Georgia TE Orson Charles cleared by NCAA on Miami matter
ATHENS – Neither Georgia nor tight end Orson Charles will face any NCAA repercussions with regard to Charles’ inclusion in the Yahoo! Sports report on a rogue Miami booster he is alleged to have met during recruiting.
So says UGA in a brief statement it released about the situation late Wednesday morning.
“The University of Georgia is aware of the article mentioning Orson Charles and has been in communication with the NCAA. There are no issues with UGA or eligibility issues with Orson Charles. UGA will have no further comment regarding this matter.”
Georgia contacted the NCAA shortly after the Yahoo! Sports report was published online late Tuesday. Charles, a junior from Tampa, was listed among recruits alleged to have had had impermissible contact with notorious booster Nevin Shapiro in 2008. The report said Charles, then a rising senior at Plant High, was taken to Shapiro’s home by a Miami assistant coach to be given a “recruiting pitch.” Charles signed with Georgia in February of 2009.
Shapiro, who confessed to providing benefits and services to dozens of Miami players and recruits, is incarcerated in Atlanta following his conviction on fraud charges connected to a $930 million Ponzi scheme.
Charles, a preseason All-SEC selection, is expected to be one of the Bulldogs’ main offensive weapons this season. He had 49 career receptions for 796 yards and five touchdowns.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
295 comments Add your comment
BiggdawgK
August 17th, 2011
7:10 pm
This story fills me with happiness for 2 reasons. First and most importantly the NCAA amazingly gets it right again and for the second time in weeks an innocent UGA player is found well innocent.
Secondly, the NCAA declares Orson Charles did nothing at all wrong before the ajc vultures could blow the story out of proportion and run a story heavy with inuendo 4 or 5 times with different headlines in their typical pathetic attempt to color UGA’s clean program dirty.
Dirty like the ajc’s neighbor ga tech who has been stripped of wins and a title. A story the ajc found barely worth mentioning and then only after the extreme penalties had been announced.
bitter rouge booster
August 17th, 2011
7:12 pm
no wounder georgia recruit running back left miami a month ago—–pay for play
————————–all-burn next———-77 playa’s—————–please====177 maybe
—————————new coach got f———— yaaaw—-time to lawyer up new coach
bitter rouge booster
August 17th, 2011
7:16 pm
this truly shows how disfunctioal the NCAA operates—-it allways waits until there is someone willing
to be a turn coat———then all of a sudden it was the NCAA busting someone—-please
they could not find a 200,000 rehab job done on scam newtons dads chruch
BiggdawgK
August 17th, 2011
7:30 pm
@footbal insider
You obviously have a really sad life with no friends or anyone who even slightly cares about you. What else would explain how gleefully you post about injuries to these youg men. I truly pity you because I can’t even begin to imagine the utter despair your tragic so called life is filled with.
I and everyone here know any attempt you make to refute what I’ve said is just another of your sad pitiful little lies. Please seek help at a free clinic soon or perhaps use one of your disability checks to buy some prozac from one of those online pharmacies.
CMR and Ray Drew will include you in their prayers.
Dogs Smell
August 17th, 2011
7:32 pm
Only a few more weeks before these georgia “homers”start the rolling excuses.
Boss
August 17th, 2011
7:34 pm
Dang it Biggdawgk I laughed so hard sweet tea came out my nose and my keyboard got sticky. It was worth it though.
Sorry I know I shouldn’t laugh at what is obviously a plea for help from football insider but the guy is such a doosh it’s hard to care what happens to him. We can’t all be good people like CMR.
Ramblin Man
August 17th, 2011
7:40 pm
ATL sports fan,
Trust me I am not judging and not only did GT recruit players that were being looked at by Miami GT took a LB Nick Menacol that had commited to Miami just before signing day.
BigdawgK,
If you really believe boosters don’t give players at UGA gifts then you are in serious denial. Every major program does it so don’t think UGA does not have skeletons in it’s closet. Not saying staff would be directly involved but it happens.
SEC1
August 17th, 2011
7:40 pm
Just read where Jakar Hamilton is out for the season.
where is the hamilton news on ajc?
