Kwame Geathers’ father upset over his son’s half-game suspension
Robert Geathers Sr., the father of Georgia sophomore noseguard Kwame Geathers, is upset that his son was assessed a two-quarter suspension in the Florida game after being the victim of what he thought was a dangerous, defenseless hit in the Vanderbilt game this past weekend.
“I’ve played football and been around football all my life,” said Robert Geathers Sr., who played in the NFL for 13 seasons has has two other sons playing professionally, “and if you watch it you see this kid speed up while everybody else is slowing down and he’s locked in on my son’s leg. If you look closely you can see the guy give a thumbs up to the sideline and the coach telling him ‘good job.’ I was, like, ‘Wow!’ I could be sitting here today telling you how my son’s surgery went.”
Mr. Geathers is referring to Vanderbilt sophomore center Logan Stewart, who was flagged for clipping on the play. Kwame Geathers was called for a personal foul after he turned around and punched Stewart in the side while both players remained on the ground. You can GO HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.
Both players were assessed half-game suspensions by the SEC on Wednesday afternoon. Georgia strong safety Shawn Williams was also levied a half-game suspension for an illegal hit he made in the game.
Mr. Geathers was incredulous that his son is being disciplined at all.
“They fine you for hits like that in the NFL and they’re fining Kwame two quarters out of a game?,” he said. “Kwame didn’t do anything wrong. He’s just reacting. I’m a parent who’s really upset. I could’ve gotten a call telling me that my son’s career is over.”
Mr. Geathers said Vanderbilt “needs to call Georgia and apologize for that kid. I think a good coach would do that. I’m not sure if we’ll get anything out of this but somebody needs to make an example of it and it doesn’t need to be Kwame.”
Vanderbilt coach James Franklin and Georgia coach Mark Richt, participating in the weekly SEC teleconference call on Wednesday, declined to comment on any of the events that took place during or after Georgia’s 33-28 win.
– Chip Towers
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359 comments Add your comment
1eyedJack
October 19th, 2011
12:47 pm
Geathers did what any self-respecting “man” would do when attacked from behind…he threw a punch. The personal foul resulted in a first down for Vandy.
Stewart cowardly, and from all indications, purposely clipped. No real penalty was realized. However, he does play for Vandy so he’s being punished anyway.
Old dawg
October 19th, 2011
12:48 pm
Sec114, you are right because every Techie says so, and they are the absolute authority.
Nick
October 19th, 2011
12:48 pm
Words from someone who certainly knows. I agree 100%. I hope the league looks at this the same way. Coach Franklin’s acting like an angel on this whole deal, when in reality it appears that him or another of his coaches is teaching this type of behavior.
I always thought more of VU prior to this. Not anymore.
ryan
October 19th, 2011
12:49 pm
We still beat Vandy even on our worst game there players were poor sports .
Kande87
October 19th, 2011
12:49 pm
Ty Ty, you say Geathers was wrong, please tell me what you reaction would be if someone took a cheap shot at your knee like the Vandy player did? You can say he shouldn’t have reacted but in the het of the game when someone takes a cheap shot at your livelihood, it is easier said than done! He was flagged for it and I believe it should be left at that!
MoDawg
October 19th, 2011
12:52 pm
The only reason the SEC even looked at it with such scrutiny is because of what happened at the end of the game. It was pretty classless, but a good marketing ploy by Franklin to come after a UGA player and then say he was looking for Richt, which he clearly was not. Grantham happened to be closer and Franklin started in on him to prove that Vandy is not going to stand by while the big bullies try to walk over them any more and it blew up in his face (so did Grantham, by the way). Once he finally found Richt, he was like “Mr. Richt, your coach yelled at me, sniff, sniff…” and Richt, being the peacekeeper dobbed his tears and told him it was going to be okay.
The after-game incident caused so much conversation and uproar that the SEC went above and beyond to make a statement. Both players were flagged and I, too have to wonder about the double-standard Slive seems to uphold.
Kwame, get all revved up on the sideline in the first half so we can turn you loose on the Gator offensive line in the second half. It might just be a career game for you.
GATA!
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
12:54 pm
ty ty football guru
October 19th, 2011
12:28 pm
More UGA whining and patting each other on the back. The Emperor is not wearing clothes people. There is NO discipline in Athens. Geathers was WRONG, reaction or not, WRONG!
