Notebook: UGA players believe vandalism an isolated incident by ’small group’
ATHENS – Georgia linebacker Christian Robinson said he had to go back and delete the tweet he sent out early Sunday morning claiming a “Good Samaritan” had cleaned up his egged and toilet-papered house and yard as he slept.
As it turns out, it was teammate Arthur Lynch, one of his four roommates, who took it upon himself to clean up the mess in the middle of the night.
“I wanted it to be a Good Samaritan,” Robinson said Tuesday after Georgia’s practice. “But I found out later it was Arthur. He said couldn’t leave it out there.”
Joked Lynch: “I needed eggs in the fridge so I was hoping they’d left some for me.”
Robinson and Lynch share an off-campus house on the outskirts of town with teammates Aaron Murray, Ty Frix and Dustin Royston. They returned to Athens in the wee hours of Sunday morning from their 35-7 defeat at the hands of South Carolina in Columbia to find trees covered with toilet papers and eggs splattered on the front door and all over the front of the house.
Lynch was able to remove the bulk of it sometime between 3-4 a.m. The property’s landlord sent out a cleaning crew later that cleaned up the rest.
“I didn’t want anyone to see it,” Lynch said. “It’s just one of those things. I didn’t take it personal. It was probably just a couple of guys who felt that way. After it got out, I got hundreds of text and messages from people saying they didn’t feel that way.”
“They sent out a pressure washer and got it cleaned up,” Robinson said. “They thought they were going to have to repaint but they don’t think so now.”
The players filed a report with the Athens-Clarke County police department, which told the Athens Banner-Herald that they were going to step up patrols around players’ residences on game days.
Lynch and Robinson said the act of vandalism has not tainted their perception of fans.
“It’s a small group,” Robinson said. “That’s what I;’ve been hearing and that’s what people have been talking about. It’s a small group of people. Right when I sent out that tweet, I had probably 700 people tweeting me reminding me of that.”
Said Lynch: “I’m learning more every year how much people invest emotionally into Georgia [football]. So I can see why. This is the state school and I can see why people feel like they do about it.”
But no matter how much fans want Georgia to win, it pales in comparison to the players.
“It was an unfortunate situation,” said flanker Tavarres King said. “But if there is anything I can get out there it’s that we want to win just as bad as everybody else wants us to win. We practice 365 days a year for 12 opportunities that are precious to us. So all that added stuff could be done without.”
SE Michael Bennett hospitalized
Sophomore split end Michael Bennett underwent reconstructive surgery Tuesday at St. Mary’s Hospital to repair the torn ACL in his right knee. Bennett was to remain hospitalized overnight.
Bennett tweeted from his hospital bed Tuesday afternoon. “Surgery went great! I feel like a million bucks on these pain meds.”
Bennett also tweeted a message to his teammates over the weekend: “Shout out to my boys. We are gonna be just fine! We know how to overcome adversity, especially with the leaders we have.”
Aaron Murray returns to campus
Murray made it back in time to practice with the Bulldogs. But he barely made it, despite breaking some speed laws on his drive back from Tampa.
In fact, Georgia’s junior quarterback was pulled over for speeding in Gainesville, Fla., home of the Florida Gators. Said Murray in a tweet at about 10 a.m. Tuesday: “I would get pulled over in Gainesville. Don’t think I am gonna be able to get out of this one.”
Murray, his brother Josh and sister Stephanie went to Tampa Sunday night to be with their father, Denny Murray, who underwent cancer surgery on Monday morning at the Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa. The family reports that it went well and he is recovering.
Rambo speaks up
Free safety Bacarri Rambo spoke with reporters Tuesday for the first time since he tested positive for marijuana in March.
“It happened and it’s over with,” Rambo said. “I’ve just dealt with my consequences and I’ve done moved on and I’m back on the team.”
Rambo admitted to feeling “a little” rusty and just a half-beat slow on his reads and reactions. He pointed to the first-quarter pass play in the South Carolina game in which Damiere Byrd ripped a would-be interception out of his hands for a 42-yard gain. The Gamecocks went on to score their first touchdown in a 21-point first quarter.
“That’s the one I beat myself up about,” Rambo said. “I wonder if I’d made that interception would it have changed the momentum of the game. That’s where I’ve just got to correct the small things and read the quarterback and offensive line better and put myself in better position.”
