I realize I run the risk of getting virtually bitch-slapped for what I’m about to post. And I’m sorry about that. I have no doubt of the sincerity of the author of this post. As sincere as she may be, though, she’s way off base with her sentiment.
Todd Gurley hasn’t broken the law. He hasn’t broken a team rule. He’s still in good standing with his coaches and his teammates. He still practices with them.
What he stands accused of is exactly the same thing Mark Richt does every time he gets behind the wheel of that big Ford truck and faces the camera: getting paid for being himself. And if Todd Gurley left Georgia tomorrow, he’d be free to pick up where he left off.
That isn’t to excuse Gurley. The NCAA rule exists and he’s alleged to have violated it. There are consequences.
But there’s nothing noble about his suspension. Georgia isn’t taking some brave stand here. And, with all due respect to Mary Grace Alston Lyon, it’s wrong to romanticize the situation. All you’re doing is encouraging the greedy bastards who are well on their way to ruining our beloved sport to stay greedy.
College football may have a soul. But the people forcing Todd Gurley to sit out and be unable to contribute to his team have money market accounts and reserve funds. Don’t make the mistake of confusing the two. Gurley and college football deserve better than that.
Get The Picture 
It’s getting linked and forwarded everywhere by a Dawgnation that loves to feast on some self-righteousness. Thank you for the counter.
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Just because it’s a rule doesn’t make it any less stupid or morally bankrupt.
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+100 .. still trying to figure out the nobility of the NCAA adhering to stance towards athletes that the even the IOC has abandoned.
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“Whether charges are NCAA violations, code of conduct breaches, or criminal allegations, star players have swagged their way onto award stages…”
This white woman’s blues are all made up and self-flagellation
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Tell it bro… damn white women and their self flagellation. Make it stop…;-)
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That is a breath of fresh air. Thanks Senator, you speak for me.
Seriously, that small section of type just took all my swirling thoughts over the past 2 weeks, condensed them and placed them in perfect order with regards to arguing the point. Thank you.
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Sanctimonious….fill in the blank. I agree Senator.
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Amen I wish Gurley had not broken the rule but he has been punished. I almost wish the stars of every team would sign something publically for money so the issue would have to be dealt with. If anyone should be compensated for their name it is the athlete that puts their body on the line.
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This young woman’s passionate essay is why Democrats keep getting elected. Ignore the man behind the curtain and such.
That being said, while UGA is in no way heroic I do think they have played their cards right in this situation.
Would you really rather go the FSU/Jimbo Fisher route?
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Irrelevant political reference and a complete ignorance about what my post is about… oy.
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The idea that the NCAA and the conferences are no less than pimps I thought was a foregone conclusion.
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So you would have Georgia just ride it out and hope nobody notices?
My prediction is Gurley is back for the Auburn game but Famous Winston doesnt finish the season.
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Bully for you. My post has nothing to do with that.
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Funny, Blutarsky. You never react like that when Dog in Fla. takes his gratuitous shots. 🙂
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I guess they’re too subtle for me to notice. 😉
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He’s pretty sharp. You are too.
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Your arrogance is so tiring. Muddy be fun to work with on a daily basis.
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Maybe that’s why everyone in my office has been with me two or three decades.
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Do they not know they can leave? 😉
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College football has its plantation, I have mine. 😉
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“Would you really rather go the FSU/Jimbo Fisher route?”
In this VERY SPECIFIC situation, yes, absolutely. FSU is standing up for their player against a borderline criminal rule that is meant to screw student-athletes over. They are doing the right, nay, they are doing the noble thing here, not us. We are throwing our star player under the bus because he accepted money that could’ve went to McGarity’s precious reserve fund. It’s really that simple.
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Not to mention when this all shakes out, FSU is going to look smart, UGA is going to look stupid. I completely disagree with how this is being handled. We should’ve gone all in like fsu did with Winston. It’s the best thing for winning football as well as from a risk management stand point.
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You know, UGA has not exactly covered themselves in glory with how they have handled it. Then again, unless I am mistaken, none of us knows what Richt and McGarity know either. Still, I agree, there have been big time gaffes.
Having said that, I am damn proud that the University has not handled this like FSU either. Give me a freakin break. Jameis might be innocent of having violated that stupid rule. But his track record is not one to give me such confidence. I might not be totally thrilled how Butts-Mehre has handled this issue, but I thank the Lord that we are not going the FSU route either. And you don’t have to be sanctimonious to know that Jimbo Fisher looks like an idiot right now.
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Did you miss this part of my post?
“In this VERY SPECIFIC situation…”
FSU has it right in THIS SITUATION. So did Auburn with Cam Newton, and Texas A&M with Manziel, in THOSE SITUATIONS.
We are doing the morally bankrupt thing here. Not them. (in THIS SITUATION).
Even if it turns out Todd Gurley DID sign autographs for thousands of dollars, I’d rather see us stick up for him and stick the middle finger to the NCAA. It’s the right thing to do.
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+1
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Good grief…
http://marygracelyon.blogspot.com/
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She titled her own letter, “The Letter Every Dead Dad Hopes His Daughter Will Write.” There are words, but they are not flattering.
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You mean when Jason Carter tweeted out “Free Gurley” he was being republican?
You created a false dichotomy. UGA’s alternatives include strategies other than the Fisher/FSU route.
I get the impression that the delay in getting this resolved is that we undertook to be the investigative arm of the NCAA.and have tried to see if there was any previously undiscovered dirt that the NCAA did not know about and would not know about. Similar to the way we had A. J. Green expand his disclosures to the NCAA beyond what the NCAA wanted to hear evidence about. Instead of reporting to the NCAA that a witness says that he gave Gurley $400.00, we do not vouch for the witness’s credibility but out of caution and respect for the process we held Gurley out, and now he has served the penalty that would have been imposed if the NCAA believed the witness, and requesting reinstatement immediately after that one game, we seem to be reporting to the NCAA, “Wait while we do your detective work for you.” That is what it looks like to me.
I would prefer we go this route. We suspended Gurley due to Allen’s comments to the compliance office. We submit a report that there is a witness whose credibility we question due to his trying to peddle the video but we accept a suspension for one game consistent with Allen giving Gurley what Allen said he gives him, and immediately request reinstatement.
I do not know if that is democratic or republican, and I do not care.
