UGA not only football program dealing with domestic violence issues
ATHENS – I was traveling yesterday when UGA announced it had decided on a two-game suspension for starting cornerback Sanders Commings at the start of next season.
Even though Georgia coach Mark Richt has avoided commenting on the subject so far, a spokesman told me Richt decided on the two games Wednesday after a series of meetings with Commings and conducting his own investigation into the matter. Commings, 21, was arrested by UGA police on Jan. 21 and charged with domestic violence/simple battery for allegedly hitting his former girlfriend.
Commings is scheduled for a March 22 arraignment before an Athens-Clarke County judge, so his legal case remains unresolved. Meanwhile, the incident is also being investigated by UGA as a possible violation of student conduct code. That review is ongoing, though I’ve reported on some of the interviews that were already available through the Freedom of Information Act. Those documents lead one to believe it the case might not be as cut-and-dried a case as the original police reports indicated.
Meanwhile, Georgia is not the only SEC team having to deal with a domestic violence issue. According to a report in the Orlando Sentinel today, Gators freshman tight end A.C. Leonard was arrested Wednesday night on domestic violence charges. Leonard was due to be released on his own recognizance Thursday and Florida coach Willi Muschamp has yet to comment on the situation.
Said spokesman Steve McClain: “Coach Muschamp is currently traveling and unavailable, but he will address the matter later today.”
There have been some other recent precedents as well:
On Feb. 3, Clemson dismissed wide receiver Joe Craig due to a domestic violence incident. However, apparently that was Craig’s second such charge. He was indefinitely suspended and ultimately missed three games last season due to the previous incident.
Conversely, Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw did not miss any playing time after he and his girlfriend were both arrested on domestic violence charges in 2009.
Which brings us to where we are today. Commings has already been issued a two-game suspension while his legal issues remain unresolved. So how do you guys feel about that? Should the Bulldogs have waited until his matter had run its course through the university and local legal systems? Do you trust Coach Richt’s judgment and/or did he get it about right? Is Georgia going too easy on Commings?
Intelligent, thoughtful comments only, please.
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547 comments Add your comment
The national champions- 2 bcs titles in 3 years
February 17th, 2012
12:15 pm
Oh lordy,
Chip mentions that Courtney Upshaw of Alabama got no suspension. Well of course not. The reason is that the charges were dropped because he did nothing wrong. His girlfriend pulled up and Upshaw happened to be talking to another girl in the parking lot. She came up and slapped the fool out of him and started attacking him. He simply held her down to keep her from hitting him some more. A campus cop came by, saw the altercation, and just arrested both of them. The girl’s dad said his daughter was completely at fault and said he “felt sorry” for Upshaw. Next time you should try telling a little bit of the truth. Also the Upshaw incident was 2 years ago. Sheesh.
The national champions- 2 bcs titles in 3 years
February 17th, 2012
12:18 pm
daddydog,
Same thing happened with Upshaw where the girlfriend attacked him. Now in the case of Commings you should note that this is the 2nd domestic violence call between him and the girl so apparently there is more to the situation than just this one incident.
WDE
February 17th, 2012
12:25 pm
@The national champions- 2 bcs titles in 3 years….. by chance was there 180,000 good reasons the GF’s Daddy said she was at fault?
Homepage | MrSEC
February 17th, 2012
12:26 pm
[...] Missouri and #1 receiver signee Dorial Green-Beckham. (Avoid the rush, worry early.)10. So now there are some in the Peach State who believe Mark Richt is being too tough on crime?11. This columnist says football assistant Tee Martin’s defection to Southern Cal [...]
Charles
February 17th, 2012
12:34 pm
So, GTBob, in your first comment, you say that Commings should absolutely be kicked off the team. Your words. Then you say if the charges are dropped, he should not even be suspended. What a bunch of contradictory, hate-filled garbage. Typical Techie complex with your big brother. Which is it, nerd? Kick him off now, no ifs/ands/buts, or wait until we know more?
what of it?