Rambo said he didn’t have second thoughts about returning for his senior season, even though he missed four games due to suspension.
“I don’t regret coming back to school,” Rambo said. “I love my guys and I’m glad I’m here helping achieve team goals. Everything happens for a reason. God has a plan for me. I’m just going to keep working hard and try to be the best player I can be for my teammates.”
Harvey-Clemons among captains
Georgia coach Mark Richt announced captains for the Oct. 20 Kentucky game and the group included a true freshman. Guard Chris Burnette is offensive captain, John Jenkins and Abry Jones are defensive captains and freshman Josh Harvey-Clemons was tabbed as special teams captain.
“It’s rare that a true freshman becomes a captain, but the staff and I felt he did the best,” Richt said. “Every special team he was on, he excelled and had a winning grade. All of the coaches were saying how excellent he played. It is really hard to become a captain as a freshman, especially true freshman, but he earned this and I’m proud of him.”
Etc. . . .
Outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, who has been struggling with knee and groin injuries this season, sat out practice on Monday due to a sprained ankle. It’s unknown when he might return. . . . The Bulldogs’ two-hour practice was visited by members of Extra Special People, or ESP, an Oconee County organization that assists individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
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235 comments Add your comment
OLD DOG
October 10th, 2012
9:17 am
As to the egging my late father said “just consider the source.” It takes a stupid man to do stupid things. First off SC is a very good football team and they put it to UGA, but that game has been played and bitching can’t change it. The future is where everyone needs to focus. Coaches, players and fans need to show what they are made of. The future will tell where the character lies with the coaches, players and true fans. Be careful what you ask for there may be another Ray Goff in waiting. Look at Auburn: Scam is gone and boy do they have problems. Just some thought from and “OLD DOG” that has seen most everything.
ARdawg
October 10th, 2012
9:18 am
BigRedandBlackDawg
Now that just funny. What is even funnier than that right there is the fact that you actually believe it. 7th NC next year. Already with the “get’em next year” Bullkaka
papadawg
October 10th, 2012
9:20 am
Cmon ALL DAWG fans aren’t like this. Sure we’re dissappointed with a loss but we’re not going to jump off the bandwagon and vandilize players property. I’ll leave that to the Weak Low Class Wannabee Low Lifes.
snoop dawgy dawg
October 10th, 2012
9:22 am
mike bubu screws up again
prpldawg
October 10th, 2012
9:26 am
J Dawg- Great and proper quote- Teddy Roosevelt.
I sadly am coming to the conclusion that the problem is at the top. A few things bother me about the critics on this blog- not you J dawg
1. You are not at practice so you do not what is going on. You do not know who is working hard. Shut up your stupid uneducated whine about the players.
2.I am tired of people ripping Rich for being a Christian. That does not disqualify him. That is not the problem.Have you critics ever heard of Tom Landry or John Wooden?
3. Anyone who mentions Jon Gruden is CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY. You do not know the whole story.You do not want him.
RainDog
October 10th, 2012
9:27 am
Bacarri’s still feeling the effects of all that weed—he looked slow on his reactions against usc.
BigRedandBlackDawg
October 10th, 2012
9:27 am
ARdawg,
Remember, I addressed you Stupid Non-Fans and you responded. Get off the train now if you want off. I just don’t want you back after we claim our 7th NC WITH our players.
ARdawg
October 10th, 2012
9:32 am
OLD DOG
A Ray Goff in waiting is very much worth the risks. We need a coach that will get the program over the hump and not cower on the big stage. It’s a risk and a gamble but one many folks are willing to risk
builderdawg
October 10th, 2012
9:33 am
Richt must go. RICHT MUST GO!!!!!!! thats all there needs to be said. He kind of reminded me of obama durning the debate with Romney the other night. Same kind of lame performance. And bobo would he be biden in this???? Yep, so what do you people expect? getting tired of watching the players getting their teeth kicked in on national t.v. Do not blame them. they are under the leadership of someone who has forgotton how to win a big game.
