‘We made a mistake’ by benching Rocky, UGA’s McGarity says
ATHENS — The big controversy in UGA sports recently, at least among some students, has been the missing Rocky Run.
Tom Fell is a UGA student who dresses like the Rocky and runs to the top of Stegeman Coliseum.
Here’s the background. Tom Fell is a UGA student who for four seasons has dressed like the movie boxer Rocky and excited the crowds in the second half of home basketball games by running to the top of Stegeman Coliseum. He was benched at last week’s game against Vanderbilt because the athletics department sold his time slot to insurance company Geico for an in-event advertisement.
The controversy came up at the UGA Athletic Board meeting Thursday, when student representative Trey Sinyard reported to the board: “I can say that this has been a big issue on campus. . . . The pulse on that is students feel the athletics association is over-commercialized.”
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity quickly responded that Rocky will run again.
“We have had internal discussions on that and have assured students that there are some things that are sacred in our basketball games, and that’s one of those things,” McGarity said. “We acknowledge we made a mistake. I’ll take responsibility for that.”
McGarity said he understands that Fell won’t be able to make it to Saturday’s game against South Carolina because of another commitment. Said McGarity: “I don’t want people to think we’ve run him off. . . . We did not run Rocky off. He’ll be back for the LSU game [next Wednesday].”
Now that that’s settled, click here for the rest of the news from Thursday’s Athletic Board meeting.
And don’t miss Curtis Compton’s photo gallery from the dedication ceremony for the expanded Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall.
– Tim Tucker, AJC
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82 comments Add your comment
jerry
February 25th, 2011
4:28 pm
Rocky made Stallone. Rocky won’t make Tom Fool.
anon
February 25th, 2011
4:30 pm
Tom is also a member of the front row at Sanford who paint themselves Red & Black and go bat-crap crazy during football games.
It’s fun, leave it alone. Do any of you remember the cow and the banana from the recent past? HOwabout peanut butter jelly time and the megaphone man from baseball games?
Dirk
February 25th, 2011
4:31 pm
McGarity continues to make mistake after mistake.
Can this guy do AYNTHING right?
Richard Simmons
February 25th, 2011
4:34 pm
Where is that guy in the speedo’s?
Pago Pago Dawg
February 25th, 2011
4:41 pm
At the Big House you won’t ever see neon/light bulbs/commercials on an inner stadium circle. No commercials after every play/re-play.
The UM band and visiting band are allowed to play.
McNamara
February 25th, 2011
4:57 pm
If Tech Students are truelly a class act they would actually show up for a game…
Snoop Dawg
February 25th, 2011
6:47 pm
Why doesn’t McCavity make Richt and Bobo run the stairs dressed up like Laverne and Shirley to make up for their incompetent coaching and complacency this past year while they received almost $4 Million from the UGA nation for their sorry performance?
Rad Penties
February 25th, 2011
6:49 pm
What would Damon Evans have done?
You remember him, don’t you? Mr. UGA red panties.
Snoop Dawg
February 25th, 2011
6:50 pm
I agree with Dirk. It looks like we got fooled again letting them hire another Jawja Bubber who talks so slow it make people sleepy. Can this guy walk and chew gum at the same time.
I’ve heard enough excuses. I want some positive action. Talk is cheap, and McCavity and Preacha Man are doing too much showboating and talking and not enough doing and accomplishing.
I’m really disappointed in all these UGA alumni milktoast response to the total meltdown of UGA football under Richt.
dave pulliam
February 25th, 2011
6:56 pm
who gives a crap!
ROCK ON
February 25th, 2011
7:01 pm
rock on!
Come on Mr. AD
February 25th, 2011
8:22 pm
Call it like it is… College Sports is Big Damn Business!
harold
February 25th, 2011
8:24 pm
LETS JUST CREAT A DREAM TEAM HERE TOO. LET’S DREAM WE WON!
ugab
February 26th, 2011
8:53 am
We need these kind of fans and students. One thing goes bad and dawg fans start bichin.
