‘Time management’ the toughest part for Georgia’s Isaiah Crowell
ATHENS — Isaiah Crowell is learning lessons right and left these days, sometimes the hard way.
Crowell
Take Tuesday, for instance.
Tuesdays of game weeks are always extremely busy. Georgia holds its weekly press conference, which brings dozens of media members into town, all needing content in advance of that week’s game. The Bulldogs, of course, open the season Saturday against Boise State. Crowell, a freshman phenom who will play a significant role in the game, is the subject of much interest. So everybody wants to talk to him.
Crowell was instructed to be available for interviews after practice on Tuesday. But instead of showing up for 10 minutes as instructed, Crowell blew them off.
This did not sit well with Georgia.
So UGA sports communication personnel tracked down Crowell, reportedly at an academic tutorial appointment, and brought him back to Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall afterward. It was after 10 p.m. when he finally showed up. He was greeted by seven reporters who had waited around to hear from him (another four or five bailed out). I was among the reporters who stayed.
To Crowell’s credit, he was polite and accommodating when he finally arrived. He was also contrite when asked about making the adjustment to big-time college football, which comes with all kinds responsibilities and demands beyond gaining yardage and holding onto the football.
“It has been overwhelming,” said Crowell, who attended classes all morning Tuesday, had meetings and practices in the afternoon, then tutoring in the evening. “In high school, if you didn’t do something, there wasn’t too much going to be said about it. If you didn’t go to treatment, nobody cared. Sometimes I didn’t even go to class. Nobody really said anything about it. But here, any time you’re one minute late, somebody will know about it. Time management has been the toughest thing for me.”
Crowell is still working on that. Saturday we’ll find out how that football part is going. By all accounts, it’s going well.
“He’s every bit as good as advertised,” quarterback Aaron Murray said Tuesday. “The kid has turned people’s heads every day in practice. He’s a tremendously talented running back. He’ll show everyone this year. He’s going to make some plays that people’s jaws are going to hit the ground like, ‘Wow, that kid just made that move.’ ”
Said offensive coordinator Mike Bobo: “I’ve been really happy with him. I think he’s going to be a great player here. Is it going to happen game one? I don’t know, but I think he’s going to be a great player. Just let the guy play football and let’s see how he develops.”
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271 comments Add your comment
Athens Dawg
August 31st, 2011
1:13 pm
Oh no he didn’t go to class in high school. I’m too good to say that I never went to class. You don’t say? A kid didn’t go to class sometimes? The sky is falling. The good news is that he was in tutoring for college. That’s a big plus. Just run that rock on Saturday Crowell and shut these fools up. I bet he runs for over 100 yards and gets a touchdown or 2 at least. He might just explode onto the national radar. You guys don’t even expect it.
dinkdunk
August 31st, 2011
1:15 pm
Eggs, meet one basket.
TICK, TICK, TICK…..
Chuck
August 31st, 2011
1:16 pm
Sorry….I hear all the hype about this guy but bottom line….”he blew them off” That speaks volumes……ala king….ealey…….hate to rain on the party but early signs are not good
The Only Horses I Like Are Under My Hood
August 31st, 2011
1:19 pm
“CROWEEELLL!!! What in the H3ll are you doing getting ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION???? You get back to the reporters and spit out some generic lines like ‘I am still getting use to college’ and ‘I will do whatever to help out my team.’ Talking to the press is WAY more important than furthering your education.”
That is absurd. His academic endeavors are more important than some “press meeting.” Further proof that college football is getting closer and closer to being pro football every day…
Mad Dog One
August 31st, 2011
1:24 pm
Chip don’t even try to explain to some of these numb n@#$ all you have to do is really read the article and not jump to to the keyboard to trash someone. GO DOGS
Fixer
August 31st, 2011
1:24 pm
He’s an 18 year old college freshman. Cut him some slack. There’s only so much time in a day and between practice, treatments, classes, dining & study hall. He’s just doing what’s expected of him. At least he has his priorities straight. I’m certain the reporters that stuck around were just doing there jobs too. What’s wrong with you people?
Athens Dawg
August 31st, 2011
1:24 pm
Chuck, he blew them off because he had to go study. That’s why. You butthole
AltamahaDawg
August 31st, 2011
1:25 pm
Enter your comments here
DC
August 31st, 2011
1:27 pm
funny thing is you people believe that he was studying…
typical dawg fan
August 31st, 2011
1:28 pm
come on fellas, give i.c. some breathin room ok. dang! he’s just a young un. coach mark outta get him some help kepin up with all that stuff the news people are a wantin him to do. he’s gonna be a good one i’m tellin ya. thinkin about gluin a picture of him in his georgia uniform on to a piece of wood and puttin some varnish on it. i did that with a picture of r.flare. i hand drawed some georgia “g”s on his robe before i varnished it up. talk about sharp! got it hangin on he wall next to the picture of my momma, bless her. she would be proud to have a picture of i.c. next to her an flare. go dawgs!
david
August 31st, 2011
1:30 pm
hope he is not going to a dud like the ohter rbs weve had in the past.
