‘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
RxDawg
February 25th, 2011
10:10 am
Cool story bra
Worm
February 25th, 2011
10:14 am
Some of our players who are not hustling should be running the stairs in the second half..
SouthGaBrave
February 25th, 2011
10:16 am
Nobody cares. I don’t most fans should be interested in the glorification of a single student. It was pretty funny the first time it happened at the Steg 4 years ago, but doing it every game is pretty cheesy. Most people honestly can’t wait for him, Peanut Butter Boy, the Black Knight, and the rest of the losers that sit in the front row of the student section and are the focus of ESPN’s cameras every game, to all graduate. Wear red and black and just blend in and cheer with the rest of the student section. Look at the great basketball schools like Duke, the Cameron Crazies may have a few in costumes, but at least even those kids are in blue. Paint your face or whatever, but get in line with the rest of the student section and things would look much better.
Larry
February 25th, 2011
10:19 am
Could we have Todd Grantham run the bleachers at Sanford after every opponent’s TD and Mike Bobo do the same after every 3 and out of offense?
Side benefits: Grantham loses his baby fat and Bobo may get too tired to call the plays!
Otto
February 25th, 2011
10:25 am
Great idea Larry. Bobo should run if there is a 3 and out or his offense holds the ball for less than 2 minutes and leaves the field without scoring.
Grim Reaper
February 25th, 2011
10:27 am
Maybe they should have the Geico “caveman” run, even he could do it! Or have UGA sit on the couch and have Rocky holler, yo, UGA, get off the couch! Larry’s comments make the most since though.
schmeckdawg
February 25th, 2011
10:32 am
Hell, whatever it takes to win, as long as it is legal!!!
Go DAWGS!!!!! And Rocky hurry back!!!!!!!!!
Tuna
February 25th, 2011
10:41 am
I’m in agreement with SouthGABrave. Can’t wait for those douchebags to graduate!
Dawg4Life
February 25th, 2011
10:41 am
I have tremendous respect for any public official that publicly admits when a mistake was made and accepts responsibility. Signs of great management style. Somehow I don’t see our former AD doing that IMHO.
bo
February 25th, 2011
10:43 am
noticed all the in stadium ads at fotball games became prominent around 2007. one reason to pay for tickets and attend a game in person is to avoid the endless advertisements on TV. I’, not sure why the AD thinks we need so much
PaleRider
February 25th, 2011
10:48 am
This is fun. But it runs the risk of encouraging more students to be the next “Rocky” or “Spiderman” or whatever to get the camera time. It sets a very bad example to give one student or one fan for that matter the free publicity. Let students be students and fans be fans, but don’t glorify any individual.
Dawg_Mike
February 25th, 2011
10:50 am
Seriously ? For real ? S-L-O-W news day, huh ?
John
February 25th, 2011
10:56 am
I hate that the A.D. has benched the Dance Dawgs that are also part of the athletic dept. to only one dance per game. They should at least be able to dance once in the first half and once in the second half. They performed a lot more in years past and even the cheerleaders appreciated that they took the lead for some portions of the breaks during the games. What’s up with that Greg?
JF McNamara
February 25th, 2011
10:56 am
Let those kids have fun. It’s college. If they want to dress like dorks to grab attention and entertain some fans, who are you to judge?
UGA is a mid tier team in a weak basketball conference whose only history of note is Wilkins and cheating. They aren’t Duke. If they want to do that to make watching mediocre basketball more fun, why not?
gtfanfrom1951
February 25th, 2011
10:57 am
yo Adrian
Tom
February 25th, 2011
11:03 am
He has “another commitment”?
What?…is GDOT short a traffic cone?
YardDawg
February 25th, 2011
11:12 am
“Bobo should run if there is a 3 and out…”
***********************
That’s just cruel, Otto.
NBA players aren’t in good enough shape to run that much . . .
Texas Pete
February 25th, 2011
11:19 am
Bring back the red bleacher creature looking pom-pom dude from the 90s!
ugastudent
February 25th, 2011
11:24 am
As a student who actually understands good basketball and what a student section should be, both rarities at UGA, I’m embarrassed by the whole Rocky event. And the entire front row of idiots on the baseline. They’re rude punks who care more about making fools out of themselves for the sake of being stupid rather than as a part of the student section as a whole. It was funny the first time, and it has become idiotic. The departure of this whole group, from Fell to rat tail and their entire group, may be the best thing to ever happen to the student section for any UGA sport.