McDawg
October 10th, 2012
9:35 am
my house was egged last Halloween nasty stuff
Now -get abry jones healthy and J. Jones healthy–go out and execute at KY and come back and beat UF which will probably be ranked 3rd in the country
that is what the team needs to be focusing on -Just win
Dawg for life
October 10th, 2012
9:36 am
We need to find out who these egg throwing losers are and let the media make fools of them. Find these goons and bring them to ight. We dont need this
dawgfan
October 10th, 2012
9:37 am
I would hope that it goes without saying that it was a “small group” of people responsible for the egging and rolling. If the entire UGA fan base was responsible, which numbers in the hundreds of thousands if not millions, it would have been quite the spectacle.
About our big game struggles, I was thinking about this the other night. This isn’t necessarily a new development under Richt. Haters and detractors have been saying since day 1 of his tenure it seems. We lost to eventual national champ LSU twice in 2003, getting blown out the second time. We lost to undefeated Auburn in 2004 and it was never really that close or even interesting. That team was loaded, but we couldn’t compete. Sure, Richt had his fair share of big wins back then but we were getting blown out in big games too. West Virginia got a big lead on us in the Sugar Bowl because we were totally unprepared for that game. This year’s South Carolina game is nothing new.
We will never win a national title with Mark Richt as our head football coach. I am officially finished with hoping for that miracle. It just isn’t going to happen.
Thanks.
Dawg for life
October 10th, 2012
9:38 am
Find these goons and lets egg THEIR houses or mobile homes
ARdawg
October 10th, 2012
9:43 am
BigRedandBlackDawg
:ROFL:
beanster
October 10th, 2012
9:43 am
I was not commenting on the players’ work habits. I know they work hard. However, the Our Team, Our Time, No Regrets garbage needs to stop. To quote a great line from Top Gun “Your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash.”
Just shut up and play football.
ARdawg
October 10th, 2012
9:45 am
BigRedandBlackDawg
That’s so funny. Let me see. If you hadn’t blown out your knee and you were a Georgia Bulldog, we would have won the game last Sat night too? Right?
LOL
October 10th, 2012
9:45 am
LOL, look at all the sports psychologists on here waxing poetic about reasons someone rolled their house. How bout maybe it was just funny, and something you do when your in college. Maybe if murray didn’t blow their house would not have been rolled either. Jesus, its like someone stabbed him for losing the game the way some of you talk about it.
UGA Insider
October 10th, 2012
9:49 am
It wasn’t fans who egged the house it was UGA classmates. It all started back in 1994.
If you guys will remember I was with Will Muschamp the night classmates threw food and cussed us because Chris Doering and Steve Spurrier just hung 50 at Sanford Stadium. oh the memories!
UGA has been so pathetic in big games for so long….. I guess it’s like Obama says about the crappy economy… this is the new normal.
6 National Championships????
October 10th, 2012
9:50 am
You can’t include equestrian and women’s gymnastics titles into your football count moron.
UGA has no more than 2 NC’s in football you could call legitimate and weren’t by being awarded from the Dunkin Donuts National Poll or the Athens Banner Herald Poll.
Which once again puts you behind UF and their THREE actual National Titles played for and won.
ARdawg
October 10th, 2012
9:50 am
LOL
Exactly, and I am sure the group of “fans” responsible for egging and rolling the house natrually left their calling card? How else could someone know if they didn’t? These are college kids, could have been the game, could have been one banging another’s girlfriend, someone didn’t chip in enough at the last kegger. But no, let’s blame the entire UGA fan base. You homers are really becoming annoying
1eyedJack
October 10th, 2012
9:51 am
When your team sucks, go for the Dawg joke.
BIG MIKE
October 10th, 2012
9:51 am
If you’re looking for a COACH that can motivate…..Lou Holtz is your man. I’d bet he’s willing to get back in the game by now.
PaulPaul
October 10th, 2012
9:51 am
Billy Jo Bobby
Thanks for the correction. However I think Bear could have done that. Even as a Bulldog he is still one of my favorite coaches. Tough as nails and hard to beat.
ARdawg
October 10th, 2012
9:52 am
beanster
October 10th, 2012
9:43 am
I was not commenting on the players’ work habits. I know they work hard. However, the Our Team, Our Time, No Regrets garbage needs to stop. To quote a great line from Top Gun “Your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash.”
Just shut up and play football.