February 17th, 2012
12:49 pm
Seeing how the only witnesses reported that he didn’t strike the victim as was alleged, this is the dumbest thing Richt could have done. If the charges are dismissed against Commings, Richt will look a total fool
LeftCoastDawg
February 17th, 2012
12:51 pm
Interesting Find
Coach Current Team W-L vs Winning Teams Winning %
Steve Spurrier South Carolina 85-70-2 54%
Nick Saban Alabama 69-47 59%
Mark Richt Georgia 54-35 61%
Les Miles LSU 45-35 56%
Houston Nutt Ole Miss 36-69 34%
Bobby Petrino Arkansas 28-24 54%
Gene Chizik Auburn 16-20 44%
Dan Mullen Mississippi State 6-17 26%
Hugh Freeze Ole Miss 3-2 60%
Joker Phillips Kentucky 3-10 23%
Derek Dooley Tennessee 2-27 7%
Will Muschamp Florida 0-6 0%
James Franklin Vanderbilt 0-6 0%
Ted Striker
February 17th, 2012
12:51 pm
It’s LeBron’s fault……
Ted Striker
February 17th, 2012
12:54 pm
Besides, Commings is a starter…….Richt does not kick starters off the team, he just suspends them….
flagboy?
February 17th, 2012
12:55 pm
How can anyone say whether this is fair or if UGA was too easy or if UGA was too strict without having ANY of the facts of what went on that night?
One report said he tried to walk away. Another says he hit the girl as hard as he could. . . . If you’re hoping to form an opinion from that, sorry to say that your mind was probably made up about what happened due to something other than what actually went on that night.
As a UGA grad/fan, I hope it didn’t happen, but my hope or anyone else’s won’t affect the final findings, whatever those findings are.
Bama Boy
February 17th, 2012
12:56 pm
Alabama plays by different rules because Alabama is Alabama! The rule book is for all of you losers!
Ezra
February 17th, 2012
12:59 pm
Sometimes you just got to make the b&tch shut up! Pay the consequences and move on.
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
12:59 pm
Chris…I concur!!!
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
12:59 pm
I love how everyone wants to drag Alabama into this article including the writer…Facts are totally different but whatever…Crystals Baby…Everyone is measures themselves by our stick…
Heck, Hitting a girl in Georgia is dating….Unfortunately, this girl got herself a second date….
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:00 pm
Ezra…obviously she didnt learn the first time!! LOL
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:01 pm
Ezra…looks like she didnt learn the first time!! LOL
WDE
February 17th, 2012
1:02 pm
@BamaGuy hitting your sister in Bama is spousal abuse…
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:03 pm
The national champions- 2 bcs titles in 3 years
February 17th, 2012
12:18 pm
Not the second time stop spreading BS.
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:03 pm
Bama fans…always gotta be center of attention on here.
flagboy?
February 17th, 2012
1:03 pm
On a related note. . . There are FAR too many people who get absolutely giddy and hide it behind a face of moral outrage when something like this happens. . . Someone who gets physically violent with a female is pretty much garbage in my opinion. I feel the same way about someone who is happy to hear about it though because they think they can use it as some kind of weapon on an internet blog to score a few points in some imaginary contest.
Same goes for the kid at UF.
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:04 pm
WDE… hitting your sister in Bama is spousal abuse…
Hitting your girl in the teeth is impossible….
Ted Striker
February 17th, 2012
1:04 pm
HA! An Alabama guy saying:
“Heck, Hitting a girl in Georgia is dating….Unfortunately, this girl got herself a second date….”
That may be true but at least we are hitting a girl on a date and not our sister on a date…..
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:05 pm
LeftCoastDawg
February 17th, 2012
12:51 pm
Actually Richt is 60-35
http://leatherhelmetblog.com/2012-articles/february/who-wins-the-big-games.html
Only behind Satan
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:07 pm
Ted That may be true but at least we are hitting a girl on a date and not our sister on a date…..
I don’t think so…You guys are all about “Deliverance”…no need for girls
PAUL R.
February 17th, 2012
1:07 pm
Only two games for assaulting a woman; What kind of signal does that give to the fans and the team? Maybe Georgia’s problem is exactly this type of criminal act – that Richt soft soaps every bloody time. Basically, UGA is the school where : The Punishment Never Fits The Crime.
Hoopster
February 17th, 2012
1:07 pm
Why do you UGa fans continue to forget that there were 4 witnesses that said he did strike her. Hard enough to merit them flagging down the police! Everyone should shut up until ALL the facts come out. Not just “1 ex football player said he didn’t hit her.” Duh! Of course he’s gonna say that. Suspend the kid indefinitely until everything comes to light or don’t do anything until everything comes to light. Not 2 games!