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“reporting to the NCAA that a witness says that he gave Gurley $400.00, we do not vouch for the witness’s credibility but out of caution and respect for the process we held Gurley out”
I agree with everything you wrote except this. If the witness can’t prove it, why hold Gurley out? Should we take a random person’s word over his? What kind of message does that send?
IMO, our stance all along should’ve been “Play him until THEY (not us) prove it”
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Excellent question. When Allen first contacted our compliance office and said he paid $400.00 for autographs I think we could not have gotten away with ignoring that. It makes sense to not play him at Missouri while we figure out how credible Allen was and if he could be corroborated. After it became apparent Allen needed money and was wanting to sell a video of Gurley signing something we should have ceased doing the digging then. The risk would have been if we had ignored Allen, played Gurley at Missouri and then Allen produced a cancelled check payable to Gurley for $400.00 we would have had to forfeit a game we could have won without Gurley. .
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“Wait while we do your detective work for you.”
Just like when Elvis did investigative work for Dick and J. Edgar
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That’s “Special Agent Presley” to you.
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“Forget what we are teaching these boys and all the little boys watching about what it means to wear a jersey, to be part of a team, part of a University, part of something bigger than yourself”
If you have to resort to the “WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?!?!?!” argument then it’s a sure bet that you should reconsider your position. Very few things bother me more than to hear this nonsense as part of someone’s argument.
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The more I see this forwarded the more I’m reminded of how many idiots there are in the population. Naivete and a complete inability to think critically are never in short supply.
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I agree. However, since most of the persons forwarding it along are probably UGA grads, isn’t that like calling your brother an SOB?
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LORD KNOWS I’M DRINKING
(Bill Anderson)
’72 Stallion Music
Hello Mrs Johnson you self righteous woman
Sunday School teacher what brings you out slummin’
Do you reckon the preacher would approve where you are
Standing here visitin’ with a back slidin’ Christian in a neighborhood bar
Well yes that’s my bottle and yes that’s my glass
And I see you’re eye ballin’ this pretty young lass
It ain’t none of your business but yes she’s with me
And we don’t need no sermon you self righteous woman just let us be
The Lord knows I’m drinking and running around
And he don’t need your loud mouth informing the town
The Lord knows I’m sinning and sinning ain’t right
But me and the good Lord gonna have us a good talk later tonight
Goodbye Mrs. Johnson you self righteous biddy
I don’t need your preachin’ and I don’t need your pity
So go back to whatever you hypocrites do
And when I talk to heaven be nice and I’ll put in a good word for you
The Lord knows I’m drinking…
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These were heinous acts committed on items of memorabilia
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In short, I think she is simply saying “I’m glad we have a coach and a program that does the right thing not the expedient thing.” Ive heard and read a lot of whining and complaining about how this situation has been handled but I havent seen one come with exactly how and why they would handle this differently. As much as this lady may want to credit Richt for handling this situation, I don’t think he had a choice. There is no other play here.
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If that were all she was saying, I wouldn’t have found it necessary to post a response.
What I read there lumped what Gurley did in with what Taylor did. I don’t think that’s particularly fair.
Georgia’s done what it did because the school doesn’t want to get into trouble with NCAA sanctions. That doesn’t sound particularly soulful to me.
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I think this is more a thank you for the “body of work” of Richt’s righteousness, in contrast to Chizik, Fisher and the like. Mary Grace is a friend, and it pains me to see her pilloried in the comments. I’d venture a guess that she’s all in favor of shitcanning the NCAA’s inane and unAmerican rules. I interpret her sentiment as right in line with your “The NCAA rule exists and he’s alleged to have violated it. There are consequences.”
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I tried to take pains to make sure my criticism wasn’t personal. But if you’re correct about her intentions, she used a terrible example. Have we forgotten that just a couple of weeks ago, Gurley behaved in a way we’d like to see every Georgia player behave?
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I don’t see anywhere in her post where she calls Gurley a criminal. I see her recognizing that others would rather play a guy in order to win and then cross their fingers that he won’t be found ineligible. We don’t do that, because those guys who wear numbers other than 3 deserve a chance to win and have those wins count.
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Either she’s equating there, or she’s a very poor writer. You tell me.
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My take on the post is that it is a much broader view than just the present situation. I interpret this passage as referring to Newton, Manziel, and Winston. Perhaps also Mettenberger, Marshall, Taylor, et al. I don’t think she is blind to the differences in degree of turpitude for each specific violation. I can ask her if she equates taking money for autographs with choking your girlfired, sexually assaulting a waitress, throwing a stolen laptop out a window… I’ll report back.
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Again, if that’s the case, then Gurley was a poor choice for her to make that point.
I don’t have a problem in the world with her appreciation for Mark Richt’s leadership.
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??? Did the letter change? I’ve now read several times this evening and cannot find the sentence, “How does a crime with no consequences benefit any player, team, coach or school.” It now reads “Guilt or innocence aside, actions have consequences.”
If this is, indeed, her original letter, I don’t get your take that she equated Taylor to Gurley. I am also working on the assumption that violating a NCAA rule is also a violation of a team rule. And if that is true, Richt had to respond.
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Ahhh…it has indeed been edited as noted below.
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She included this comment “Guilt or innocence aside, actions have consequences.”, so maybe she picked a bad time to share her feelings about the stand the UGA takes on following protocol. After other administrations hand out levels of punishment dependent upon the contribution of the player, maybe she is just bringing to light that no matter the player, UGA stands by their rules. In other words, if this is UGA’s stand in these type of matters, it didn’t matter who broke the rule, they were going to follow protocol. We will know more about what’s going on behind the scenes when this is over. I sure hope UGA is not hurting Gurley and team unnecessarily. This type of thing can sting in more way than one for a long time. It feels like Gurley got caught going 5 miles over the speed limit when everyone else does it daily.
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If she had written her letter in the wake of what happened with Taylor or Matthews, I wouldn’t have batted an eye.
She picked a bad example and wrote badly about it. That’s all.
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I think I was the one who said she “characterized Gurley’s alleged misdoings as a ‘crime’.” And that was poorly penned.
What she did was place Gurley’s situation in the same context as actions by other athletes who did commit crimes or far more serious offenses, in a essence comparing Gurley to them. Maybe she didn’t do it intentionally, I doubt she did.