Alabama | MrSEC.com
February 26th, 2011
9:11 am
[...] collapse when it faces South Carolina tonight.13. Greg McGarity wants Dawg fans to know that “Rocky” will be back at Stegeman Coliseum next week.14. New UGA defensive assistant Kirk Olivadotti met with the media in Athens [...]
Jborodawg
February 26th, 2011
9:59 am
OK people, we’ll go over this one more time…
UGA stands for University of Georgia
Uga is the bulldog mascot.
Good lord….
Upstate Dawg
February 26th, 2011
10:08 am
Longtime Ticket Holder has it right: this guy (and his friends) were onboard with the program before it was chic. He doesn’t do it for personal glory. We don’t have many basketball traditions. I think he & Speedo Guy are great. Beat Carolina!
GBI
February 26th, 2011
12:41 pm
How about an Athens Police Wagon that releases athletes at halftime! That should encourage the faithful.
DIT
February 26th, 2011
2:09 pm
Sorry, this is a sad story to blog about. It’s not that big of a deal. Stupid
The real story is, why does UGA stop playing in the 2nd half! It will be one and done in the NCAA’s (if they make it) if they can’t figure this out quickly.
UGA Student
February 27th, 2011
12:01 am
Personally, I think that he’s made a much bigger deal about it than necessary. I understand his reasoning for not wanting to go along with the sponsorship thing, but he’s gone and blown this thing way out of proportion.
Sammy Dawg
February 27th, 2011
12:23 am
I can’t believe anyone fell for stinger2 comments. My goodness, anyone who has half a brain would no that was a set-up from a UGA fan. Stop giving techies amunition towrds dumb UGA fans. Piece of advice, next time you “think” it might be an odd comment on a dumb subject. Do not respond and stay on subject. Crap.
coolcat
February 27th, 2011
5:36 pm
everyone knows UGA athletics is all about making money…so this story isn’t surprising one bit. But i will say that that rocky,speedo guy, the pep band,and other costume wearers are the most loyal supporters of most sports here at UGA. So when someone tries to ruin that fun for dang insurance advertisement spots ..I just thinks that’s pretty messed up.
It’s Too Early On A Monday For This « The Grit Tree
February 28th, 2011
10:00 am
[...] Greg McGarity apologized to the Rocky Guy. [...]
lazydawg
February 28th, 2011
11:30 am
I love the ROCKY skit it’s quite entertaining.
Lewis
February 28th, 2011
12:13 pm
McGarity strikes me as the most clueless AD in the country.
Lewis
February 28th, 2011
12:14 pm
Let’s make McGarity do the Rocky run until Georgia beats Florida in football or basketball.
Phoenix Falcon
February 28th, 2011
3:03 pm
SouthGaBrave
you should go see someone or a Team of someone’s about your anger issue, you are WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY to mad about something as unimportant as this…. I’ll hate to see you if someone ( God forbid ), stepped on your foot.
NERDS?
March 1st, 2011
9:51 am
And U[sic]GA fans call Tech fans nerds? Those guys in the front row look totally cool…
UGA Athlete
March 1st, 2011
1:15 pm
These guys aren’t fans, they’re plain weird.
There’s a story in the Red and Black about how one of them grabbed a piece of Trey Thompkin’s chewing gum off the floor and, after chewing it himself, keeps it in his room.
They stalk student-athletes, show up uninvited to parties attended or hosted by athletes, and have had to be forcibly removed from more than one sporting event.
There is a line between being a fan and being a creep. These guys have crossed it multiple times.
Jaybird
March 2nd, 2011
12:03 am
Oh, and if you’re wondering what the commitment was, Tom was with me and the rest of our award-winning student improvisational comedy troupe in Chicago competing in the National Collegiate Improv Championships. So I guess he isn’t the “idiot” you love to make him out to be….
UGA_2001
March 2nd, 2011
3:24 pm
Dude, get rid of him. Are you serious? Make the money and spend it on keeping Fox.
Rocky needs to retire. It is so embarrassing having to see that whole spectacle every game.
Dear Truefan
March 3rd, 2011
10:04 pm
before you start dissing my chickens – learn to count. and in college they aren’t called tests, they are exams.