Steve
August 31st, 2011
1:30 pm
Wait … they pulled him out of a tutoring session that he rushed out to get to on time .. for an interview with the frickin media who will ask questions that everyone knows the cliche answers to … and fans are claiming he is making freshman mistakes.
Sorry folks .. for my taxpayer money I would MUCH rather have him attending that tutoring session than dealing with reporters. sounds to me like the media is getting their panties in a wad for no reason.
Keep making this ‘mistake’ over and over Isaiah and even if you don’t make it in football you will finish your degree and end up successful.
DawgInaTruck
August 31st, 2011
1:37 pm
Give it a rest Typical. We heard you twice the first time.
MountainDawg
August 31st, 2011
1:38 pm
We’ll see if he lives up to the hype on the field. BSU is no push over.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 31st, 2011
1:41 pm
they pulled him out of a tutoring session that he rushed out to get to on time .. for an interview with the frickin media who will ask questions that everyone knows the cliche answers to
—————————————————————
“Sometimes I didn’t even go to class.”
Is not a cliche answer. Its more like a nuance of his character.
kudzu
August 31st, 2011
1:42 pm
And now it starts. This dude has CONTROVERSY written all over him. If you think he is in this for an education, you’re goofy. Wake up people.
Dr. Jekyl
August 31st, 2011
1:42 pm
What high school did he attend again? Some heads should roll if what he stated is true. I know that at many high schools if you miss a class there’d better be a doctor’s note or you have to sit out a game. Why is his school different??? And we wonder why people today feel they are owed something instead of having to earn something. Not a glowing picture of this specific prima dona.
typical dawg fan
August 31st, 2011
1:42 pm
go to class an get yourself a degree i.c.! if’n you was to get hurt an couldn’t play football no more, least ways you could git yourself a good job. my wife’s cousin went to uga an he’s a first shift supervisor at a carpet mill over in cartersville. always drivin a new truck, so you know he’s makin plenty of cash, heck yeah he is. he says he don’t, but i know chevy ain’t givin away 4 wheel drive trucks. go dawgs!
GIs Joe and Jane
August 31st, 2011
1:43 pm
We have thousands of Soldiers and Marines Crowell’s age in combat zones that don’t seem to have a problem with time management, but as Richt has said, Crowell is “special.”
funny... == fool
August 31st, 2011
1:45 pm
“But here, any time you’re one minute late, somebody will know about it. Time management has been the toughest thing for me.”
Sounds like an out of control program.
– The Idiots
GI Jock Strapp
August 31st, 2011
1:47 pm
GIs Joe and Jane
August 31st, 2011
1:43 pm
We have thousands of Soldiers and Marines Crowell’s age in combat zones that don’t seem to have a problem with time management
Who went through months of basic training. Crowell has been at UGA a couple of weeks. So shut up.
GI Jock Strapp
August 31st, 2011
1:48 pm
typical dawg fan
August 31st, 2011
1:42 pm
go to class an get yourself a degree i.c.! if’n you was to get hurt an couldn’t play football no more, least ways you could git yourself a good job. my wife’s cousin went to uga an he’s a first shift supervisor at a carpet mill over in cartersville. always drivin a new truck, so you know he’s makin plenty of cash, heck yeah he is. he says he don’t, but i know chevy ain’t givin away 4 wheel drive trucks. go dawgs!
Or go to AU or AL and work for my cousin.
GTBob
August 31st, 2011
1:50 pm
Yeah, Time Management is a real hard thing to do. Go here at this time, go there at this time. It’s pretty tricky. After a few years of practice using watches and clocks, he will be a pro though.
Calhoun HS fan
August 31st, 2011
1:51 pm
For the sake of Dawg fans, Crowell better not be as easy to shut down the way Alex Kirby did in the HS playoffs last year.
ATL Sports Fan
August 31st, 2011
1:51 pm
Nothing could be finer. I see you dodged my question from earlier.
Do you think Jadaveon, Marcus or 6 chance Garcia ever skipped classes in high school??
AltamahaDawg
August 31st, 2011
1:53 pm
You do realize that “blew them off” is just somebodies words, right. Had he reported, was suppose to meet with he media but Instead headed straight to his acedemic appointment”, would you have felt better about the exact same event?
typical dawg fan
August 31st, 2011
1:54 pm
hey g.i. jock straap, you any kin to the strapps from up around polk county tennessee? i used to haul chickens for a fella with that last name.
ATL Sports Fan
August 31st, 2011
1:54 pm
Calhoun, the same Alex Kirby who has yet to receive a D-1 scholarship offer? Seems like he is bragging about squaring up ONE good hit on a highly rated D-1 running back. Guess what? He is a linebacker and that is what they are supposed to do. Do you really believe the bests runningbacks do not get hit?