SouthGaBrave
February 25th, 2011
11:32 am
JF McNamara,
I think you are outnumbered by people who actually know the game and what a good atmosphere should be. Fox is trying to transform Georgia into a school worth watching in basketball and he’s doing a good job.
ugastudent, PaleRider, and Tuna know the deal.
Joe
February 25th, 2011
11:37 am
Let’s cut the movie scenes at the end of the game. We have the same late-game crowd energy tactics each game. And it’s tiresome. If you have to jack the crowd up through artificial means, at least change it up some. Be creative. Pull some movie scene out of the blue. Have a clip from “There Will Be Blood” with Daniel Plainview crazily declaring “I drink your milkshake.” I would cheer louder, along with about four other people … And if we have to watch Rocky, let’s at least find someone to play Ivan Drago at Stegmen.
Spike
February 25th, 2011
11:42 am
Cut me, Mick.
Longtime Ticket Holder
February 25th, 2011
11:45 am
For those of you worried about the focus on Mr. Fell instead of the “student fans” allow me to remind you of this: This is his 4th season.
He was there running under Felton when you couldn’t drag the “student fans” into the Steg.
He was running last year, when people were still wondering who Mark Fox was.
So now that the students have decided to climb on the band wagon, it’s supposed to be all about them? Spare me your blending in with the Red and Black routine. Spare me the “they’re so rude”. Even if they reveled in the attention, they were there to support UGA Basketball when many students and fans weren’t. And that ladies and gentlemen is the sign of a real “student fan”.
AnotherStudent
February 25th, 2011
11:57 am
I agree with the sentiments of SouthGaBrave, ugastudent, PaleRider, and Tuna. So do most students I know who’ve gone to football and basketball games. It seems pretty clear their motivation isn’t to inspire the team – could it be that they actually believe Trey, Travis, or Coach Fox get inspired by seeing Rocky and crew saunter around the baseline like toddlers? It comes across as childish self-aggrandizing. They remind me of the scene from Seinfeld:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fowd29dOyh0&feature=related
Hector
February 25th, 2011
12:23 pm
CMF needs to lite a fire under his players!!!!
Another season ticket holder
February 25th, 2011
12:28 pm
I agree with you, Longtime Ticket Holder! Rocky brings an enthusiasm to UGA basketball that many in Athens don’t have. Besides, what’s the difference in Rocky and the guys that paint their chests at the football games? Many Junior GA Bulldawgs, like my 7-year-old, love Rocky and the guys on the front row. I hope my son grows up to be as passionate a supporter of his future school as Rocky has been.
Dr. Phil
February 25th, 2011
12:30 pm
Dress Adams as a pirate and let him swing down from the rafters.
Flying Tigers
February 25th, 2011
12:43 pm
Yawn…really? who cares.
dawgfan
February 25th, 2011
12:44 pm
It looks like he went with Rocky IV Rocky. Excellent choice. We all know it was the best Rocky.
“If I’z can change, and youz can change, we all can change!!!”
Powerful stuff.
AnotherStudent
February 25th, 2011
12:48 pm
Why stop at forgoing additional revenue? McGarity should hire a group of clowns and put them on the opposite baseline for congruence, and pay the magician from the halftime show of the Florida game to continuously perform his act behind the home bench. Rebrand Stegeman as The Sacred Circus. Hey circuses are filled with enthusiasm, right? Who goes to basketball games to watch basketball anyways?
CommandoDawg
February 25th, 2011
1:07 pm
It has been almost 30 years since I was a student at UGA, but I am proud of how this was handled. Whether or not Rocky gets to keep running up the stands is not really the point. The Student Representative made a criticism in a respectful way. The AD listened, didn’t brush him off, and didn’t get defensive. I like that.
jommyjohn
February 25th, 2011
1:19 pm
@grimreaper, I hate to be the bearer of bad news buddy, but UGA died…again.
REMinds me
February 25th, 2011
1:20 pm
Need the Blue Man group to perform. I think those guys are cool.
tootrue
February 25th, 2011
1:31 pm
since he can’t be there film him and show it on the screen
Warren
February 25th, 2011
1:47 pm
@SouthGaBrave: Tom Fell took a silly thing I started in 1998 and took it to a whole ‘nother level. It was funny the first time or two I did it back then, and by my last year in the band in 2000, I was tired of doing it (including physically!).