But that’s what I object to, because Gurley has been a model student-athlete, both on and off the field. It just throws the substance of the whole post off, save for the praise of Richt and the Georgia administration.
~~~
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Not responding to anything but this: she just made a huge mistake by characterizing Gurley’s alleged misdoings as a “crime”.
What Gurley supposedly did doesn’t even approach the actions of Winston and other star athletes in the recent news. I suspect that was the Senator’s primary objection, and I object to that too.
~~~
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Huge mistake?
She damn well didn’t troll her message on GTP. We can thank the Senator for scouring the internet and finding someone he can ridicule for our entertainment.
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How did I ridicule her?
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YOU didn’t, but there are quite a few on here calling her “sanctimonious” and “self-righteous”, which is hardly fair. I think she’s a bit off the mark, and I think it’s disgraceful that some chickenshit NCAA rule which will be irrelevant in two years has cost Gurley his Heisman. But it’s fucked up for people to attack her motivations when her main point is to laud Richt for his integrity.
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I agree with you. As I said, I don’t question her sincerity. She doesn’t deserve to be mocked for that.
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No, she wrote a substantial letter to Richt and then placed it in a public domain.
I first saw it on FB this morning, shared by people who never visit boards or blogs, or aren’t even Georgia or football fans. It was already viral in the Dawgosphere and elsewhere.
You can’t pin that on the Senator.
~~~
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it’s an idiotic statement for her to compare Gurley to athletes who have actually committed crimes…self righteous is exactly what she is
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She wrote a blog post that is open to the world and searchable on Google and intended it to be private? Maybe she is an idiot.
And Bluto didn’t link to her in order to mock her specifically, the way he would with Wetzel, Mandel, or Bradley. He is using her as an example of people, including commenters here, who assign a nobility to following rules that isn’t appropriate. The most typical pro-NCAA argument in Gurley’s situation is that, even if a rule is immoral, the moral action is to still follow the rule.
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Mary Grace is a sanctimonious, hyper-privileged twit.
Her letter is an absolute disgrace to anyone with an IQ higher than a goldfish.
Todd Gurley did absolutely nothing wrong. The rule and the NCAA are wrong.
UGA was craven and spineless in their handling of this. The NCAA wanted no part of this. They did not want another law suit (that they would lose) on their hands. We showed every recruit out there that UGA will not have your back.
UGA also showed the fans, alums, and other players that it cares more about its ego and bank account than anything else.
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Muckie, in light of more recent events the contents of the above post by you have been demonstrated to be absolutely wrong. The statement that “UGA will not have your back” regarding athletes is total BS. If anything, the Gurley situation demonstrates that UGA COMPLETELY had Gurley’s back. This, IMHO, was McGarity’s finest hour. He extricated Gurley from a situation that easily could have resulted in ending Gurley’s collegiate career and also saved the University of Georgia from the risk of having to potentially forfeit games in a season that still may result in an SEC East Championship, an SEC Championship and possibly even more. I generally tolerate your posts when you are wrong and just chalk it up to considering the source but this time you are so totally FOS about this that a retort is in order. If you have an honest hair on your ass you will post a retraction immediately and apologize to all of us on this blog for subjecting us to such baseless drivel.
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Potentially forfeit games? LOL. Have you been keeping up with current events?
Cam Newton. Johnny Manziel. Jameis Winston.
O’Bannon case.
Nobody is forfeiting anything. The NCAA is at its weakest point ever and soon will have absolutely ZERO influence over big 5 CFB anyway. They don’t want to get sued again, which they will if they push this whole “can’t profit off your own image” idiocy.
Deep down, UGA AD didn’t like Gurley getting paid instead of them. They want people going to fan fest and paying UGA for the autographs of players.
They cravenly suspended Todd instead of taking a stand. UGA could have been at the forefront of destroying this “rule” and instead took the cowardly way out.
And then spoiled trust fund legacies like “Mary Grace ” exploits it as an opportunity to act superior and judge Gurley? Seriously?
A more apt name would be: Mary Disgrace
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Muckie, the O’Bannon case had nothing to do with forfeiting games. Cam Newton had nothing to do with signing autographs. Manziel and Winston had limited evidence, basically supposition only. The case against Todd Gurley was much stronger–a video of him signing, the dealer said he paid Gurley and another guy was present who apparently witnessed the payment. Essentially Georgia did what Manziel did–they cut a deal with the NCAA. Manziel got 1/2 a game because the case against him was weak. Gurley got 2 games because the case against him was stronger. But he didn’t get banned and Georgia didn’t have to forfeit any games. If you want to look at a situation where a school mishandled something, just look at what happened to GA Tech a few years ago when Tech had to forfeit 2 games and a conference championship because Bebe Thomas got some shoes and clothes and Tech tried to stonewall. Georgia is on track to win the SEC East this year and play in the SECCG. Do you really want to risk that to try to make some political point through “civil disobedience?” And the season isn’t over yet. It may still come out that Winston got paid for those autographs. Just see what happens to FSU then.
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While we are getting some credit (I heard finebaum give CMR credit) for taking the position we have I think we’ve done it because there was no other play. Once the guy gave us a statement that he gave todd cash our choice was made for us. It isn’t honorable, it’s what we had to do.
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I agree with your conclusion. Ms. Lyon, however, doesn’t.
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We ought to get something out this, other than playing better football, right? A little good will never hurt. And I only scanned the lady’s letter but I don’t think she impugns todd. She’s just giving cmr a well deserved but misplaced pat on the back.
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I don’t think she deliberately meant to impugn Gurley.
But that doesn’t mean she didn’t.
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“I realize I run the risk of getting virtually bitch-slapped for what I’m about to post.”
Mission Somewhat Accomplished!
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I knew the job was dangerous when I took it.
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Remember, Senator, if you are captured or killed, Greg McGarity will disavow any knowledge of your actions. Good luck.
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On the other hand, I and others on this blog will spring into action to rescue you. 🙂
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Now there’s a relief. 😉
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I would move forward with facts not maybe’s.
