A.J. Green: I sold jersey for ‘extra cash’ during spring break
ATHENS — Having served his four-game NCAA suspension for selling a jersey for $1,000, Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green on Tuesday told why he did it and how he got caught.
Green said he sold his Independence Bowl jersey to have “extra cash” during spring break and that the NCAA found out about it after asking him to turn over his bank records. He said he complied with the request.
“They had every bank statement going back to February ‘09,” Green said. “They looked and saw that [$1,000 deposit] and they were, like, ‘Hey, where did you get the money from?’ I told them. I’m not going to lie to them . . . and jeopardize my whole season.”
Green, eligible to play for the first time this season Saturday at Colorado, spoke to reporters in a UGA conference room Tuesday afternoon — his first interview since being suspended by the NCAA.
The star receiver did not deny knowing that selling the jersey was against NCAA rules, saying he “didn’t really think it through” and “everybody makes mistakes in life.”
“I broke the rule,” Green said, “and I paid my price. And I’m just ready to play again.”
He said he has never met the jersey buyer, Chris Hawkins, a former North Carolina football player, whom the NCAA considers an agent. Green said he and Hawkins communicated only through Facebook.
It also would be against NCAA rules to sell a jersey to a non-agent, but the NCAA’s designation of Hawkins as an agent might have added to the severity of Green’s penalty. Hawkins has denied that he is an agent and said that he bought the jersey as a collector.
Green said he was told the investigation started when the NCAA heard a rumor that he might have attended a Miami party sponsored by an agent (not Hawkins).
“I didn’t know anything about it,” Green said of the party. “When the NCAA told me about it, they said they heard it from [website] TMZ. [The NCAA] just heard it was a rumor, so they came down here and asked me.”
Green said he told the NCAA investigators, as he previously had told reporters and UGA officials, that he did not attend the Miami party. In the course of the investigation, he said, the NCAA asked for his bank statements, which led to the discovery of a rule violation — the jersey sale — separate from the Miami party.
“I guess when they couldn’t find [anything] on that trip, they went back and found this,” Green said.
He said the NCAA first asked him to explain the money about a week before Georgia’s Sept. 4 opener.
The NCAA declined to respond to Green’s comments Tuesday, and UGA has refused to turn over documents related to the case.
Green said the investigation was “a painful process, man. I’m not the type of guy who ever got into trouble here and stuff like that. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep just thinking about [it]. … I’m just glad that it’s over.”
Of the four-game suspension, he said: “I did something wrong. I deserve it, a penalty for what I’d done.”
Green said he had been approached about selling items before, “but I didn’t do it. But, like I said, it was spring break. So, you know, extra cash. I really didn’t think about it [being] a big deal, so I just did it.”
Georgia has lost three of four games without Green, who said the games have been “painful” for him to watch.
“I feel like . . . I caused a lot of people pain,” he said. “Because I feel like if I was out there some of the time we would have had a chance. . . . I beat myself up pretty much over that.
“But it taught me a valuable lesson. I’m growing up, and I’ve got to do the right thing.”
Georgia coach Mark Richt hopes the lesson spreads to Green’s teammates.
“I would think everybody saw what happened to A.J. and hopefully if they were in that position would not give in to whoever is trying to convince you that this is a good thing to do or that it’s OK to do,” Richt said.
Meanwhile, Green looks forward to his belated season opener Saturday.
“Now it’s about that time to show people what I was missing,” Green said. “I feel like I still got stuff to prove, that I’m behind and that I’m going to have a lot of catching up to do.”
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689 comments Add your comment
MURPHY
September 28th, 2010
3:54 pm
audoguy3107,
Similar to a cop asking if he can search your vehicle on a routine traffic stop. If you say yes they dont need a warrant.If AJ would have denied this they would have kept him in limbo all year and maybe next year.They have the power to get what they want!
jarvis
September 28th, 2010
3:54 pm
They need to take the numbers off of the jerseys for sale, and they need to remove their likenesses from the video games.
They can’t earn a profit, so they shouldn’t be able to turn a profit.
RussDawg
September 28th, 2010
3:54 pm
Face facts. CMR has lost control. Look at the arrest!
Too busy with Sunday school?
Too busy recruiting players that for some reason won’t work out on the field?
Sorry homers but UGA headed in wrong direction in a hurry and there is but one answer.