But the reason I kept doing it was because the students got into it and went nuts. College kids (including myself at the time) are generally dumb and get worked up over dumb things. That hasn’t changed over the history of Georgia sports. The Cameron crazies do stupid things too—just b/c they do it in unison doesn’t mean they’re any “better” than these kids. The fact that their team is perennially a winner does. Let the kids have their fun.
The Watergirl
February 25th, 2011
2:05 pm
Coach Fox has done an amazing job in a very short period, I hope we can keep him around for a long time!!
On that note please for the love of god go out and recruit some actually shooters, we get beat by teams that can shoot the 3 and stretch a lead and we have no answer
gt4ever
February 25th, 2011
2:06 pm
Only at UGA……
Evansdawg
February 25th, 2011
2:49 pm
I like the dude!!!! S-P-I-R-I-T!!!!!
Clubber Lang
February 25th, 2011
3:08 pm
I pity that fool. I want to make him feel some paaaaiin.
UGA
February 25th, 2011
3:08 pm
LOOK AT ME and add Mike Woods to the list as well as LOOK AT ME UGA fans
Legend of Len Barker
February 25th, 2011
3:13 pm
It’s nice to see them admit to the mistake. For the most part, it seems that the UGA Athletic Association would rather not have the students. It’s $30 for season tickets and $2 for individual games (men’s; women’s tickets are free). Nice seats at both ends for a cheap rate.
Whenever they can, it seems like the UGAAA will disrupt that. They sometimes mess around with the seating arrangements. For the women’s game against Tennessee, students were barred from a good many seats in their section and were relegated to the very cheap ones. They’ve roped off part of the seat’s for men’s games, too, trying to get just a bit more money out of regular-price customers.
They forget that it was the students last year who brought the season to life. Rocky was there before the crowds. I – and about 3,000 others – was there was the opening game last season. The kid most notorious for coating himself in peanut butter is there as well. The students, they in particular, are the only non-fickle crowd UGA basketball has.
Sad that they are only now beginning to realize this.
Legend of Len Barker
February 25th, 2011
3:14 pm
Women’s game against Tenn. last year, I should add. Regular game tickets are little too pricey for an alum to handle, so I haven’t gone this year.
Stinger2
February 25th, 2011
3:30 pm
No GT student would even think of doing a clown act like this. Our students know the right ways to cheer the White and Gold teams to victory without individually calling attention to themselves. Our students are a class act.
Joel
February 25th, 2011
3:33 pm
Speedo guy is better…rocky sucks
Dawg in Malta
February 25th, 2011
3:40 pm
Has another commitment?? You mean to tell me a student who dresses up like Rocky (looks like an idiot!!) has other prior commitments. What’s he doing showing up as Rocky @ a 16 year old girl’s B-Day party (or more like it…her mother’s B-Day party??) The entertainment @ UGA basketball games stinks…Greg please get somebody that will put forth the effort to make it feasible during halftime and when the Team is not on the court to have some decent entertainment!! Right now it stinks…just ask your friend Shelnutt!!
TRUEFAN UGA STUDENT
February 25th, 2011
3:58 pm
As a new student to UGA, I think the “front row,” while a bit self promoting, at least gets into the games. I personally think, as a whole, the student body could be a much better 12th man. At the Xavier and Vandy games (both huge ones), their was a HUGE gap of empties in the upper level student section.
I personally think getting an organization like the “Izzone” or the “Orange Krush” would be a great way to unify the students as a whole and make for a crazy atmosphere.
Do any of the other students posters have any thoughts on an idea like that?
GO DAWGS! USCe Sucks!
TRUEFAN UGA STUDENT
February 25th, 2011
4:00 pm
My bad, 6th man. It’s Friday and I had tests……..
UGA
February 25th, 2011
4:02 pm
@Stinger2 is that why GT sucks at basketball and football? Cuz if they are cheering like the class acts that they are, then it’s not working to well
stingersux
February 25th, 2011
4:15 pm
Your coach is the clown act at GT
bob
February 25th, 2011
4:26 pm
Fell is busy boxing Tyson in the Macon Coliseum on Saturday. Ironically he is favored to win, but not to be running with both ears at the LSU game..
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.