AMEN
bamafinbautards
October 10th, 2012
9:52 am
I love how the bama fanbase is equating rolling someone’s house to their fanbase’s actions. (Whoever did it deserves a beatdown, however,,,).
If you think throwing a few rolls of toilet paper is the same as sodomizing another dude, then I finnaly understand the extra/missing/mutated/ chromosomal thought process of bama folk.
These are the same people who entertain educated America each day on the finebaum reality radio show. Grown men calling in giving themselves names like legend. I bet he was a real legend in math class too. What a tool.
RedPantiesDawg
October 10th, 2012
9:53 am
I’m sure that Tony Barnhart will have a special section in his new TV show on the “Egging Incident” and how it affects college football. Talk about a leftist approach to college football! Geez!
I like Mark Richt and his ethics and morality; but, he is a Big East grade coach. He has stocked UGA with the best athletes in college football, but he’s like the dog chasing the car; when he gets them, he doesn’t know what to do with them. Saban or Spurrier, and many other coaches would win NC with UGA’s players. We can continue to fawn over beating Vandy and GT, and be satisfied, or we can change coaches. Those are the only two options.
UGA Insider
October 10th, 2012
10:00 am
UGA fans did NOT egg the house. It was kids in the student body! It happens at schools around the country every week sadly. However the AJC has pick up and run with the story like it’s important.
BIG MIKE
October 10th, 2012
10:02 am
Whom, in the game today, would any of you consider a better coach and UGA representative than Mark Richt. Dooley and Butts didn’t win Championships every year either and I guarantee you there were disappointments along the way. UGA should have won more championships in the early ’80’s than they did. They had the best talent in the SEC. Bad games happen. It’s identifying the reason for the failure and correcting it then moving on that counts. By the end of the year USC, UGA and UF could all have one loss against each other. Let it play out. The kids will overcome this adversity and it may be the final lesson they need to win the NC next year.
We’ll see.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 10th, 2012
10:04 am
Yes, now I can’t wait till next year. We get SC at home. Whoo hoooo!
gdawginkalamazoo
October 10th, 2012
10:06 am
Whoo hoo we also get Bama and LSU next year!
ARdawg
October 10th, 2012
10:06 am
Big Mike
There has been no correction on the part of the coach in the last six years. How many of these blow outs should we endure before we come to the realization that perhaps we have the wrong coaching staff to achieve a championship? If we are happy with not being a championship team then, by all means let’s just keep the status quo and we’ll get plenty of milktoast mediocrity
bamafinbautards
October 10th, 2012
10:10 am
Billy Joe Bobby = Brian “sack of Krystals” Downing
RedPantiesDawg
October 10th, 2012
10:11 am
Big Mike, the aforementioned, already identified problem is not the need for the kids to learn an adversity lesson. The problem is the coaching staff and its leader, Mark Richt. Look at the record against ranked teams since 2008; it isn’t the players.
The only times I can remember Dooly getting embarrassed like Richt was Saturday night, was when he foolishly accepted an invitation to play Nebraska in the Sun Bowl (45-6) with a very under-qualified team, and in the ‘77 Sugar Bowl agaist Pitt (27-3). That was over a period of 25 years, and no, Dooly did not have the best players in college football like Richt does now.
dawgfan
October 10th, 2012
10:12 am
Then you hear about Aaron Murray not being able to sleep for days before the South Carolina game. That is not good. You need a QB who is relaxed under pressure. You need a QB with “ice water in his veins” as the saying goes. Too much of the offense is on his shoulders. That’s just all there is to it. Its fine when we’re playing a Vandy or a Missouri, but against the big boys a QB can only take you so far. You’ve got to be physical up front or you’re toast. I’ve been saying this until I am blue in the face. Its been proven time and time again. Murray can’t beat teams like South Carolina all by himself but that is what he is asked to do. He has no support up front. This is Bobo’s biggest and most fatal flaw. He wants us to be like an NFL team but this isn’t the NFL and we don’t have the horses up front to be like an NFL team against good teams.
I’m sure we’ll score 40 or more points on Kentucky though and then all the Bobo apologists will start coming out of hiding and say he’s doing a fine job. They’ll blame the South Carolina loss on Murray. Murray is only doing what he’s told to do. You put Murray in an Alabama uniform and he’s probably not shattering records and throwing for a zillion yards but he’s winning championships. True story.