—————————————
Way to speak up Tech fan. But your comments are the most wrong thing on here. If you know someone is trying to destroy your knee, you will react. Stewart shouldn’t be allowed back on the field all year. Legarrate Blount lost a season for a sucker punch but this kid gets to go play next game against Army in the second half after trying to take out a knee.
Captain Reality
October 19th, 2011
12:56 pm
Discipline…This could cost UGA a game. You don’t retaliate, it is part of your training to remain under control and not have the team suffer for your actions. I don’t know if the punishment fits the crime. I know the punishment is much more severe in basketball. Be thankful KG wasn’t injured and his action didn’t influence the outcome of the Vandy game.
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
12:57 pm
I am gay.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 19th, 2011
12:57 pm
I just wonder what game Richt was watching Saturday night? Was his headset tuned to a different game? He needs to come out and stand up for his guys IMO. Both Grantham and Geathers.
1eyedJack
October 19th, 2011
12:57 pm
Top Row Dog, he couldn’t appeal the suspension, there are no unions involved.
Does Ty Ty have electricity yet?
gdawginkalamazoo
October 19th, 2011
12:58 pm
Well now we will be putting OOB Jenkins in the Florida game for the first half.
The Truth
October 19th, 2011
12:58 pm
Ryan….you still have many bad games in you this year.
Educating the fan
October 19th, 2011
12:58 pm
Cut blocking, chop blocking and “clipping” are all different. A chop block is when one offensive player is holding up a defender and another offensive player hits the same defender below the waist. Cut blocking is where a single offensive player blocks a single defender below the waste. Clipping is a block from behind (generally below the knee). Cut blocking is legal. Chop blocking and clipping are not. What you see in the video is a clipping. Defensive lineman hate all three!
Mike
October 19th, 2011
1:00 pm
That was a dirty play all the way. If the SEC suspends Geathers, it doesnt surprise me. UF is their baby, so anything to give them a leg up. Just like last year when they let the UF RB play after texting death threats to his girl. Just like no suspensions for Spikes attempting to gauge out Ealey’s eyes with 4 fingers. SEC justice is well documented in its bias. Lane Kiffin may have been a jerk, but he was dead on about how the SEC plays favorites.
Calhoundawg
October 19th, 2011
1:00 pm
A very well thought out and malicious “clip” I might add …
georgiagirl
October 19th, 2011
1:01 pm
Amen to Dawg85!
Knew this was coming, DOUBLE JEOPARDY, BIAST SEC COMM, I will bet you no other player on any other SEC team will get suspended.
So Mr. Geathers I am sorry for this, your son would not have to sit out of the two quarters. You can not do this to one team and let the others get away with it. SAD SAD that in this day and time that the SEC office is so biast to other teams.
girldawg
October 19th, 2011
1:01 pm
I agree Geathers does not deserve the suspension. Yes he should not have reacted but that would be more of a coaching/teaching opportunity for the young man. What I don’t understand is why is Slive interested in this now when he looked the other way with Auburn last year talk about late dangerous cheaps hits and with Chizik and staff congratulating them for it after the hits.
G
October 19th, 2011
1:02 pm
What a load of crap. Vandy is playing the victim and the real victim in this whole story is Kwame! And he is actually being punished for it? I am worried that if CMR doesn’t appeal this, he will lose the respect from his team. We all saw on the video how he didn’t stand up for his player or coach. he just stood there and took it from Franklin like he was on his side.
Ginger or Maryanne ??
October 19th, 2011
1:03 pm
Raw deal for the dawgs. Thankfully we have JJ to fill in. Feel sorry or Kwame…
Heath
October 19th, 2011
1:03 pm
Darn right Mike.
I hope UGA’s other players use this as motivation, seeing the SEC do anything they can to help Florida.
Georgia | MrSEC.com
October 19th, 2011
1:03 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Robert Geathers Sr. says his son Kwame Geathers has already been told he will miss the first half of Georgia’s game with Florida on October 29th. And the elder Geathers — a former NFL player — isn’t happy [...]
SmurfPeter
October 19th, 2011
1:03 pm
just in time for the UF game…..great!
ryan
October 19th, 2011
1:04 pm
@The Truth we still won the game because of our defense the passing game what helped us win Murray had over 300 yards glad to here most of the post coming out and supporting Geathers because his career could have been over with that dirty play .
