and other coaches are correct. Until the agents are penalized, the agents are going to continue to break the rules. They have nothing to lose. What if a player actually lost his amateur status, with one year of SEC Football experience under his belt? What then Mr Agent? You are more concerned about your pocket, than you are about the player.
Why not penalize the agents, heavily? Forbid all agents from any contact with any player, on or off the field, in any way, via text, email, tweet, Facebook, or any other similar type internet oriented type of service, or phone, or face to face discussion, or through a 3rd party, or with a 3rd party friend or family member.
Then tell the player, “you will have no contact – of any kind – with any agent – in any way including via text, email, tweet, Facebook, or any other similar type of internet oriented type service,phone, or face to face discussion, or through a 3rd party, or with a 3rd party friend or family member – or you will be sitting out 4 games and we will be the ones who makes sure you do sit out those four games – because you are so stupid that you will jeopardize your amateur status. Do you understand this statement or do we need to get your mama or grandmother in here and let her explain it to you?”
I am a UGA and AJ Green fan, but this was stew-pid, which is worse than stupid. Stupid is not having the intelligence to know the difference. Stew-pid is having the intelligence to know the difference, but not actually listen to what you have been given the benefit of the doubt of having the actual intelligence to understand. Stew-pid. (Pronounce it like it is spelled. Stew – pid).
For the $1,000, he is probably going to miss the South Carolina, Arkansas and Mississippi State games. He received the $1,000 – and now has paid it back – he gained nothing out of it. He loses the experience of playing those four games. The 5th game of the season, he is coming in to play with the same game level experience as every player that played last Saturday.
What if we lose one of those games by one touchdown, or all three games by one touchdown each? Do you think AJ Green is worth one touchdown per game average? No! He is worth the sweaty nasty jersey that he played in, in last years Independence Bowl Game!
STEW- PID!!!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 8th, 2010
5:18 pm
But coach Mama needed a New pair-o-kicks. Iz had to sell it. Daddy can’t get no jobz. Obama’s shovels ain’t ready to work for a Black man. Only Hispanics get dim jobz. Please coach don’t takz me of scholarship my hood ain’t gotz the Benjamins to get me through schoolz.
Beast from the East
September 8th, 2010
5:19 pm
gadawgs,
I would say that if any of our players did the same thing. He messed up, the punishment has been handed down (whether you agree with it or not) and let’s move on. All of this complaining won’t change a thing. By the way, I don’t wish this on ANY program.
Dawg Dude to TECH fans
September 8th, 2010
5:19 pm
Yeah our best WR is suspended but we have replacements that would be absolute superstars at TECH. Oh wait…… 2 for 8 for 12 yards=Nesbitt’s passing stats against South Carolina State. Maybe our receivers wouldn’t fair very well at TECH either.
King Gator
September 8th, 2010
5:19 pm
How much will the infamous “red panties” go for on eBay?
Another Thug bites the dust
September 8th, 2010
5:19 pm
Kick this thug off the team ! He dealt with an Agent and the NCAA has dealt with THUGA !
Vince Dooley
September 8th, 2010
5:19 pm
Damn good thing they didn’t have ebay or craigslist when I was coaching.
Red Panties
September 8th, 2010
5:19 pm
tide roll
I didn’t realize the NCAA made the slaves take a scholarship. Scholarship = $$$$$$$$$$$$
LawDawg
September 8th, 2010
5:20 pm
If a team makes it to a bowl game, doesn’t the team receive swag provided by the sponsors. What if a player sold his gaming system, I-pod, flat screen, or watch that he received. Is that a violation? It’s his.
Universities make plenty of money from jersey sales that feature conviently their star players’ numbers. It is time to give some of that money to the players-not just the stars, before they sell the actual jersey off of their backs.
bwell
September 8th, 2010
5:20 pm
THIS BS STRAIGHT UP BS HOW DUMB IS THIS AND THE NCAA COME ON WHAT THE HELL AND THE AGENT GET OFF FREE BS
Tech Buzz
September 8th, 2010
5:20 pm
Dawg players in trouble again. Taking money, committing crimes, assault, DUI,,,,, — it never ends over there. The university president needs to step in to get control of the program. Even with all these wild players, richt still can’t win anything. But, it’s OK—Tech beats Ga this year by 13–mark it down!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 8th, 2010
5:20 pm
PETER for the same reason your mom don’t call you DICK.
out of control dogs
September 8th, 2010
5:20 pm
Who’s next ? What does USC, UGA and UT (and thats not Texas they are classy ) have in common ? They all have thugs on their team and want to win at any cost !!! UGA fans don’t care what happens as long as UGA wins!!! Quit going to the games and supporting your THUGS !!!