Thanks.
DawgFanInBama
October 10th, 2012
10:14 am
How does anyone even know it was a Georgia fan? It probably was, but how do you KNOW?
I live in Alabama…So if I go and egg the houses of the Alabama QB or Auburn QB, will it be blamed on one of their own fans???
Probably not.
Ole Big Dawg
October 10th, 2012
10:16 am
Seriously??? I hope the guys are more concerned about their uninspired play on the field rather than some toilet paper and eggs…….middle school shenanigans!
dawgfan
October 10th, 2012
10:19 am
“Whom, in the game today, would any of you consider a better coach and UGA representative than Mark Richt.”
Kirby Smart would take the job in a heart beat. Former player. Studied under the best of the best and knows what it takes to get to the top. It would be a gamble for sure. Everything is a gamble. Keeping Richt is a gamble. I see nothing but Outback Bowls and runner up finishes in the SEC East in our future, if that. We’ll probably have plenty of 8 win seasons or worse thrown in to. We’re only a couple of injuries away from being an 8 win caliber team right now. I’m bored with it. Time to move on to something new.
Ole Big Dawg
October 10th, 2012
10:20 am
Seriously?? Why is this even news worthy in an article?? In my little small home town of 30,000 folks the highs school qb house is rolled…it is NOT news for the small town newspaper. But this is for the city paper of the 7th largest media mecca in the country. Sake of having fresh articles I assume.
shankit
October 10th, 2012
10:31 am
Did the Athens police take any finger prints off
the egg shells?
BIG MIKE
October 10th, 2012
10:34 am
What happens when Kirby doesn’t produce? The head coach in college is mostly a figure head. Even Spurrier said he has nothing to do with the USC defensive success, ”The defensive coordinator and those other coaches handle all that” (speaking of the defensive schemes).
Richt manage to do well winning championships at FLA ST and later as head coach of UGA in early 2000’s. The problem is deeper than that. The actions of the Athletic Director and the former defensive coordinator left UGA with a severe hangover that has to be overcome. Same as when Ray Goff was head coach. In fact this reminds me of those years, only I don’t think Richt is the problem. I think Richt is on the verge of correcting the problem which he in part created with the hiring of Willie Martinez.
DAWG FAN KICKED IN THE NADS
October 10th, 2012
10:35 am
Back to back 10-2 seasons is not going to get Richt replaced. Three 6-7 seasons in a row would. Hoping UGA wins a national championship is the carrot and stick every few years. Demanding it is delusional. There is such parity among the top tier teams that it comes down to coaching. We have “good” coaches, but the grades are poor, fair, good, and excellent. The distance between good and excellent is analogous to making the cut in a golf tournamnet to play the weekend, and winning it.
shankit
October 10th, 2012
10:35 am
BIG MIKE – Georgia did not look like Kentucky.
Kentucky actually had the lead at half time, as I recall.
Dawglasville
October 10th, 2012
10:42 am
Alphare – Nothing Could Be Finer – Congrats. Your fan base has suffered for years. Supported your team through disappointment. You have your reward. You have one of the best coaches of all time. I think he is a total douche bag of a person, but he is truly a great coach.
I was so mad Saturday I swore that I wouldn’t watch us again until we hired Petrino, started gray shirting and dropped our drug policy. Basically sell our souls. 4 days later… I don’t know what the answer is. I think Richt is fine but we need coaching changes. Most noteably we need someone who can recruit offensive lineman and develope them. I don’t understand why Bennett is the only receiver we have who can block. I agree with Mark Bradley, I think the UF game should hold a lot of weight for this coaching staff. I would like to know where all of the Mettenberger fans are now?
LogicalUS
October 10th, 2012
10:44 am
Unrealistic and overhyped expectations are somewhat to blame for this reaction to a very predictable result vs SC.
We all witnessed the inflated predictions by the vast majority of the forum UGA fans leading into the game….52-17, 48-21, etc. These were of course understandable considering the unrelenting sunshine pumping by the local UGA beaner “journalists” at the AJC who have been pushing the UGA as the greatest team in the history of football angle for the past 10 months.