The Truth
October 19th, 2011
1:04 pm
WAAAAAAAAA WAAAAAAAAAA WAAAAAAAAAAAA they cheat!!!! WAAAAAAAAAA
Paul
October 19th, 2011
1:05 pm
Vandy’s coach is a joke. What a bunch of b.s. When you allow your players to PURPOSEFULLY try and INJURE players and then you’re indignant about a bunch of TALK after a game. Get over yourself. This play was about as dirty as the SEC and the only person from this entire fracas that needs to get benched next week is the Vandy player and the coaches who condoned it. And all those Vandy recruits with their self-righteous talks about UGA’s class exhibited from some personal fouls need to take a good hard look at crap like this. Yeah, UGA got the personal foul, but who was really the dirty player in all this?
LkB
October 19th, 2011
1:05 pm
If CMR had a set of balls he would appeal the suspension and let Geathers play against UF the entire game. He does not so he will not. Pretty simple and I am not only a UGA fan but a supporter of CMR. Sometimes you just have to state the facts.
DIT
October 19th, 2011
1:05 pm
WOW! that was the first time I’ve seen that video. that was absolutely a cheap shot by the vanderbilt player. There is not 1 football player that would not retaliate what Geathers did.
7576DAWG
October 19th, 2011
1:06 pm
Apparently cut blocking is legal and of course chop blocking is not. The question is do we at Georgia condone and teach cut blocking? If we do we have nothing to be upset about .For me it should be treated as a serious offense because if not done perfectly there is too high a risk of blowing out someones knee. The SEC should ban cut blocking and take it as serious as chop blocking.
War Dang Dawg
October 19th, 2011
1:07 pm
One of the most flagrant, dirty plays I’ve ever seen. I know that Geathers threw a punch, but sheez, the Vandy guy had it coming. He should be suspended for at least 2 whole games.
Forget two quarters, Geathers is damn lucky he’s not out for the rest of the season after sustaining a blow to the back of the legs like that. I hope the punch found an unprotected area.
Angry Dawg
October 19th, 2011
1:07 pm
I hope Coach F pulls this garbage again soon and an opposing player drops him right there at the 50 yard line. That would be funny as #%@$
GTBob
October 19th, 2011
1:07 pm
“Kwame didn’t do anything wrong. He’s just reacting.
Sorry Mr. Geathers but you can be penalized for reactions as well. Punching a guy is going to get you suspended. It doesn’t matter what provoked it. If your son would have just walked away then UGA would not have gotten a penalty and your son would play the whole game against UF. You should use this as a teaching experience to let your son know that he cant react like a violent maniac if he gets hit with a cheap shot.
MiamiDawg
October 19th, 2011
1:08 pm
Raw deal for the dawgs, but what could you possibly do to Vandy. They have a second rate program that will never come to anything. All they can do is be a spoiler. Congrats vandy… you won.
See you next year. Maybe our guys will take you seriously and pound you like the doormat that you are.
The Truth
October 19th, 2011
1:08 pm
Looked like the vandy player tripped and fell down. Quit your whining.
Gary
October 19th, 2011
1:10 pm
Maybe 2 wrongs don’t make a right but in the heat of a game, you can’t blame a player for retaliating for an intentioal dangerous hit. You have to let the other team know you are not going to let their dirty play go unpunished. Any coach who encourages his players to take cheap shots should be disciplined as well. We are fortunate to have both Jenkins and Gaithers to back each other up and punish the oposing line. By the same token, I dont want to see our guys taking cheap shots either. Looks like the conference is trying to micromanage the games when you already have officials on the field to make sure everyone plays by the rules.
rabundog
October 19th, 2011
1:10 pm
This will give CMR an escuse to use when they lose to the gators
SmurfPeter
October 19th, 2011
1:10 pm
Atleast we will have Kwame with 100% energy and not wore done from 1st half of play. Maybe blessing in disguise. Go bullfrogs!
Waverly Dawg
October 19th, 2011
1:10 pm
It will be interesting to see if CMR goes to bat for his player with the SEC or simply apologizes again. I have supported CMR through thick and thin, but his apologetic comment to Franklin after the games is causing doubt as to where his loyalties stand. Support your players and coaches in public. Deal with their issues in private and do so deliberately.