August 17th, 2011
7:41 pm
why am i reading about hamilton’s stress fractures on espn when there is nothing on the ajc?
where is the hamilton news on ajc?
August 17th, 2011
7:41 pm
out for the season. boise and sc will eat that secondary alive
Boss
August 17th, 2011
7:51 pm
where is toilet roll ummmm I mean tide roll at the last few days. I wonder how he and the other bammer boys feel about their head of football operations being the #2 guy/bagman in this nasty miami scandal?
If the whole signing for free suits thing was not bad enough, now it’s looking like bammys top man for football ops was paying kids to come to miami so why would he change his ways at the univ or inbreeding?
wow that si curse hit bama quick.
Big Dawg
August 17th, 2011
7:59 pm
Hamilton is done for the season
wherewhenwhy
August 17th, 2011
8:11 pm
Yep – another UGA payoff – it’s funny how all these guys are getting “cleared” just before the season begins.
Big Bad Bob
August 17th, 2011
8:16 pm
To Big Ten Chumps-Nebraska. You can’t win the Big 8, the Big 10 and your sure as He– could not win the SEC!
JaySulkowsky
August 17th, 2011
8:18 pm
Did it ever occur to the NCAA that all this witch hunting may be hurting fan excitement for the season? It is not fun looking forward to a season and then having to check each day to see if your team is still intact.
Pineapple Willy's
August 17th, 2011
8:45 pm
Charles is a dead duck. He’s this year’s version of AJ Green, and that’s pretty sorry indeed. Go ahead and dismiss him and give him his shopping cart.
bubba4dawgs
August 17th, 2011
9:03 pm
Great News! All you nay sayers crawl back in your holes! You deserve to be where Shapiro is! A**h***s love company! GO DAWGS!! Now, play ball and kick some a**!!
Pete Van Weird
August 17th, 2011
9:08 pm
,,,,vindicated…..AJC…..can you say yellow? can you say journalism? can you say national? can you say enquirer? I knew you could…….sheeesh! you guys are pitiful!!
BG
August 17th, 2011
9:10 pm
HAHAHAHA! Where are all the haters now??
RedandBlackDAWG
August 17th, 2011
9:13 pm
The Other foot,
Guess where that other foot could best be used for? You appear to have as much reasoning ability as a six year old kid does. I suppose you have some type of proof that Charles was paid by GA to sign with them? Didin’t think so, so you sir are just another troll.
Nub
August 17th, 2011
9:13 pm
Hey Bobo…. How bout clearing Murry to throw the ball to Charles more than 5 times a year….. Geeez …..
gotta beat boise state in the GEORGIA dome
August 17th, 2011
9:14 pm
Get by Boise State and South Carolina and it’s smooth sailing.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 17th, 2011
9:24 pm
Nebraska,
Let me answer that for you. Why are UGA fans so bitter. Because fans of others schools come on these blogs and pretend their schools are super clean and a little research shows just the opposite. Didn’t Nebraska just self report this past week about a little matter (27 grand plus), of textbooks that inadvertently got into the hands of some student athletes? Much like a lot of your accusations, I guess those textbooks at nebraska had wings of their own. They just inadvertently landed in those athletes possession. So much for tha super clean program being run at your school.
The 2011 Fulmer cup standings show Nebraska with 4 points and UGA with “0″. Just a small point you might also ponder. What are those points for anyway?
Now you might understand why UGA folks are so bitter. People living in glass houses should not throw stones.
f fletch
August 17th, 2011
9:32 pm
In your explanation, you sound bitter as well.
Wondering about this Blogger
August 17th, 2011
9:51 pm
“Big Ten Champs Nebraska…Dawg” is obviously the same JERK who earlier was commenting on Chip’s first blog, but he was using a different name…something re: the Dome. Please check it Chip. Too many consistencies. Could it be Shapiro? Isn’t he in the ATL PEN?? Weird similarities…
Mr. SEC
August 17th, 2011
10:10 pm
Damn! I wish the NCAA could get a grip and do something right and stop looking for Bull S___!