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My problem with the investigation is the utter lack of transparency and seeming lack of diligence. I would make sure no resource is wasted in wrapping up the investigation and getting a request for reinstatement filed as soon as possible. Making phone calls and writing down statements from lawyered up people pleading the fifth “don’t take long”. I would not have wasted time sending out a pointless press release stating no further statement was necessary and further getting up the hopes of a loyal fan base. I would be more transparent and let everyone know what our timetable was since my investigation would have been concluded by now. The fact we have heard nothing for three days shows the utter lack of care those in charge have for the fans…IMHO. But what do I know, I’m just an unreasonably biased fan with unrealistic and unreasonable expectations of wanting the team to succeed with its best player.
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I’m with you DirtyDawg.
Additionally
Hire JacksonSpalding.com immediately to salvage UGA PR.
Put McGarity on Point, let him take all the spotlight on these kinds of matters
Richt gets a pass – its not his job its McG’s (Plus Richt’s integrity is not in question)
McGarity and Morehead need to start a campaign to level the playing field or eliminate the rule or if need be eliminate the NCAA and deal with its successor in interests
Alas, UGA and McGarity with their clandestine terminological inexactitude place our beloved University squarely in the Bluto “Greedy Bastids” corner.
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Thanks for that post.
~~~
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Hey Senator, couldn’t find any crippled children to pick on today?
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I’m sure she would appreciate being compared to a crippled child…although a crippled child probably knows the difference between and NCAA violation and actual crime
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Appreciate this post a lot and agree wholeheartedly.
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I went to a private high school full of women that could have written that. They were as painful then as you can imagine. Don’t know what they are like now because I don’t keep up with them. It was all I could do to get away. Completely clueless and self righteous
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The fact that she has 4 freakin’ names pretty much says it all to me. It just screams self-aggrandizing and entitlement.
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Easy, killer. Alston is her maiden name, which many married women include on social media so old friends can find them without needing to know her married name. “Mary Grace” is no more hifalutin than “Mary Ann” or “Mary Lou.”
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Being the contrarian I am I hereby bitch slap you Senator in a cyber,metaphorical and loving way but she was expressing a sentiment(your words not mine)and while facts and conclusions may well be wrong….sentiments can not. They just are and I feel the same sentiment. I agree that some of her conclusions are misplaced but her heart is in the right place.It’s not her fault that she doesn’t understand this a McGarity move not the Coach’s….so a Bless her heart would have been more appropriate.
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So you think Gurley committed a crime? Well, bless your heart, I guess.
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I’ve been involved in the “crime field” so long that I’ve come to accept that many people and even some lawyers use the term WAY too loosely ,but I tend to let it slide for the purpose of ascertaining what they actually meant. She meant well and I bet she ain’t a lawyer
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But… she is wrong. She believes Mark Richt and UGA are doing the right thing. They are doing what they are required to do by the agreement they have with the NCAA, but it is a stretch of the definition to declare it “right.” The courts certainly won’t back you up on that.
Her whole premise is misguided, and while I agree with her that Mark Richt is a stand up guy that disciplines his players when they go astray, Gurley is not the example to hang your hat on for that argument. It is a fallacy to do so. He isn’t being disciplined, and there is no lesson to be learned from it. He just had his eligibility stripped in much the same way as Herschel Walker did in 1983. It really is that simple, and she really is that wrong.
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While I would agree that it is an archaic and senseless rule, and Gurley is clearly in good standing with his teammates, I’m pretty sure breaking an NCAA rule is understood to be a violation of a team rule. In fact, they have entire classes on it for all the athletes. So while I want Todd back as much as anyone & believe he deserves to be allowed to play, he did in fact break a team rule. You and I may think (in fact I do) the punishment is too severe, but he did break a rule however stupid, and he’s paying for it.
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Really? Based on what? How’s he being punished?
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Jefe I do not understand what you mean here.
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Boy, is that a surprise.
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“I’m pretty sure breaking an NCAA rule is understood to be a violation of a team rule…”
“Really? Based on what? How’s he being punished?”
If you are surprised I don’t understand your re-slap is it not just possible you are stepping in the bucket?
How is he being punished?
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What is also not a surprise is that you are avoiding a real question with a smart ass quip.
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You don’t ask real questions.
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I know you enjoy running your moron act on me, but do you seriously think Gurley would be held out of a game if Georgia wasn’t worried about a possible NCAA ruling that games he played in were forfeited?
If you’d like me to dumb it down for you, how is Richt choosing on his own to punish Gurley for his transgression?
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You have jumped in my shit more than once for what you felt was a patronizing comment, so I will just take this as a misunderstanding.
Are you asking me if I thought Richt had nothing to do with sitting Gurley down? Surely you are not asking me that.
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I’m not asking you anything. I’m rhetorically taking note of your nonsense.
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No, I don’t think Richt is acting on his own in sitting Gurley down. Although if the decision had been solely his own I am not sure he would have done anything else.
I am not sure what this has to do with Mary Grace’s thoughts, but whatever.
Frankly, your obsession with the idea that money is the only thing that matters to the boys of Butts-Mehre makes me uncomfortable in ways I bet you can understand, dumb tho it may be.
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Honestly, I don’t care.
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“If you’d like me to dumb it down for you, how is Richt choosing on his own to punish Gurley for his transgression?”
Reads like a question to me, sir.
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“Honestly, I don’t care.”
Jeff Schultz understands.
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Gee, I guess I do have to dumb everything down for you.
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Couldn’t agree more.
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Since we seem to be hung up on the legal view and missing, maybe, the point of her post, I have to ask this…How, Bluto, do you know Todd Gurley did not commit a crime?
While the heartfelt expression of love for the way Mark Richt, and MG’s university choose to do business, may make you so uncomfortable that you inspect the chaff and throw out the wheat of the post, I suspect that MG’s attitude about the University of Georgia is not that different than yours, or mine, or most of the rest of us.
If “getting in trouble with the NCAA” was the only reason we benched Gurley until his full situation is investigated, then how do you explain Florida State?
If this explanation involves calling the University of Georgia’s athletic department cowards under fire and FSU brave, then I don’t doubt you find the woman’s expression of love uncomfortable.
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How do we know Gurley didn’t commit a crime? You mean, is it possible that he sold some autographs and then robbed a bank on the way home? I guess that’s possible and we won’t know whether he committed a crime until we have something to implicate him. So far, all he’s been implicated in was selling some autographs, which isn’t criminal. Good point, though.
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There are some questions I get asked here that I’m never going to bother with. That was one of them.