The never-ending promotion of every RB as the next Hershel is just one small example. That “Gurshall” ran up their yards against some of the worst run defenses in college football was never mentioned as the resident UGA homers masquerading as sports journalist were too busy pimping up “their Dawgs”. In many cases, they are worst than many of the UGA fans by getting caught up in their own hype, so why shouldn’t the rest of the UGA fans who rely on these journalists to give them the real scoop on the team. So fans are in shock when the actual team appears on the scene like on Saturday night and react irrationally. Conner Shaw outrushed the great and mighty “Gurshall”.
UGA was\is what they always were….a very pedestrian top 15 to 25 level team who still lacks playmakers at WR and quality OL.
BMOC
October 10th, 2012
10:44 am
I’ve said similiar things before, but I cann not emphisize enough how bad the UGA coaching staff needs to evaluate player talent coming out of High School. Granted, we have lots of talent, but South Carolina does, too. And while they have a couple of 4 & 5 star recruits, the majority of their players are 3-star recruits – Just like Michael Bennett – which just fo happens to be Georgia’s leading receiver. I believe UGA scouts need to spend more time evaluating talent – Or hire a different set of scouts, to go out & find the Michael Bennetts of the world. Sout Carolina is beating Georgia’s 5-star guys with 3-star guys. Point taken.
Preston Thompson
October 10th, 2012
10:50 am
I like the banter on here. But when anybody trashes somebody’s stuff the line has been crossed. And to think a redneck did it make the whole thing worse. I hate to fathom one of my own would do something like that. Just cuz they might not have but 2 teeth, drive a pickup with a gun rack is not reason enough for trashing anybody’s stuff. As a younger boy I was probably as mean as anybody. If somebody wanted to fight I was just about as ready as anybody. But I never messed with other folks property. That’s off limits and it not limited to rednecks. I would dare say it probably some drunk high falutin college student. They would know where Murray live before some “redneck” out in the sticks would.
Then to Richt and Bobo. There is two problems here. One is Richt wants the players to love him. Maybe they do but they don’t have the fear of respect. Second is Bobo is and has learned on the job. If he doesn’t learn from his mistakes he won’t have a second one.
BMOC
October 10th, 2012
10:53 am
LogicalUS
While I disagree with most of your blog, there is some truth to it. I believe most UGA fans were shocked at not that UGA lost, but the way UGA lost. South Carolina is a good team – Maybe a Very good team, but UGA was flat-out unprepared. Granted SCar has talent in areas UGA lacks, such as the Line of scrimage, things shouldn’t have gotten out of hand so fast. And I think the fact that SCar barely won vs Vanderbilt & played close games for most of the season, UGA fans had reason to think that UGA would win this game – or at least it would be a nail-biter. As the season rolls on we will find out how good SCar really is, and if this was just a game where the setting was right for SCar on a night where they got all the breaks.
BIG MIKE
October 10th, 2012
10:57 am
You guys have to keep in mind that the hinge pin of this or any offense is the O-LINE. Our guys are extremely young and underdeveloped (naturally). After a year or two in the weight traing program, they will beef up and be able to handle D-LINES like the one they faced Saturday in Columbia. In the meantime, I’m extremely disappointed that our coaching staff did not game plan (at all) for this mismatch. I don’t know, maybe there was no option available. Or the could have had our quarterback, not necessarily Murray, run the ball more on sweeps with pitch options. Not even sure that would have worked. USC was amped up and overachieving (if the results of their previous 5 games are accounted for).
In any case, the offensive line has not peaked and probably won’t until next year. When they do, no one will stop this attack. With Murray or Mason.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 10th, 2012
10:59 am
BMOC, I think the close games that SC played earlier in the season were close because SC spent the practice time preparing for us instead of the other guys. Spurrier knew he could beat those other teams on talent alone and with minimal preparation. Us, he wanted to have the best gameplan to win it like they did.
TBone
October 10th, 2012
11:03 am
The fans should be more gracious to these (for the most part) teenagers who entertain us on Saturdays. Are they going to perform to our expectations every time, probably not. Do we want them to win every Saturday or bowl game, damn right but that’s not going to happen. Even Hershell didn’t win ‘em all. Go Dawgs and make us proud often.