NCAA rejects appeal of A.J. Green suspension (updated)
(Last updated 10:15 p.m.)
Georgia will have to play without star wide receiver A.J. Green for two more games, including Saturday’s against Arkansas in Sanford Stadium.
An NCAA committee Friday rejected Georgia’s appeal of the four-game suspension handed Green last week for selling his Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000 to a person the NCAA considers an agent.
Georgia had hoped to have the suspension shortened, but the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, after hearing the appeal by conference call Friday morning, informed UGA officials late in the day that the original penalty will stand.
That means Green, who sat out Georgia’s first two games, will remain sidelined for the crucial game against No. 12 Arkansas and the Sept. 25 game at Mississippi State. He’ll be eligible to return for the Oct. 2 game at Colorado.
While the original suspension was imposed by NCAA staff, the appeal was heard by a committee consisting of officials from colleges and conferences across the country. The committee rejected Georgia’s appeal without public comment. The ruling was disclosed by UGA on Friday evening.
“We respect the committee’s decision and will focus on moving forward,” athletic director Greg McGarity said in a statement.
The NCAA’s investigation of Green, a junior who is widely projected as a high NFL draft pick if he turns pro next year, began in July as part of a series of probes at a number of schools into dealings between football players and agents.
The NCAA said last week that “according to the facts of the case submitted by Georgia,” Green sold the jersey to “an individual who meets the NCAA definition of an agent,” later identified as former North Carolina football player Chris Hawkins.
The NCAA defines an agent as “any individual who markets or promotes a student-athlete.” Hawkins has denied being an agent. It also would be against NCAA rules for a student-athlete to sell memorabilia to a non-agent.
Georgia has declined to release the “facts of the case” or other related documents. In response to an open-records request from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, UGA said it would not release the documents because doing so “would directly identify one particular student,” Green. The university said that would violate a federal law protecting student education records, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Green’s four-game suspension has drawn criticism from some Georgia fans because of another recent case in which Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus received a two-game suspension for accepting about $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.”
Another recent case, involving Middle Tennessee State quarterback Dwight Dasher, resulted in the same penalty as Green’s. The NCAA on Thursday suspended Dasher for four games for accepting $1,500 in “an impermissible loan from an individual in the community.”
Asked for comment on Friday’s ruling and the reason the appeal was denied, NCAA associate director of public and media relations Stacey Osburn said by e-mail “we do not have any further to share” beyond confirming the decision.
Georgia coach Mark Richt had held out hope that the appeal might put Green back on the field for Saturday’s game, but Richt said several times this week that the coaches were preparing the game plan on the premise that Green would not be available.
In a statement after Friday’s ruling, Richt said: “Our concentration is the same as the last two weeks, which is preparing for the next game. We’ll look forward to A.J.’s return for the Colorado game on Oct. 2.”
Green, who can continue to practice with the team during the suspension, was not available for comment.
His teammates were hoping for, but not necessarily expecting, good news on the appeal.
“It’s not something you can bank on because you never know,” tight end Aron White said at mid-week. “We’ve been preparing to where if he comes back great but if he doesn’t we’ve got to still go out and get these games. We’re still the Bulldogs, with or without A.J.”
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704 comments Add your comment
dagnabit
September 18th, 2010
7:16 am
Why can’t Greene lie to the NCAA. Who does the NCAA think they are anyway? This is the georgia Bulldogs the NCAA is fooling with. The NCAA better watch out.
mowreck
September 18th, 2010
7:17 am
I think the reason that Green got a 4 game suspension and Dareus only got 2 is when the NCAA was investigating, Dareus admitted his guilt, but Green didn’t or he lied about it.
I read this somewhere, but don’t remember the source.
mowreck
September 18th, 2010
7:18 am
Probably the AJC … lol
Red Panties
September 18th, 2010
7:19 am
GaTruth
Don’t hold your breath——-he isn’t coming back.