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Wow, her letter was waaaaayyyyyy too long. I did not finish it because I got tired of reading it. She clearly is an intelligent person but a lot of intelligent people forget that unless they have to a lot of people will not read a lengthy letter. She could have condensed it down to four paragraphs and conveyed the same point.
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It was so long because she had to include her credentials of being a full-blooded UGA fan. Why? If not to pat herself on the back, then I don’t know.
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I agree with Brother Bluto, with fraternity and justice for all.
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And as McGarity is happily sipping his wine, he is likely saying to Dawg fans, take this, pointing his middle finger to y’all and me. I have the power and you can’t do anything about this. Apologies for the vulgarity.
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Dang, lots of vitriol for a possibly misguided attempt to show appreciation for UGA and Coach Richt.
Getting pretty frosty around here. Good thing it’s an off week.
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Seriously. Fever swamp.
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This subject, on this blog, from the beginning of the incident being made public has been a low point. So many, that know so little, taking strong positions, ostensibly to promote other agendas (NCAA positions on amateurism, rights of athletes, not complying with authority, or taking cheap shots at coaches and administrators) all without knowing a damned thing about what those close to the situation know and why they made the decisions to take the stances they have.
When the truth comes out, that would be the time to ask questions, or make comments. And we may not ever know the total story, or the available options, but that will not deter those who are pushing other personal agendas. It hasn’t even when they have been proven to be totally off base and stupid in the past. In the meantime, I will support the people who have been good stewards of UGA’s program and don’t have us looking like we would sell our integrity for the sake of a tainted win. You Che Guevara types can continue your assault on the institutions and principles I believe in and support, but why would you all leap on something you know nothing about?
Regardless of what she said, or how she said it, she is a lot closer to the truth than the flamers here. This program is better than those who stretch the rules, or see how much they can get by with…..and always has been. Bothered by that? There is always Auburn, and it isn’t far away. I don’t need to know all the ins and outs of this situation to know this staff will make the right calls based on what they know. They have earned the confidence of the fan base, and deserve our support, but you cannot please those who don’t stand on principle and put their selfish little wants and desires ahead of the greater good. After all is known, if it turns out UGA threw TG under the bus and denied him the proper support, I will join in the blasting our people. But I won’t rely on the post mortem from the majority group here, they don’t need no facts to launch there next salvo.
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Spare me the sanctimony. This is the school of Jan Kemp and Jim Harrick. It’s done its fair share of being on NCAA probation. It’s been sanctioned.
That’s what you tend to get with big time college athletics.
The problem is that some of you don’t have the stomach for watching sausage being made. Fine by me, but don’t try to tell me that makes you a superior human being. We both love a program that’s generated its share of warts over the years.
The irony here is that she’s tarring a kid who doesn’t deserve it. Her intentions may be pure, but that doesn’t excuse it, as far as I’m concerned.
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Another irony here is that he is from Tarboro so how could that be bad?
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Sorry… I’m still trying to figure out how I ridiculed her.
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Fify..
This is the school of Vince Dooley and Michael Adams.
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They were just in Indianapolis trying to resolve the Bauerle debacle. Who should we chalk that one up to?
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So what. Hardly compares at all.
You must believe your getting famous. Fame can get snatched away Bluto.
Just sayin’
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WTF?
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Are you more privy to anyone else as to how the sausage is made?
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Can’t say, as I don’t know what others are privy to. But am I less willing to turn away from the sausage making than others? I think so.
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Spare me the sermon, it is you on the soap box and you have been there so long it is amazing that you can get this riled over what seemed well intended. While it might have been worded differently, she isn’t the one spewing venom on this subject. Those who have been driving the “on the plantation” bus are the ones who have lost control of their bowels.
TG isn’t a criminal, but he was in the wrong here according to the rules. Begin there. Now we can talk about changing the rules, and few disagree with that, but you have to start at the beginning. To you, everyone is guilty of something in this but TG. Now that is sanctimonious. And no one is superior to you, but then it is more important to you. We don’t know the facts yet but you may have passed the three strike mark on the Todd Gurley story, at least from the way I read the tea leaves.
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She’s definitely spewing venom.
She’s impugning the reputation of an innocent man who committed no crime yet she equated him with criminals.
She needs to get down off her self-righteous pedestal and stfu.
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Mac, straight from the post: “That isn’t to excuse Gurley. The NCAA rule exists and he’s alleged to have violated it. There are consequences.”
My post isn’t about blaming anyone, or absolving anyone from blame. It’s simply to point out that the Gurley situation is a poor one to romanticize.
The NCAA is enforcing a rule to support the status quo’s vested economic interests. Georgia is acting how it is because it has no choice if it wants to avoid NCAA sanctions. And Mark Richt is caught dealing with the consequences in that. There’s nothing heroic about acting as you must with a gun to your head. Nobody is saving college football’s soul here.
I know what I wrote was going to upset some folks. There are many, like the author of that letter and yourself, who are invested in the romance. Georgia is the Not Auburn, nevermind the recurring history of academic fraud over the last thirty years continuing up until present day (there was an official reason the school was in Indianapolis, remember). The people who inhabit B-M tirelessly work to support the institution, as do the men they answer to, nevermind the embarrassing sexual peccadillos that have led to the dismissal of an athletic director and a senior official. And nevermind the numerous mistakes that have been made over the years.
The athletic department is made up of human beings. Some of them, like Mark Richt, are outstanding, admirable individuals. And some are fallible. That is the essence of human nature. You choose to minimize the bad. That’s fine; I know you’re an honorable enough person that if something wrong comes to light, you’ll criticize it as you say. What I don’t get is why I don’t get the same benefit of the doubt from my end. If you’ll recall, I’ve already written one post of praise for McGarity’s actions during this mess.
I’m not asking you to switch sides. Just to cut us cynical folks a little slack.
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My concern about the, my opinion, over reaction to this lady’s remarks is not the driver for my post, rather it is the cumulative weight of the onslaught about UGA’s handling beginning with the initial report and greatly amplified by the “who is surprised” reaction to the school not having filed for reinstatement tweet from the NCAA. I think it has been the classic “ready, fire, aim” approach to unleash some unrelated frustration. As I said, I think afterwards you will find you have been further off base on this issue than any other that I have witnessed. I see nothing to indicate this was handled well, but that could change with additional information as well. I also don’t feel I am being a romantic about, humans do make mistakes and I often look at intent when evaluating how those should be judged. I have long supported a change to the compensation/stipend for college athletes.