If that is all they got to do, they ALL need to be fired, and they can be, don’t think they can’t, because they can!
God bless every nation
August 17th, 2011
11:12 pm
Nebraska Big Ten. Please tell me you have a life besides stirring people up. It is really sad to see how often you respond to stir people. I pray for you to represent Nebraska, the US, and the world in abetter way. I know you don’t represent the majority of Nebraskans.
MT Dog
August 18th, 2011
12:05 am
orson’s on a mission this year—he’ll light up boise st’s weak D for big yards. Dawgs roll!!!!!
MikeP
August 18th, 2011
12:23 am
Using the Cam Newton logic, since Miami offered Charles money and prostitutes it’s clear that UGA must have offered more money and better looking hookers to get Charles to sign. That’s how it works, right?
RedandBlackDAWG
August 18th, 2011
7:07 am
F Fletch,
I am not bitter. Just tired of people coming onto blogs and making statements without factually backing it up or looking at their own team as well. Anybody that thinks their team doesn’t have a few problems with these young men occasionally, must go to either Oral Roberts U. or has it’s own university. I think Oral Roberts even got into hot water a few years ago with their basketball program.
It sounds like Charles was not guilty of anything but never the less, some blogger will come out with a statement saying he went to UGA and therefore he was paid better by UGA. No evidence, no facts that he can verify. Just a worthless statement said because they do not like UGA is all. When you question the integrity of another person or institution, you should have facts to back up what you say. UGA may not be a world beater all the time in sports but I do not believe that anybody can question the integrity of the of the football coach UGA has. I see people question his integrity, his religion and just about everything else about the man, but never any proof. Just baseless accusations, spouted by a hater of UGA, the UGA fans, the UGA players and even any journalist that has the nerve to write anything about UGA football,positive or other wise.
A little respect for the man and the university would go a long way. Do you really think the fellow from Nebraska adds anything with his comments about the UGA players from last year that got into trouble? Yes, they screwed up but there was not one felony amongst the trouble they got into to. No wife beating, no theft, no felony assault or battery. UGA gets beat up for the “Fulmer Cup”, for having a total of 21 points. Already this year, 2 teams have already exceeded that point total, and yet UGA has nothing. UGA however, has taken steps to correct the situation but you never see guys like him come onto this blog and say, that do you?
Every blog seems to deteriorate into a bunch of name calling and a lot of accusations that are unproven but stated as facts. I really don’t know if UGA fans on these blogs are so much bitter as they are just tired of hearing all this crap. They get that a lot of people do not care for UGA, and that is your right. Just use a little common sense, maturity and actual proved facts though, instead of half truths or your opinions about things that are not factually accurate.
Bulldog59
August 18th, 2011
8:35 am
@theevilone…..my one and only post…..REALLY? You’re comparing this Orson Charles investigation to Cam Newton, where it was reported 3 weeks ago on 680, that the NCAA even knows who the courier was that delivered the money to the Newtons. $200K to the Newtons and $30K to Cecil’s church. Nothing will be done b/c the NCAA has no authority to force this guy to testify, and he certainly won’t incriminate himself…..we’re (UGA and everyone else) over it, let’s focus on 2011.
MikeP
August 18th, 2011
8:36 am
Great points, RedandBlackDawg. Now, if you’ll just tell a large number of your fellow Dawg fans that the same applies to Auburn and Cam Newton maybe they will get a life. After all, there is the same proof that Newton did something wrong as there is that Charles did something wrong, which is no proof. Both players have been declared “Eligible” by the NCAA. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
MikeP
August 18th, 2011
8:47 am
Bulldog59, no such thing was reported. What was reported was that one Alabama fan and grad, Danny Sheridan, CLAIMED to know this stuff. He’s since carried his foolishness on to the point that he’s totally discredited.
Learn to differentiate between reliable sources and false allegations. There is ZERO proof that Auburn and the Newton family did anything wrong. If the NCAA knew that cash had been delivered they wouldn’t need somebody to testify. The NCAA does not have to meet legal standards of proof.