Dawg Gone
September 8th, 2010
5:20 pm
It’s obvious A.J. Green lied to the NCAA. Lucky he didn’t get the 1-year sentence that Okie St receiver got last year. When are these kids gonna wise up and follow the rules. Georgia seems to believe they have a different set.
spider
September 8th, 2010
5:21 pm
NCAA=AL QUAEDA
UGA = Clemson = Perennial Underachievers
September 8th, 2010
5:21 pm
Dawg Dude to TECH fans
spewing hate towards GT doesn’t change the fact that Spurrier is going to beat you all by 3 TDs on sat and you all will be 2-2 (Or possibly 1-3) heading out west to Colorado
You SOB’s really deserve this
Act like you've been there
September 8th, 2010
5:21 pm
Pizza Bowl anyone ?
CSRADawg
September 8th, 2010
5:21 pm
Obama just issued a statement blaming George Bush for AJ’s suspension.
bugkiller
September 8th, 2010
5:21 pm
buzzkill u r funny the acc and gt suck if gt wins 8 games feel proud
out of control dogs
September 8th, 2010
5:21 pm
out of control dogs
Who’s next ? What does USC, UGA and UT (and thats not Texas they are classy ) have in common ? They all have thugs on their team and want to win at any cost !!! UGA fans don’t care what happens as long as UGA wins!!! Quit going to the games and supporting your THUGS !!!
BAMA STAN
September 8th, 2010
5:21 pm
13 NATIONAL TITLES – 22 SEC TITLES!!!
Before everyone compares AJ’s punishment to others – you have to remember that each case is unique and dealt with accordingly.
Regarding AJ – I imagine he got 2 games for selling memorabilia …. and 2 games for contact with an agent.
I hope UGA wins the appeal and AJ will be able to play against Arkansas. However, the NCAA moves at a snails pace and will not be in a hurry.
At the end of the day – AJ did this to himself and has only one person to blame. These kids can do some stupid things.
YouTube Sensation
September 8th, 2010
5:21 pm
INTERVIEW
Jim Rome:
“Coach, you’ve had mutiple off-the-field issues this year, including several players arrested. Is their a discipline problem with the UGA program.”
Mark Richt:
“No, we DO NOT have a discipline problem here at Georgia.”
Man, you just cant make this sh** up !!!!
ROTFLMAO
Sport14692
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
Buzzkill, how old are you?
Beast from the East
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
LawDawg,
I agree with your comments at 5:20pm, but that does not change the situation at hand. Until the rules are actually changed, all the players across the country are obligated to play by them. We can only “hope” the kids at our respective universities make the right decisions.
Paul in RDU
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
4 games seems a little harsh – I was expecting 2.
It will be interesting to see what if any details come out.
To put AJ’s suspension in perspective, Dez Bryant was suspended for the entire 2009 season when the NCAA discovered that he had lied to them.
40Capt
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
wait, this can’t be true, I thought LAWDAWG said not to worry, that he knew this was nothing and AJ would be fine to play?
Sam
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
I don’t know why Tech is gloating b/c he will be back in enough time to kick their *** in Nov. This will give the team momentum for the next 3 games to step it up and use their frustrations with the NCAA to their advantage and to their opponent’s disadvantage. I still believe that the Dawgs will win Sat & beyond without AJ. Special teams, a confident Murray, & a solid D will be the keys to the SC game. Go Dawgs!
Dawg in South Ga
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
If we continue to win like last Saturday I could care less NCAA. You can’t stop us from playing in the SECCG game vs Miss State.
Josh Nesbitt
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
I’ll sell my South Carolina State game jersey for $500. C’mon guys I had 2 completions and 12 yards passing, what the problem is?
Jonny
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
Shannon from Winder – who said AJ told the truth? The rumor was the opposite.
bugkiller
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
my guess is he is 10 or 12 same as his iq
GADAWG88
September 8th, 2010
5:22 pm
AJ is no thug. He made a stupid choice. but he is no thug and his suspension should be reduced.
Discipline?
September 8th, 2010
5:23 pm
Another week, another Georgia football player in the news.
Someone made a comment about Jeff Schultz’s recent column attaching blame on Mark Richt for the lack of discipline (9 arrests since March) demonstrated by his team. This is yet another example of what Schultz was writing about.
Mark Richt is clearly a fine man, and a good coach. You have to wonder why a large segment of his players seem to think that rules (or laws) just don’t apply to them. What makes this case especially onerous for Georgia is the fact that the NCAA adopted the rule being applied in this situation as a result of the sale of rings by… you guessed it… nine UGA football players. So there’s no way (or at least there shouldn’t be) that a Georgia athlete would not be aware of this rule.
“Glory, Glory?” How about “Shame, Shame?”
Personally, I don’t think sitting out Louisiana-Lafayette means a damned thing to them. As long as that sort of “punishment” is Richt’s way of enforcing the rules, then he’ll have players who won’t view them as “rules,” but instead as “suggestions.”