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Mac, with regard to Gurley’s situation and Georgia, the only thing I have complained about so far is how the school handled the PR. Do you disagree with that?
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Biggest issue I saw was the “non-announcement” announcement, and I am hoping that was a result of a change to the announcement they had planned to make. Looked goofy, regardless of how low your opinion of those involved was. Almost certain something changed between 4 PM and 5 PM to cause them to issue the dud. I can appreciate keeping a tight grip on communications because of the number of possible leaks and eyes involved. A misstep could have been disastrous, I don’t really see one. Apparently you do. Honestly, don’t you think your view is clouded by your emotions on this area of concern? I can understand the NCAA angle but not the premature doubts on UGA personnel. Maybe we will know the whole story one day and see whose instincts were closer to the truth.
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Again, I was very happy with McGarity’s first steps out of the gate on this. I think the PR was poorly handled and added to the fans’ angst needlessly. I’m not really sure what the whole story would change on that.
But I also think I’m done with the topic. 😉
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“not” handled well.
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+1
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Thanks Mac, wish I cudda said that well.
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“And how does a crime with no consequences benefit any player, team, coach, or school?”
Sounds like a rhetorical question to me. And, it seems to me, “crime” in this usage is a metaphor for “act”
The word crime is derived from the Latin root cernō, meaning “I decide, I give judgment”. Originally the Latin word crīmen meant “charge” or “cry of distress.”
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¡Viva el Departamento Atlético Georgia!
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Even a criminal like Che, or his heirs, has the right to profit from his own image, but not Todd Gurley.
.
Gurley Libre!!!!
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And no, I was not saying that Todd is a criminal, only Che.
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Che should have stayed out of Bolivia and not fought the Fruit Company.
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Good catch: “The Fish Who Ate the Whale.” Samuel Zemurray, Jr., a Tulane benefactor
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My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Autobiography of Errol Flynn
…only he wasn’t selling bananas.
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He was giving them away.
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Like many others here, I agree with most of what the ” Steel Magnolia” has written, but it is the tone she has taken. Miss Mary Grace, left not a doubt as to her heritage, taking advantage, nay even riding on grandaddys hard earned letter, to elevate herself above anyone not on a trust fund. She took it upon herself to place on Mr. Gurley a crime that does not appear on the Georgia code….that of being poor and never even seeing that amount of cash in one place before…. Mary Grace, who Imight could guess carries four hundred bucks in her make up case just in case of emergency.
Am I castigating Mary Grace, for this psuedo societal transgression? Perhaps to an extent, but there are times when class division is made more evident by the class with the least to prove, against the classes who have the most to lose. I could even go as far to say that Mary Graces comments have a somewhat racial tone to them; that would gain a fast audience but since I am white that may pull me into Uncle Tom category. I appreciate her comments regarding the honor of Mark Richt, but caution about comments on the character of a young man who bent a rule, but broke no criminal law.
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Never seeing 400 bucks in one place seems a stretch. I’m not sure but don’t you have to be black to be an uncle tom? At any rate, her letter and Bluto’s post seems to have stirred a lot of emotions. Just my observation, but I don’t think I’ve seen Bluto respond so”firmly” here at GTP before. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Everyone has something they are passionate about. Too bad dog fans passions collide sometimes. We may not all see eye to eye but most the time it’s in the same direction.
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+1
Very well said.
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Thank you, Moe. Said it better than I could.
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i am a yappy bitch tonight, apologies.
i tend to agree with Brother Bluto that we as Dawg fans are quagmired in a swamp of different choices that all involve metric fuckloads of hypocrisy. i think i see more downside to not suspending Gurley than the good Senator. there are probably more reasons, but i am certain that the athletic department staff and the coaching staff made clear that selling one’s jersey is a bad thing, and do not do that, and don’t sign stuff for money (y’all run eat at O’House tonight. we’re going to 5 & 10). hypocritical bullshit? most assuredly. and i bet all the money in my wallet that TG3 knew what he was doing was prohibited. would i have had the self discipline to say no to that at 20? nyet. nein. hayull naw.
i really appreciate the post that was linked above defending Richt, and i worry that we lawyer types expect same the factual precision from non-lawyer folks that care to post about an issue they care about and expose themselves to the public, but without the legal training (or torture) to learn at the ol’ Lumpkin School over 3 years how to defend a factual or legal attack. i think she was inaccurate about a factual issue (mentioning a crime), and bet the remaining change in my pocket that she wasn’t trying to impugn TG3. and i suspect neither did Brother Bluto. but i bet if she had an annoying lawyer like me over her shoulder to point that out, she would have edited it. such is the cost of being a high-profile “student athlete.”
i also bet all the money in my pockets that Jimbo Fisher could give a shit about discipline, and who knows about where his players personal development registers with his concern. there should be a rule for Winston included along with Bowden’s “special rule for Polish kickers” bullshit for Sebastian Janakowski. if Isaiah Crowell had been linked on his 3rd screw-up to an autograph dealer instead of a car and a gun, what would have been the repercussions of permitting that in the name of hypocrisy? Herbstreit would be shitting himself all over the innertubes.
i am open to being wrong, but i think Richt did the best he could to make chicken salad from chickenshit, or at least rake the chickenshit aside. there’s not a Braves or Falcons playoff win i wouldn’t trade for a Dawg win over Vandy. but i wouldn’t trade Richt for Saban and all the tea in China. there is no other coach in football i know of that puts his players long-term well being at such a premium. the man goes down to the Clarke Co jail to pray with kids he just kicked off the team. kids are agnostic? still loves ’em. former player took his own life? how can i keep it from happening again? we start a network of support.
Nick Saban doesn’t have time for that shit.
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+1 Well said Lawdawg!
🙂
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Homes it t’would appear I have not done a good job of taking your advice.
Trust me when I say I will watch that in the future, getting in a slap fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel is not good strategy.
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lots of words. hard work.
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boo yah! have a beer, and holy shit where’s the tylenol?! well said
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This isn’t some comment that supports what you are saying. Of course, Im not even sure what, exactly, you are so riled up about. So I’ve got to ask a few questions so I can get an idea of where you are coming from. Is it the “crime with no consequences” phrase that she used? Are you saying that they shouldn’t have benched TG at all, given what we think they know? And, finally, do you have a problem with the guy selling Free Gurley t shirts? Just wanting to clear up a few things.