Red Panties
September 18th, 2010
7:21 am
mowreck
I think you are right, I read that the NCAA said Marcell lived up to the letter and spirit of the NCAA cooperative principle and the NCAA described him as ‘one of the most truthful student-athletes we have ever interviewed.’ “
Red Panties
September 18th, 2010
7:23 am
AJ should have been as cooperative (Dareus), I think he got a little too cute with the NCAA and the man put the hammer down.
jerry
September 18th, 2010
7:30 am
Sounds more like a drug deal to me and a case for the law, not the NCAA.
GaGator
September 18th, 2010
7:30 am
Just a little humor to get you out of the dumps:
“Wish that I was on old Rocky Top,
Up on a Tennessee hill,
Kiffy done bolted like a pig runnin’ to his slop,
Guess that we shoulda kept Phil!”
Rocky Top, you’ll always be,
The Pike’s Peak of our state,
Good ol’ Rocky Top,
Why’d we hire a coach who went 4-8?
Gators by 30——that’s points not arrests!
USC GAMEC0CK
September 18th, 2010
7:38 am
AJ is a South Carolina boy and went to georgia so who cares if he ever plays again?
He should have gotten a 6 game suspension.
georgia filed the appeal because it is pretty much an automatic thing to do but georgia officials knew the chance the 4 games would be reduced was vertually nil.
Arky will beat georgia…i sure hope Mark Richt and his clown coordinators (BooBoo and BoZo) don’t get put on a hot seat after it.
Damn those Red Panites….they might end up being the key to fixing this georgia mess…new AD in town….damn me thinks that is not good news for you SEC brothers…and that is a shame.
but, for now….THERE GOES LATTIMORE FOR ANOTHER USC FIRST DOWN!!!
aj
September 18th, 2010
7:38 am
i would never sell my jersey for money. now a 5 gallon bucket of cocaine…..
NewbombTurk
September 18th, 2010
7:43 am
A.J. should have gouged someone’s eyes out. Then he only would have faced a half game suspension. Right, Urban???
Boss Hog
September 18th, 2010
7:50 am
Turk
First of all, your player said he never touched his eye, brake his nose maybe. But when you play team that lead the country in unsportman like penalities and total penalities, players get frustrated have enough.
jerry
September 18th, 2010
7:51 am
A bit of history: Since 1980, UGA has lost their 1st SEC game 8 previous times. They are 7-1 in their next SEC game.
3-0 vs Alabama
1-0 vs Miss. St.
1-0 vs South Carolina
0-1 vs Tennessee
2-0 vs Arkansas
SEC Homer
September 18th, 2010
7:52 am
So the Alabama player gets 2 games for going to Miami twice over a years period hanging with an agent…and AJ gets 4 games for selling a jersey? That is CRAP…Mike Slive didn’t help out UGA at all with this like he does consistently for his boy Saban..
» SEC: Florida-Tennessee not what it used to be John Clay’s Sidelines
September 18th, 2010
7:56 am
[...] NCAA rejects A.J. Green’s appeal of suspension, reports Tim Tucker of the AJC. [...]
WonderDawg
September 18th, 2010
7:58 am
Wish we could pick the games for him to miss. We’d for sure choose Idaho State and Ga Tech. Hell, we already know we can beat Tech without Green . . .
Bulldogs are Tards
September 18th, 2010
7:59 am
Since football is really not god at UGA anymore why not concentrate on badmitton or competitive horseshoes
Iceman
September 18th, 2010
8:00 am
To hell with the NCAA.
GO DAWGS!!
WonderDawg
September 18th, 2010
8:06 am
AJ should have just pled guilty to: 1)second degree burglary and, 2) marijuana possession like QB Jeremiah Masoli. The NCAA has no problem with those crimes . . .
WonderDawg
September 18th, 2010
8:07 am
“Since football is really not god at UGA anymore why not concentrate on badmitton or competitive horseshoes”
******************************
UGA would beat Tech at those sports too!
JimDawg
September 18th, 2010
8:11 am
AJ may have gone pro next year anyway, but this seals the deal…
POPS
September 18th, 2010
8:19 am
maybe aj is better suited to ROSE BOWL FIELD
Deepdiver565
September 18th, 2010
8:25 am
Have they finished the probe on whether he went to the agent’s party in Miami? He could still get busted for that as well.