GatorMater
September 28th, 2010
3:54 pm
Who cares? The kid learned his lesson and its now in the past. Besides, it sounds as if the NCAA wanted to catch him doing SOMETHING.
audioguy3107
September 28th, 2010
3:56 pm
jarvis: how can they ban someone from playing until they release that info? Is there a stipulation that all athletes in the NCAA have to make those records available? I have no law background, I just don’t see how that’s possible.
audioguy3107
September 28th, 2010
3:58 pm
Murphy: I see…but the police/auth are searching based on illegal whatever….drugs, DUI, alcohol etc etc. based on state and federal laws. What would the NCAA have as a basis under state/federal law?
Ray
September 28th, 2010
3:58 pm
You would hope that all of the players and coaches would be reflecting on ethics and proper behavior and eliminating the dumb, stupid and irresponsible acts, this players actions cost his team dearly and all he can think about is who supported him instead of a public apology to his team, fans and coaching staff. It’s the drinking, arrest and stupid attitudes that caused us to cancel attending the games.
German Shepherd Dawg
September 28th, 2010
3:58 pm
Drew Dawg,
You bring shame to your last name. We’re talking about a twenty year old kid. I know all about them; I have one myself still living at home. I just burned my day driving all over GA to go watch him get raped in court by a vicious jerk of a judge who threw the book at him for nothing. But technically he did something wrong and was severely punished. I see great correlations in the two examples. You come across as a know-it-all jerk who has never erred (at least in his own mind) and never will, but forgive the rest of humanity for failing to live up to your lofty expectations.
Geez! How do you put up with the rest of us?
Is your problem really that a college kid thought it was an easy way to get spending money, or that the team you pretend to support lost some games you thought they should have won? So you blame it on our best player who happened to be suspended for the losses, but the last time I watched it seemed to be a team sport.
Ralphie the Buffalo
September 28th, 2010
3:59 pm
I think AJ in an amazing act of contrition should voluntarily sit out the next game.
Vince Dooley, III
September 28th, 2010
3:59 pm
So considering the guy he sold it to for $1,000 is a sports agent who also has had federal problems with cocaine trafficking…is it too big of a stretch to say that this was money laundering?
nerds! nerds! nerds!
September 28th, 2010
3:59 pm
AJ… You moron. Why did you deposit the money? Seriously? So the NCAA can go in without provocation and dig and dig and dig until they find something? The NCAA is the biggest problem in college football!
Skitty Fritty
September 28th, 2010
3:59 pm
How many of us would man up and admit a mistake? My hats off to AJ. Good luck the rest of the year and with your career!
Asheville Dawg
September 28th, 2010
4:00 pm
I give A.J. an A+ in economics for getting a grand for a $250-$300 jersey. I wonder if other college students are allowed to sell personal items to raise some cash. Are football players, or NCAA folks, allowed to sell the car they owned? NCAA wanting to see a kids checkbook is an infringement on his rights. Who else has to put with this BS?
meh
September 28th, 2010
4:00 pm
I still think a 4 game suspension was overkill. should’ve been 2 games.
MURPHY
September 28th, 2010
4:01 pm
audioguy3107,
As a player you must join the NCAA by way of their clearing house as a incomming freshman.It states very clearly the rules of engagement,and the guidelines the NCAA has to perform an investigation.It states very clearly the involvement with cooperation from the student athelete. Believe me I have read the documents twice,my son plays in college.You in some way give these rights to the NCAA upon registration.
German Shepherd Dawg
September 28th, 2010
4:01 pm
Gator Mater,
I do like your name. How does a mixed marriage like that work out? My wife and I went to different schools, but she was not SEC, so it’s okay. Besides, she no longer likes football now that she isn’t a cheerleader anymore.
GAWGABUZZ.
September 28th, 2010
4:01 pm
Whats did is whats did whats done is whats done.So why all the negative comments? Being honest is having class and he done it to himself so again why all the negative comments? You people are responding like it effected yall.wheather you think its a mistake or not life goes on.
Alvin York
September 28th, 2010
4:01 pm
I agree with Ralphie but if AJ really wants to be contrite he should volunteer, love that word, to sit out the next two games.
SadDawg
September 28th, 2010
4:01 pm
Yeah, Ray, how long have you had season tickets? What’s your contribution? Do you get GA-Fla tickets?
Kendell J.