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My problem with what she posted is two-fold: (1) she may not have intended to do so, but she wrote her letter in a way that lumped what Gurley may have done in with what the likes of Taylor did; and (2) she thinks that what Richt is doing in her words saves college football’s soul, when the reality is that the school and Richt have no choice in their actions (not to mention that I suspect Richt is unhappy about how things have played out).
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UGA had no choice? You don’t know that. FSU could have suspended JW about 5 times over, but they have chosen not too because they know they have a system in place to cover things up. If that system breaks down, and they end up having to forfeit games, then thats not fair to all the other players.
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There’s a big difference between the two situations. Georgia was faced with an autograph dealer knocking on its door claiming he paid Gurley. You can’t cover that up.
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that would have been a much shorter and precise post. 🙂
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I brought the fine Senator’s interpretation of the post to the author’s attention, and it was, in fact, the first negative feedback she has received. She was so surprised that anyone took it as labeling Gurley as a crook that she edited it and took out the sentence about “How does a crime without consequences help anyone…?” She’s not a professional writer, and never expected it to spread like this.
Suffice it to say, her facebook profile is a picture of her with TG. In her response to me, she said, “In my opinion, NCAA violations are nowhere near the same galaxy as criminal allegations.” Mary Grace is a DGD, unlike some of the commenters spewing venom on this thread.
I did not give her the URL to this blog, in hopes that she will not be subjected to the anonymous nattering nabobs hammering out keystrokes of hate. I may still read the posts at this site, but I doubt I’ll waste my time on the comments going forward.
GO DAWGS!
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I, for one, certainly did not think she called Gurley a crook, I took her sentence in its spirit, not its legal definition. Others had a different view.
That is their misfortune, and, unfortunately Mary Grace’s.
To whom I offer an apology.
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Thanks for the clarification. Professional writer or not, she should’ve included a note that the original post was edited after the fact to remove the sentence.
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She is not a DGD.
She’s a silver spoon spoiled trust fund baby who took a virtual hatchet to an innocent, young man’s reputation (who actually DOES happen to be a DGD).
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Oh, come on. She cares about Georgia; she just chose a bad example from which to express herself.
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I think she cares more about exploiting an opportunity to act superior to others so she can feel good about herself.
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Oh for God’s sake go save the unicorns from global warming or something.
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I’m glad she saw fit to revise her remarks.
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This is what happens when Hatin’ Ass Spurrier doesn’t come out on Tuesday.
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I saw what you did there. Why not let everyone cool down?
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Sorry that was for Scorp. Lol. Time to put down the keyboard.
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Roger put down the keyboard, -30-
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Amen, it’s past bedtime for all of you on the right coast. We need to save some of this anger for the NC freakin’AA and the reptiles. GO DAWGS!!!!!
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I won’t go too far into repeating the same arguments we’ve all made ad nauseum about the unfairness of this very specific group of students not being allowed to do what we all do – maximize our earning potential based on our talents. Given a truly free market where one could choose to go to a private league or play for free in college, I would support student athlete amatuerism, regardless of how many trillions the colleges made.
We all like Gurley, not just as our star tailback, but he seems like a pretty good kid. We all hate the fact that a lot of these kids come from families that can’t help them escape the horrible, embarrassing, demeaning feeling of being dirt poor in the uber-social college environment and not even able to get a PT or FT job like the other kids so you can fake it once in a while and buy a girl a hamburger.
However, from the standpoint of occasionally having to endure something that sucks because you agreed to do it, from the standpoint of doing your duty to other people around you, I feel like we are conveniently shifting 100% of the blame for Gurley’s screw up onto the NCAA, onto the Georgia athletic department, onto Mary Grace, etc.
A few things we need to clear up.
If you were broke and couldn’t help your football star son out with spending money, would you encourage him to sign autographs in the shadows for cash, even if you knew he wouldn’t get caught? If you’re like me, you hate the NCAA rule, but there’s something about that which would give you pause.
The difference in this and say, speeding, is when you speed you’re not violating a social contract, and if you get caught you have to bear the brunt of your infraction totally by yourself. You have also not taken a “safe driver’s” oath not to speed.
But we ought to gather that at least some of the athletes – and perhaps some who really needed the money and who were good enough to make their autographs valuable – have refused to take money because they felt an allegiance to the team. If Gurley’s actions are wholly pardonable, does that mean these young men were not displaying character by refusing? Should they feel like the suckers who were playing by the rules?
It’s great that the team isn’t angry with Gurley, but it does appear that he put his own needs in front of the needs of the team, and it also appears that he at least somewhat violated the social contract he “signed” with his coaches and fellow players and the fans.
For those who equate breaking a bad rule with an act of civil disobedience, consider that real civil disobedience requires the participants to act in the light of day, and they are almost always risking more personally than they have to gain, and the point of their act is to benefit strangers. Gurley’s actions were not intended to further the cause of student athletes – and while he may be a catalyst, I don’t know that it’s appropriate to martyr someone who was simply acting out of self interest.
For those of you who argue that we all act out of self interest everyday, I agree with you – that’s why the NCAA rule is abominable. But we also often choose certain times and places and situations to put our self interest secondary to the interests of those around us. Gurley included – I recall he ran extra sprints to encourage some of his teammates at practice.
So there’s a sense of proportion that I tend to miss in people’s arguments about our expecations for Gurley or the other players on this issue – it’s not like Gurley slept in late instead of going running one Saturday in the offseason. He put his self-interest above the considerable cumulative interests of people who were counting on him in a way that flagrantly violated the duty expected of him. Regardless of the rotten landscape for football players who may want to go semi-pro, it’s hardly wrong to say the university shouldn’t have any expectations for code of conduct for its players in exhange for the investment it’s made in their football careers.
Writng about how dumb you were in college is beside the point.
Wriiting about how Cam Newton and Johnny Football got away with it, but we’re too stupid to know how to cheat right is not only beside the point, but it’s embarrassing.
Grousing about how B-M doesn’t know how to put the proper spin on something or hide infractions as well as the other schools is embarrassing, too.