Some of this stuff is hilarious! What did the courier do, deliver two bags, one marked “for Cecil” and one marked “for church”? Whatta’ hoot!
WDE
August 18th, 2011
8:58 am
@MikeP where in the article did it state anyone at the U offered anything to Charles? Neither this swine Shapiro nor anyone else at the U made that claim…nor did Charles FATHER admit he tried to get money for his son to sign with the U..now repeat after me…Cam is gone and at least for today the crystal football is still with the Auburn family all is well..
Master P
August 18th, 2011
9:02 am
At the U, they get the best: partying on yachts with hot prostitutes, drinking top bubbly and smoking high quality weed, thousands in cash, free clothes, limos to clubs—that’s the life!
WDE
August 18th, 2011
9:21 am
@Master P try checking back with them in say a year from now…I’m thinking its a different story.
Florida | MrSEC.com
August 18th, 2011
10:44 am
[...] comment on NCAA investigations at other institutions… and will have no further comment.”Georgia: “The University of Georgia is aware of the article mentioning Orson Charles and has been in [...]
Bammer Mike
August 18th, 2011
10:49 am
Bama Mike is a closet Auburn Fan and loves Auburn!
Big Ten Chump Nebraska
August 18th, 2011
10:54 am
You may be a Corn-Husker (Hayseed) but your Mama’s a Dog!
MarineDog
August 18th, 2011
11:00 am
This thing has the potential to very ugly for both current and former players to include NFL players. ESPN is reporting that lawyers that are representing plaintiffs that lost money in the ponzi scheme are planning on trying to recover anything of value that was given to players. This means that that can be forced to testify in court. Nothing good could come from this
aprilglaspie
August 18th, 2011
11:08 am
Yahoo Sports? Please. That’s like connecting Murdoch and Ailes with “news”. Yahoo “aggregates content”. The majority of it, idiotic gossip. And the jersey situation was BS. It was AJ’s shirt and the guy that bought it was a sports agent only in his own mind. NCAA overrules Constitution.
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
August 18th, 2011
11:51 am
I don’t get it. I point out the obvious decline of the last few years of the UGA program while expressing my disappointment with this decline, and so many of you see this as an attack, then in return attack me. I pointed out the obvious that Nebraska has a better program than UGA. It happens. Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas have better programs than Nebraska over the years. You don’t see me calling them names.
Most UGA fans that I know, or are my friends never treat me this way when we discuss college football. Why do some of you feel so compelled to take the low road and prove your idiotic nature?
For the record, I have NOT attacked, insulted or made any personal derogatory remarks……. Until now. I assumed the massive girth on most of you meant you had thick skin. I guess not.
DAWG FAN FROM DOUGLISVILLE
August 18th, 2011
1:03 pm
HEY CORN BOY WHY DONT U GO A WAY U LOOSER
MikeP
August 18th, 2011
4:14 pm
Aprilglaspie, Yahoo Sports is one of the more respected sports news outlets going today. Did you actually READ their article? Yahoo has named sources, with confirmation from secondary sources in every case. They have presented facts, none of this “where there’s smoke there’s fire” lunacy.
Thayer Evans, Joe Schadd and a number of others allege a single, un-named source that probably doesn’t exist in most of their writings. The guys at Yahoo did it the right way. They got the goods, not a bunch of well,,,, maybe,,,,stuff.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 18th, 2011
4:51 pm
Mike P,
Thought that had pretty well stoped. Most of what I see now is the result of an Auburn fan, messing with UGA about something, and as a result, a UGA fan, responds with the Cam Newton stuff. There is no doubt, we all could be more civil towards each other, but that I guess is not going to happen. I guess you and I will just have to travel the upper road in this then, agreed?
Out of conference fans like this Nebraska though are going to be fair game, if he makes accusations and then tries to act like Nebraska is always a clean program. His accusations were actually suppositions where Nebraska’s NCAA problems are well documented. We all know that no NCAA school, no matter the conference, is going to be lilly clean all of the time, when it comes to trying to follow all the rules they have in place for athletes. One day, hopefully, they will moderize their rulebook and realize that some of the rules they have in place do not make sense.