Good, Good, Good
September 18th, 2010
8:31 am
Ah, you UGA fans……you don’t need somebody like him playing alongside you……he’s a THUG like so many others on your team and other teams in the SEC. You should start recruiting better athletes with ethics that can actually spell their names.
We need to pay these athletes a stipend so they don’t have to live like moles – Gooddawg……….These students? are given a free education, free food, free lodging and a monthly stipend. You know, this is life – they need to learn discipline which Marc Richt and his staff are not giving them…….you fire Richt and part of the problem goes away.
Live from Georgia: Can Dogs stop Piggies (and Mallett)? | Jeff Schultz
September 18th, 2010
8:37 am
[...] you no doubt learned by now from my comrade, Tim Tucker, Georgia’s appeal to have Green’s four-game suspension reduced was rejected by the NCAA. Maybe you believe four games is too harsh of a penalty, or maybe you believe Chris [...]
Thomp
September 18th, 2010
8:37 am
Mediocre is as mediocre does… If they have mediocre championship UGA would win.
Dump Richt, get someone who wants to win championships!
Paddy
September 18th, 2010
8:43 am
It appears AJ let his team down like so many others. “Ring of Honor” now seams like a fading memory. He now becomes just another good player at UGA and nothing more. Too bad.
King Gator
September 18th, 2010
8:51 am
As it turns out Bama also has better lawyer than UGA.. Go Gators!
LogicalUS
September 18th, 2010
8:58 am
Green lied to the NCAA and that is the worst thing a player can do. They often punish that more than even the offense…see Dez Bryant from last season.
And to the people saying that the transaction was no big deal, they have to be naive youngsters otherwise they would understand that the rules are the way they are because in the past schools and boosters created all types of ways to get around rules.
Such as “buying” shirts from recruits for 20K or in the case of Clemson, players “working” at auto dealerships for exorbinant pay and driving complimentary cars home.
Mike
September 18th, 2010
8:59 am
Let the beatings begin. In typical Richt fashion another one of our thugs is caught with his hand in the cookie jar and CMR wants to blame Keeblers. Other top flight programs regardless of the players talent would and have dismissed players under similar circumstances. We will use this as an excuse for failure. Please explain to Boca that this is not Tallahasee.
Bloke
September 18th, 2010
9:14 am
Hahaha
catlady
September 18th, 2010
9:16 am
Perhaps the NCAa should have mandatory 6 game suspensions, no matter the offense. Period. If the six games includes postseason, forfeit the right to go to a bowl for the whole team. Until the NCAA puts its foot down completely, with no more “judgement calls”, this crap will escalate, and folks will compare how one guy got punished vs. some other guy. A second offense means a year of sabatical. A third would be no more NCAA participation.
Easy, quick, attention-getting, to the point, no arguements. Everyone the same.
I am willing to bet we would see a great improvment in student behavior, or more competitive ball games with these students out!
Billy
September 18th, 2010
9:26 am
Do you not have to have a license to be an agent? A plummer has to have license. I hope AJ sues the NCAA.
I wll say it again
September 18th, 2010
9:39 am
If life, we always have to move on after an era or such, be is in bidnezz or sports. Period.
When UGA saw Walker turn pro with the NJ Generals and Donald Trump, they simply wrnt out ALL SEASON and played big boy call and ended up in the Cotton Bowl …….when it was a biggie bowl …………played Texas and they ( UT ) were only ranked at the time …….#1. UGA defeated them 10-9 annd it will forver be 10-9 in Dallas. UGA the year that Walker bolted ended up in the FINAL rankings around # 4.
NO program rises or falls on the one kid. UGA ………..let us move on without AJ Green. NO games should be be allowed to play and that should create some opportunities for kids that do want to play for UGA ……..now.
Use the UGA post Hershal Walker era as the template. Cotton Bowl, defeated # 1 Texas and final #4 rankings for UGA.
By the way, Walker was only about 5 times better than AJ in every apples to apples category. Walker had dedication …………..see?
Go Dogs.