David
September 8th, 2010
5:23 pm
You DA’s don’t get it. It sounds like he sold it to an agent. I think he got a break. If indeed he was doing business with an agent, that makes him a professional. He then loses his amateur status.
Ga got a huge break. I would take it and keep quiet. Besides, who the hell would want an Independece Bowl jersey?
Terrence G. Caldwell
September 8th, 2010
5:23 pm
Sadly, the NCAA is full of crap and a money-hungry, walking contradiction!
I guarantee the NCAA won’t refund ANY of the profit they make off his #8 jersey sales over the next 3 games!? A student-athlete walks into a campus bookstore and they’re selling HIS jersey, but the poor guy has to stroll around campus dead broke and not make a single dime off the profits. What do you people really expect? This is why I can’t knock a young athlete leaving school early to make a salary, because they won’t let them work during their season.
Interestingly enough, with an academic scholarship/fellowship, you can get refund checks and keep the money. But, with an athletic scholarship, you’re most likely big, strong, fast…and a BROKE college kid. Indentured servants foreal. The NCAA should be ashamed giving AJ Green 4 games because of this, why letting real criminals play!
poor, poor pitiful athlete
September 8th, 2010
5:24 pm
Tired of hearing about the inequity between players and the evil profiteers, the NCAA and the schools. These kids DO GET PAID. They get a free education — at least the ones people buy tickets to see on the field, they get free board, free books, free meals, free tutors, and very special treatment when it comes to test taking and class schedules. They get free coaching and an opportunity to hone and show their talent on a nat’l stage. A few go on to make millions for their “services” to the university. If they don’t like it, have a seat. There’s a line as long as hwy 316 with kids ready to jump on the same opportunity. By the way, when the kids in the lab come up with a patent on a new breed of blight resistant tomato, or highly productive wheat that feeds millions (and makes millions) — guess who gets the commercial rights to it? (it ain’t the kid in the lab). When these guys get to autograph and sell their lab notes, come back and talk to me. Until then, let the market work itself out. We don’t need no more stinkin regulations.
LawDawg
September 8th, 2010
5:24 pm
All right everybody,
Let us all (True Dawg fans) get together and put this behind us. We call know this is a crock of you know what. I know a thing or 2 about appeals and it will drag out until after this game Saturday. Let’s just think about the positives with our WR corp; we get T. King back and Durham is a huge weapon. Not to mention we have Wooten, Troupe, Gray, Brown and our trio at TE including the sensational Orsen Charles. We can beat the Chickens without AJ. Sure, it would be nice to have him but we still have PLENTY of skilled players to fill the gap. Throw in a little Branden Smith and the newly reinstated Washaun Ealey and our offense will be OK. The bitter, jealous, immature haters on here are ALL scared of UGA and their being on this blog just proves the point. We will b e fine as I see UGA winning by atleast 10 points on Saturday. Green SHOULD have this appeal heard by next week and, from what I’ve heard, the suspension will be reduced to just 2 games. He SHOULD play against Arky next week. However, let’s not worry about that. Let’s be focused on the task at hand – beating the Chickens and eating that BBQ Bird to boot.
DAWGS 27 Chickens 17
Another One Bites the Dust
September 8th, 2010
5:24 pm
Burdell….Orson Charles may not be on the team come Saturday with the way things are going in the Cesspool. They make be lucky to even field a team…much less a Dream Team!!!
wtf?
September 8th, 2010
5:24 pm
tech still sux, ha ha ha
Joe
September 8th, 2010
5:24 pm
Well, if the appeal takes as long as the decision to suspend for the violation, AJ will be out the rest of the season!
Gary
September 8th, 2010
5:24 pm
We treat these kids like slaves when they are in college while the NCAA and the institutions and ESPN make millions off of them and they get a free education which you would get anyway at Georgia with the hope scholarship. They can’t work. They can’t sell anything. It really is a crazy. These guys need to be payed for their work. Give them a nice per dium and set up a IRA for them and put some money the school makes off them away for their future. Seems fair. 3 or 4 of these guys may move on to the NFL, but the rest should get a little something for their effort. We all no a college degree is not worth what it used to be.
UGA = Clemson = Perennial Underachievers
September 8th, 2010
5:24 pm
bugkiller
you’re a 5 loss ‘09 team that has been owned by UF since 1990
Don’t beat your chest about the SEC
UGA is not who Kirk is refering to when he talks about how tough it is
LSU, UF, and BAMA = SEC
You other clowns are just the little brothers who get smacked around
You SOB’s really really deserve this
Sport14692
September 8th, 2010
5:24 pm
all you guys saying SC will beat Georgia this weekend, email me and leats put some money on it but im sure you are all too young to have money anyway