September 28th, 2010
4:01 pm
From all I have read, which was not very much of these comments, think trhere is a lot of people who doesn’t have very much to do. I will give you a clue. I do have time to do stuff like this. I am only 77. and a real GEORGIA fan. GO DAWGS.
DHJ
September 28th, 2010
4:01 pm
I agree with Smitty’s comment. Also, these kids should get paid for it. I mean they are at UGA to play ball,make money for the school, and entertain the alumni. Division I football is big business and is a free farm system for the pros. But too many of the fans talk about the players being selfish and not committed to the team. Give me a break. Let those fans try to do what these kids do and still get passing grades.
biggerthanbigdawg
September 28th, 2010
4:02 pm
The only mistake this kid made was to leave a papertrail. Does anyone wanna take a guess at how many cash payouts/payoffs/loans..etc…occur every year. There was a ESPN preseason show that highlighted the Alabama football..imagine that right…so anyway there was Greg McElroy “buying” dinner for his offensive line at a Applebees or something and when the bill came the camera showed it at it was like $879.00!!!…so gonna tell me Mama n Diddy phony up that kind of dinero? Bull honkey! U can bet your hat n a$$ it was comped by the restaurant which is the same as having your hand out to collect $879 bones…..dang it im done with it all…wheres the Tylenol?!?
builder dawg
September 28th, 2010
4:03 pm
the season is in the toilet. Hey thanks A.J. Hope it was worth it. What CAN you do to fix it? Didn’t think about that did you? Can you look your teammates in the eye? Nah, didn’t think so there either. I guess your name is etched in the annals of UGA football lore.
Jane
September 28th, 2010
4:03 pm
I hope he thinks about it when he cleans room at the holiday inn and talks about a NFL career that might have been if he had only fallowed the rules.
Cuz
September 28th, 2010
4:03 pm
Did the NCAA check to see if he used the $1000 to buy booze for underage teammates?
Ace
September 28th, 2010
4:03 pm
He knew the rules, move on. The program’s problems is not his doing, it has been a 6 yr downward trip.
Concrete Pete
September 28th, 2010
4:04 pm
So many hard working coaches and players affected adversely by the selfish action of one. He knew selling anything or taking anything was against the rules and he made the decision to do it. Idiot. My question, why do you put $1,000 dirty dollars in a traceable bank acct? Even more dumb.
Cuz
September 28th, 2010
4:05 pm
Jane, I have never been one for fallowing the rules either. I feel so ashamed.
Poor DOGS
September 28th, 2010
4:05 pm
I’m thinking that even Idaho State will give you more than a run for your money. Poor Dogs…arf, arf..
SadDawg
September 28th, 2010
4:05 pm
“NCAA wanting to see a kids checkbook is an infringement on his rights. Who else has to put with this BS?”
Ashville Dawg, all of us who work for a living. Try to tell the IRS they can’t look in your checkbook, or in your underwear drawer . . .
Skitty Fritty
September 28th, 2010
4:05 pm
What’s funny to me, is why did Cam Newton leave Florida? All of a sudden he is a great guy because he is a good QB. Check out his arrest(s) in 2008 while at Florida, I guess it doesn’t matter if you win.
MURPHY
September 28th, 2010
4:05 pm
Alvin York
Great name. Great movie!
cantondawg
September 28th, 2010
4:05 pm
I’ve got a feeling that after all is said and done. We’re going to be kicking ourselves saying “what if AJ had not been suspended those four games. I think he makes a big difference in our season
Steve
September 28th, 2010
4:05 pm
It’s the lunatic fringe people like all those posting here about AJ that causes these things to blow up the way this has. It’s you people who have never graced the inside of a college classroom who make the most noise. You’re just upset because the team is losing, and are looking for an easy scapegoat. For Gods sake, leave the kid alone.
The team is bad, and if the presence on ANY one player makes that much difference, the team is too fragile anyway. Mark Richt no longer has control of the program, and it simply has become too big for him to fix. Even if that weren’t the case, the team has taken on his vanilla, boring, flat-line persona, and will never grow out of it. Unfortunately, the administration is willing to allow the program to flounder for two more years before they decide it’s time to move in another direction.
We control 14 season tickets and donate annually to the Hartman Fund. Our only leverage is to keep our wallets zipped tight beyond anything it takes for renewals.