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:08 pm
Is a firm backhand considering hitting? haha
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:08 pm
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:04 pm
ahahahhahaha thats actually something more associated with bama. Sorry try again.
FYI anything associated with the state of GA for stereotypes is associated with bama 10X worse.
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:09 pm
TDF….Big game?
Richt Has to get to the BIG game first..
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:09 pm
PAUL R.
February 17th, 2012
1:07 pm
Do you not know how to read??? He never hit her. Move along troll
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:10 pm
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:09 pm
Wasnt responding to you retard. And you clearly have no clue what we are talking about.
Thank ESPN for you last title moron, bc you didnt earn anything
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:11 pm
TDF…FYI anything associated with the state of GA for stereotypes is associated with bama 10X worse.
I don’t know about that…Actually Made a movie about you guys….
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:12 pm
Hoopster
February 17th, 2012
1:07 pm
Are you stupid??? Everyone that said he hit her wasnt there, they were repeating what was said. But everyone that was actually there is saying he didnt. All thats left to be interviewed are the ones that werent with that group but saw what happened.
Maybe do some research and find out what facts have come out before you come on here and try and tell anyone anything.
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:13 pm
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:11 pm
ahahhahaha theres plenty of movies and even documentaries about marrying cousins and siblings in bama.
WDE
February 17th, 2012
1:14 pm
@BamaGuy wow so hitting a toothless girlfriend is worse than hitting your sister/girlfriend it that how your logic is tracking? You see my wife who is not from Bama nor am I has all her teeth and she is not my sister….wait I see being from Bama you think everyones sister/girlfriend is toothless..no that is not true and BamaGuy you really shouldn’t hit any women even if they are you sister/girlfriend/toothless or not….really bad form.
lee
February 17th, 2012
1:15 pm
wow, should ‘we’re not as bad as everyone else’, be the standard that UGA’s held to?
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:16 pm
BamaBoy….with all yoru homosexual undertone comments…we’re beginning to wonder about you!!
Gainesville Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:16 pm
Chip, you are desperate for fans? nonfans??? comments to open up this topic.
Let it rest.
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:18 pm
CRYSTALS….Plural
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:20 pm
Florida Player Arrested
According to a police report, Leonard shoved the woman to the ground, causing her to hit her head on a dog cage. She told police Leonard had told her to leave the apartment they shared.
The arrest report says Leonard grabbed the woman by both feet and pulled her out of the apartment when she refused to leave.
and when he couldnt get her out that way he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out. Police report says she had chunks of hair missing.
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:20 pm
BamaGuy
February 17th, 2012
1:18 pm
You mean 1 earned and one not??
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:21 pm
For a guy coming from Bama…you’re pretty ghetto!! Crazy combination!!
Chris
February 17th, 2012
1:22 pm
So Mettenberger gets thrown off the team for slapping a girl on the behind, but Commings beats his girlfriend and only gets two games? There seems to be an inconsistency here…
washwithtide
February 17th, 2012
1:23 pm
ALABAMA..ALABAMA…ALABAMA… WOW THAT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER….
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:23 pm
yeah….completely different situations!! Duh!!
TDF
February 17th, 2012
1:24 pm
Chris
February 17th, 2012
1:22 pm
He never hit her, read before you post clown.
Mett lied about what happened. which was the main reason for dismissal.
Jborodawg
February 17th, 2012
1:26 pm
Do you trust Coach Richt’s judgment and/or did he get it about right?
I trust coach Richt’s judgement. I did think he would wait until at least the Office of Student Conduct had finished their process. Apparently coach Richt has enough info to make the call.
It’s also true that Commings is innocent until proven guilty when it comes to the court/legal proceedings.
WDE
February 17th, 2012
1:27 pm
@Chris and we have a winner for dumbest post for the day…so far Congrats you certainly earned the title..
QuiantlyQ
February 17th, 2012
1:27 pm
After Ealey and Mettenberger’s dismissals, and guys like Commings getting a pass, I don’t trust Richt’s judgment at all.
G-Dawg
February 17th, 2012
1:27 pm
Motorboating Mettenberger!!