ATL Sports Fan
August 31st, 2011
1:55 pm
typical dawg fan, your not fooling anyone. I think the only person your making look stupid is yourself.
HECKLE
August 31st, 2011
1:56 pm
Enter your connemts here.
ATL Sports Fan
August 31st, 2011
1:56 pm
How wow the high and mighty GTBOB has spoken. What sport did you play at the Institute? And no calculus is not a sport.
nega dawg
August 31st, 2011
1:59 pm
SIMPLE DAWG- walt deptula is a tool biggest uga hater ever, love it when he’s wrong. They should play his show while the dawgs get ready plenty of motivation there.
typical dawg fan
August 31st, 2011
1:59 pm
just cause i don’t use all the fancy sayins you got mr atl sports fan don’t mean i ain’t a dawg to tha bone, ya hear me. go dawgs!
Vince Doodly
August 31st, 2011
2:00 pm
This moron will be in academic trouble in 18 months. Or sooner.
Brian
August 31st, 2011
2:00 pm
At least he was at a tutoring appointment. Ready for Saturday…GO DAWGS!!
Leave him alone
August 31st, 2011
2:01 pm
Isn’t it a main principle of journalistic ethics that the journalist should report the news, not become a part of the news?
Contractor
August 31st, 2011
2:05 pm
I agree with some of the posts, “sometimes I didn’t even go to class”??? That isn’t something you admit to, especially with the NCAA down everyone’s throats now about eligibility issues. Not the smartest comment I’ve ever heard, but like he said, if he’s one minute late someone will know, and hopefully they’ll make sure he doesn’t screw up.
And can someone please tell me why the coaches won’t just go ahead and say he’s starting the first game? They act like they are scared to admit a Freshman will be playing. Suck it up Bobo and Coach Richt and give the man his due, he will start, play, and run the rock hard and down the defenses throat. Nuff said damnit.
typical dawg fan
August 31st, 2011
2:06 pm
that vince fella ain’t foolin nobody. the real coach don’t have a “d” in his last name.
Ace
August 31st, 2011
2:09 pm
1st quarter fumble and his head is jello….
B
August 31st, 2011
2:10 pm
CHIP – reportedly at a tutorial meeting? You are a whiny little 317ch. No wonder georgia fans despise you. The Macon Telegraph writer gives much better coverage without Chip’s obvious ax to grind.
B
August 31st, 2011
2:10 pm
Chip – go suck an egg
UGAmutt
August 31st, 2011
2:12 pm
This kid is going to be the key to our “Time Management”. I see Ga using Richard Samuel/Figgins to smack that Boise front seven in the mouth for a few quarters to weaken them up, then shooting IC out on a few sweeps from the ‘Gun to spread them out, just to come right back up the middle and run down the ticker.
UGAmutt
August 31st, 2011
2:13 pm
And Vance, I saw that post on here last week. Grow up.
typical dawg fan
August 31st, 2011
2:14 pm
mr. vance i took them first 2 courses when i was gettin my ged up in blue ridge. they wasn’t real hard if you was to pay attension.
J-Critt
August 31st, 2011
2:14 pm
He’s going about this all wrong. Just buy a gun and brandish it at anyone that gives you a hard time about your responsibilities, and the rest will take care of itself.
Oh, but make sure to keep the safety on, that one was always tough for me to remember
TC
August 31st, 2011
2:15 pm
Typical media….Chip, lay off the guy….perhaps he had something more important to do like go to tutoring than to come answer the same lame questions you media types have been asking him for weeks. I’m glad to hear that he blew off the media, you guys are a waste of time.
Champs
August 31st, 2011
2:15 pm
Everyone give the kid a break. This is a non-story, how can you even make it a headline and open him up to the insults from the many morons that come to this blog. Sounds like he had to make a choice – go to tutoring session, or go to press conference. He made the right choice. Shame on Chip for making this a headline, and shame on you all for picking on this eighteen year old’s struggle to manage his very hectic schedule. Most of you have no idea what his schedule is like. I agree that freshman should be kept away from the media.
1eyedJack
August 31st, 2011
2:21 pm
typical dawg fan, where can I get one of those rebel flags with a picture of Hank Williams Jr. in the middle of it?
I blew off half my classes when I was a senior in high school. Didn’t keep me from being accepted to every college I applied to or from graduating from college.
Whether or not he “blew off” some classed in high school will have absolutely no bearing on whether he can tote that rock Saturday night.
tim
August 31st, 2011
2:21 pm
This kid will be a bust…..yea that’s right a bust. The hype has been off the charts, and I’ll just say that every D that UGA plays this year will be gunning for him. He’ll be on the physically unable to perform list before the Gators get at you puppies….in fact he better watch out the first 2 weeks…he’s never seen defenses like he’ll see weeks 1 and 2
BigHittas
August 31st, 2011
2:24 pm
sounds to me like the kid has his priorities straight and the athletic dept needs to get theirs in order!