Geathers did nothing that anyone who has ever played the game at any level would not have done.
In the meantime, if Geathers has to sit out the first half of the FL game, make someone pay a price in the seocnd half. And remember, next year you get Stewart in Athens, Between the Hedges. Whip his a$$!
gbal
October 19th, 2011
1:11 pm
I personally dont feel that a penalty should be handed down from the commissioners office for a penalty. The refs handle this during the game by throwing a flag and penalizing the team and if something in the way of a fight breaks out the ref can eject a player.
I really dont believe that a comish or SEC office wants or should get into evaluating games and imposing additional penalties after a game.
Off field stuff or issues after a game, maybe, but leave calling the game to the refs.
Paul
October 19th, 2011
1:11 pm
@GTBob Ok, moron. Let me know when your football team quits teaching their O-Line to dive at players knees and trying to injure the other team. And when your fat fish-frying coach becomes “smart” enough to coach an offense that a high-school couldn’t run and then maybe I’ll listen to your pretentious, stupid, red-neck opinion. Go back to your pie-charts nerd. Nobody likes you.
Ginger
October 19th, 2011
1:11 pm
Good for Mr. Geathers !!!!!
I don’t see anyone standing up for Kwame (unless it was Coach TG)….maybe that was part of what Coach TG was fussing at Coach Franklin about.
But look at the darn video—-that hit in Kwame was very wrong….The vandy player attacked the kneed.
The vandy player needs to be suspended for the whole game and Kwame needs and apology.
I am just as upset as Mr. Geathers
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
1:11 pm
GTBob, “Sorry Mr. Geathers but you can be penalized for reactions as well. Punching a guy is going to get you suspended. It doesn’t matter what provoked it. If your son would have just walked away then UGA would not have gotten a penalty and your son would play the whole game against UF.”
This is so much easier to say when it isn’t you and it isn’t your son. In fact, you have no way of knowing how you would react in that situation until it is you in that situation. Let someone clearly try to take your knee out and see how you feel. Besides, you say he could have just walked away but quite honestly, that ability was almost taken away from him .. literally. Stewart should be suspended for the year. His signal to the bench and the video of him lining up the hit make it obvious his intentions were to injure.
Mr. Dawg
October 19th, 2011
1:11 pm
I don’t know how much more motivation the Bulldog players need to get up for Florida other than the game itself. But if this whole Vandy episode and the unfair portrayal of the incident it’s getting from the press and media makes them as angry as it does me Florida is going to meet with some mad dogs. At this rate if I’m the Gators I hope Kwame doesn’t get suspended. I’m really beginning to get the sense that the Bulldogs are going to whip the Gators good.
Paul
October 19th, 2011
1:11 pm
Enter your comments here
Ginger
October 19th, 2011
1:12 pm
GT Bob—-go back to GT and worry about the jackets…You sure do worry alot about UGA…
I never read GT stuff and comment.
7576DAWG
October 19th, 2011
1:13 pm
DIT
After I saw the video I was amazed also about how deliberate it was. I would love to have seen CMR’s explanation to the SEC about the play. I bet it didn’t even defend Geathers at all.
The Truth
October 19th, 2011
1:13 pm
Geathers is just like his hothead Defensive Coach.
Ginger
October 19th, 2011
1:14 pm
And Kwame had a right to his reaction—-when a Vandy player intentionly went for the knee….Career ending intentions.
that is not playing the game—that intentional trying to harm someone…very different that just playing the game
schmeckdawg
October 19th, 2011
1:14 pm
Tell it Like it Is
October 19th, 2011
12:46 pm
Jame Franklin is a deceitful, pretentious, self-righteous hyprocrite. Could Grantham have responded in a better way – Yes – He has admitted his fault. Not Franklin – he wants everyone to think nothing was his fault, but Franklin instigated the whole scene. The Vandy coach is a grown adult who has no business coming at 20 year old players after the game. And then yell back at our coach – there was no turning the other cheek. As Richt said walk out and shake hands – that means you too James. Vandy likes to protray themsellves as this clean cut group that plays by the rules. That is the dirtiest, cheating team UGA has played all year. Call a spade a spade !!!
**************************************************************************************************************
ABSOLTELY A GREAT CALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TampaDawg
October 19th, 2011
1:14 pm
The Truth, thank you again for another truly stupid post. Quit posting.