USC GAMEC0CK
September 18th, 2010
9:53 am
Should have gotten 6 game suspension
Keep Marc Richt and his 2 coordinators (BooBoo and Bozo)
and…there goes Lattimore for another USC FIRST DOWN!!
dawginduluth
September 18th, 2010
10:10 am
Those of you who know me know that I have been asking for RIcht’s head since year three. He is a dunce when it comes to game management. Has been, always will be. He is not a “great” coach as many have suggested. He is a great recruiter and a mediocre coach. He can’t take talent to the next level. He can’t get more out his players than what is already there. Just look at all the top ten recruiting classes and the results. I could go on but I will close with…
No national championship with Richt. Never.
collegeballfan
September 18th, 2010
10:12 am
Since neither UGA nor the NCAA will release the facts of the case, none of you have a clue as to the details of the case. The AJC has no details of the case and can report nothing to you. Since you do not know anything about the case, what do you base your opinions on?
Wishful thinking?
You are all like Sgt Schultz – you “know nutheeng!”.
Let it go. The important deal is Arkansas and whether Smith can play at CB.
Dabney
September 18th, 2010
10:14 am
I wish Richt has the guts(or B—-Ls) to get rid of Green. And that other loser Washing Easly. Any coach with any smarts at all knows that people like Green are trouble and are not part of a team—-he is only thinking of himself!!!!!!!!!!!!—-Get a life Richt and pull the plug and move on————–life isnt going to get any worse!!———That Easly guy runs sideways into the defense—what a loser!!!!!!!!!!!—–get rid of the punks and lets play some football man, come on. Act like you got a pair.
Most fans agree with you, but Richt is never going to grow b*lls and be a man.
Urban Spurrier
September 18th, 2010
10:24 am
Hahahaha!
Time
September 18th, 2010
10:28 am
AJ should hold a press conference now and release ALL the details that the NCAA wants kept secret. All of them. Of course they’d probably call that a violation as well and try to suspend him forever.
I think it’s well beyond time that Congress and holds a public investigation into the racketeering and corruption that is the NCAA.
Common Sense
September 18th, 2010
10:49 am
Richt’s example of “fire” is to take the team to a soup kitchen, or habitat for humanity event, or some other Mother of Theresa B.S.
Which is fine and dandy…but doesn’t win championship anymore.
Saban is a leader and motivator.
Saban doesn’t use ping pong as a recruitment tool.
I am so over Richt and his excuses.
The new AD is gonna run him off….you heard it hear first.
Richt
Skipper
September 18th, 2010
10:54 am
AJ Green knew what he was doing and let GA Team and fans down big time.I believe we can compete with everybody eles on the schedule and can win without Green. Ga should play the new Receivers to gain experience. Since Green is leaving after this year and he put himself before the team we should not let him display his talents for the pros. We need to give the other guys every bit of experience.
MH
September 18th, 2010
11:06 am
Kick him off the team. We don’t need Geen at this point!! Three years and he has played a year and a half of football games.
DEP
September 18th, 2010
11:19 am
Two words come to mind…Bull Sh%^!
DEP
September 18th, 2010
11:20 am
My recommendation play Kris Durham the entire game, if we don’t 1-2
5150 P.O.A.D
September 18th, 2010
11:20 am
Who has the Moonshine and the Pork Ribs?
saban
September 18th, 2010
11:40 am
Well if he had sold the AD`s red panties……………….
This is just too funny.
GR82BAG8R
September 18th, 2010
11:51 am
After Georgia wins today, all the Richt critics will be back on here extolling his brilliance and how Georgia will play for the SEC championship this year…
CLEVON LITTLE
September 18th, 2010
1:46 pm
Embarrassed UGA grad, This is a FOOTBALL blog! NO FOOTBALL, NO nice facilities!!
Now,
I SAID GOOD DAY.
Bulldawgdenise
September 18th, 2010
10:02 pm
Masoli (a felon) is cleared to play for Ole Miss, Da Rick Rogers puts an off duty policeman in ICU and gets nothing. AJ Green sells his jersey to help him family out and gets a 4 game suspension – NCAA ARE YOU SERIOUS?????