Asheville Dawg
September 28th, 2010
4:06 pm
Oh, let’s see UGA in Starkville for a game against Miss. St., but wait we had a player not making the trip, so he gets arrested. You can’t even make up stuff like this. What a laughing stock, the Dawgs have become. Just give them the Fulmer Cup. In our favor, no students have beat up a cop ………..yet.
georgiagirl
September 28th, 2010
4:06 pm
It’s over people get over it, people make mistakes. Welcome back AJ GREEN. GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!
TIRED OF BEING NICE
September 28th, 2010
4:07 pm
here is wishful thinking AJ Green should have come out
and said i’ll return for my senior season because i
would like to make it up to my teammates for what i did
and prove to bulldawg nation that i’m really sorry
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buffy
September 28th, 2010
4:07 pm
He WAS at the party………….and in da club……………..and so was Washaun. Nuttin but flash.
joe
September 28th, 2010
4:07 pm
If the IRS looked in Asheville Dawg’s underwear drawer, would they dare find any red panties? Sorry, couldn’t resist…
Steve
September 28th, 2010
4:07 pm
Jane, you’re the worst kind. Cleaning rooms at the Holiday Inn?
Perhaps you should use your spell-checker.
SadDawg
September 28th, 2010
4:07 pm
Cuz, AJ would have been better off stealing $1000 from someone in his dorm. See Oregon/Ole Miss’ QB Masoli. Hell, he even led guilty.
But the NCAA sees nothing wrong there.
Concrete Pete
September 28th, 2010
4:08 pm
biggerthanbigdawg thats a great question. I guess Bama’s the NCAA’s football version of Kentucky. Let everything slide, don’t want to hurt the golden goose. Thats why Dareus from Bama got half the suspension Green did and Dareus took twice as much and committed a far worse offense.
Skitty Fritty
September 28th, 2010
4:08 pm
It is Bush’s fault!
TIRED OF BEING NICE
September 28th, 2010
4:08 pm
but i know too much money is riding on his NFL career
CGC67
September 28th, 2010
4:08 pm
I admire him for not lying. People point out that he said he wasn’t going to jeopardize HIS all season, but he could’ve done a Dez Bryant; lied, sat out the year and not risk injury and gone to the NFL. I admire what he did. The kid messed up and served his punishment. All you people who are criticizing, just lay off the kid and remember some of the stupid things you did at 20 years old. A normal student sells something for some extra cash is called business-minded. A student-athlete sells something for extra cash is called everything just short of a criminal. The system is broken and needs fixing.
MilledgevilleDawg
September 28th, 2010
4:08 pm
YOU let down the entire Bulldawg nation with your little “I didn’t feel like it was a big thing” attitude. I was one of your biggest fans. Now, I feel like you should repay UGA for 1/3 of your scholarship. Acting dumb is no excuse on matters that had been thoroughly explained to you. You will have lots of spring breaks. I suspect we will be reading about more of your choices in the future………..a mistake…….yeah…….pathetic
Tiger88
September 28th, 2010
4:09 pm
Since when are private banks records any of the NCAA’s business? Did he sign on the dotted line agreeing to this when he accepted his scholy? I would have told them to kiss my behind.
SadDawg
September 28th, 2010
4:09 pm
Yeah, Ace, 6 years!
You are an uninformed fool.
German Shepherd Dawg
September 28th, 2010
4:09 pm
Attention, everybody! This is fair warning….
Any more “idiot”, “moron” or other derogatory references to the wide receiver we normally praise in these remarks, you should seriously reconsider posting your inane observation or perhaps you’ll want to hit and run with a drive-by insult and make for the hills quickly.
‘Cause when I see your idiotic comment, I’ll be ready to strap on the flamethrower and put the torch on you. It won’t be pretty.
I should also warn you that I am a paid professional writer with a pretty decent vocabulary and (more importantly) The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus resting on my right knee.
Proceed at your own peril. Flame on!
boots
September 28th, 2010
4:09 pm
The NCAA is taking its lead from rumors on TMZ? Wow, what an organization. Further, the burden of proof is on the NCAA, and it is not up the kids to have to prove they are innocent. In this case, if there was no proof AJ went to Miami, then they should have been packing. Our society does not allow police to just enter your home, and, if they do, it is for specific reasons. In this case, if they asked for his bank statements, he should have told them to go *&$# off.