Talking about how college football is corrupt all over, so we may as well dig in is a similarly lousy way to look at it, too.
I think the world of Todd Gurley, insofar as I know anything about any of these kids. He’s not Winston, or Johnny Football, or Cam Newton – not even close. But he made a mistake – not a felony, not an end-of-the-world mistake, and an understandable mistake for a broke kid in college. But it WAS a mistake, and he did let down people who were counting on him.
In deference to the kids who actually obeyed the rules and toed the line in service to each other and the university they agreed to play for, our response should be to say clearly that he did indeed make a mistake, not rationalize it, or make a lot of t-shirts and excuses, or look for anyone else to bear our frustration than the kid who actually signed the autographs for cash.
Forgive the novella.
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Cosmic, meet wall. Wall, meet Cosmic’s head. Oh…I see the two of you have already met repeatedly. 😉
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Cos, man…that is a really fine piece of work, and I sure appreciate you dumbing it down so I could understand it. Too often, on certain subjects here, posts and responses turn into cyber road rage.
Your thoughts are the antithesis of that.
Thanks, dude.
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Most common straw man seen on GTP since the afternoon of October 9th: “I feel we are conveniently shifting 100% of the blame for Gurley’s screwup on to the NCAA, the Georgia athletic department, the NCAA, etc.”
Wrong. No one is, certainly in this thread.
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That’s hardly a straw man – where do you think the whole “free Gurley” meme comes from if not an attempt to say he’s “innocent”
Incident happened. Fan base upset. Looks for anyone to blame other than star tailback. Have you been reading GTP the last two weeks?
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Long time reader, first time commenter…
With all due respect, Senator, you have missed the mark by a long shot. No fair reading of this lady’s letter leads to a conclusion that she’s equating Gurley to a crook. I’m afraid you jumped on one, perhaps poorly worded, phrase, took it out of context, and read it in a vacuum to reach your posted conclusion. Strange really, compared to what I usually see on here. Sanctimonious? Surely. Equating Gurley to a criminal? No chance.
Secondly, as for this “UGA doesn’t have TG3’s back” nonsense (not you, Senator, but others)–very few people acknowledge the very real (and i would argue “likely”, as I am convinced something like this happened) possibility that this jackleg Bryan Allen showed up with his story; the powers that be called TG in and asked him about it; and he…..wait for it……told the truth. UGA cannot “un-hear” whatever it is TG said (and that may be one juncture where UGA and FSU/Jimbo would differ in their approaches). If you want to fault UGA, fault them for not providing TG counsel before they ever talked to him (debatable as to whether that would’ve even changed anything either, though). But, don’t hand me this nonsense that they don’t “have his back”–particularly when the University has facilitated $5mm in insurance coverage for TG; retained and is paying for his lawyer; continues to fund his scholarship; and continues to include him on all team activities (except playing the games).
Thirdly, can someone please fast track this damn decision on Gurley. It’s driving me nuts.
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Thanks for joining in. I’m curious if you read the original text of the letter, or the letter after it was revised.
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“I’m afraid you jumped on one, perhaps poorly worded, phrase, took it out of context, and read it in a vacuum to reach your posted conclusion.”
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Since someone who wasn’t involved in our conversation seems to be having a problem understanding my question to you, here’s the original passage:
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He answered your question in his post.
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If I thought he had, I wouldn’t have asked.
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Sorry
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The original, but I’ve read both now. On another level, I’m all for erring on the side of making sure it’s clear to everyone that Todd Gurley ain’t a criminal. So, you get a pass from me (you’re relieved, I know), I just don’t think your take is completely fair to the author…
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Fair enough…
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Letter reeks of sanctimonious, self-righteous BS. Probably the same attitude that exists within our AD that has caused Gurley to miss two games.
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Ahh, agreed Mr. Hobnail Boots – and probably the same sanctimonious self-righteous AD attitude that says let Gurley eat cake while all the other kids go on spring break while the AD clinks steel balls and lest the whole UGA Alumni and Fandom wander directionless.
This “Rule” that ALL the money belongs to the University and the NCAA is so rotten that kids even try to do other stuff that actually is a ‘crime’ to get cash for spring break.
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One person’s sanctimonious, self-righteous BS, just might be another person’s deeply held moral code.
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This young lady’s post, while inartfully phrased in using the word crime, seems to make the simple point that she’s glad UGA stands for more than just winning at all costs. I guess you can quibble with some of the comparisons, or laugh at the fact that she seems to genuinely seems to care if UGA follows the rules that other place sneer at (stupid rules or not).
She doesn’t seem to be trying to defend the NCAA. She’s not advocating that UGA turn it’s back on Todd Gurley. Is it a stupid rule? Sure it is. And as long as it’s a rule, there are going to be problems for people who violate it. From all I’ve ever heard about him, Gurley is a good kid. I’m sorry for him that he’s put himself in this hole. I can understand how a 20 year old kid could give in to the temptation to pick up a little “free cash” even though he knew he could get in trouble for it.
I cant fault how the AD has handled it, yet. I don’t know what he knows. Unlike some of you folks on here, I’m not smart enough to reach a conclusion based on facts that I’m just collecting straight out of my colon. I do know this: UGA started this ball rolling as a result of the rumors/letters being shopped to every news outlet with a power cord. What else should they do? Should they get us on NCAA probation because they assumed they could stonewall, but it turns out they couldn’t?
You want to pillory the NCAA for this stupid rule, have at it. You want to curse the fates for the fact that UGA seems to follow the rules (whether from nobility or fear) while Auburn, FSU, etc. ignore them, ok. Me? I care that we have coaches, players and staff that have the self discipline to follow the rules, stupid or not. If you don’t like the rules, change the rules. If you ignore the rules, then you choose the consequences. Simple as that. When you start cherry picking the rules you’re going to follow, you aren’t any better than the folks at AU, or FSU, or wherever. They cherry pick rules, too. If you want to win that badly, good luck and enjoy the inevitable NCAA probation.
If you think this young lady is bit overwrought, or should have parsed her words more carefully, fair enough. She put it out there. She’s not the NY Times, or ESPN, she’s just some girl with a blog who loves UGA. For those of you who want to berate her, that says a lot more about you than it does about her.
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She put it out there… to be read and lauded for her superior intellect. It’s the same reason we comment on blogs. We hold our opinions in the highest of esteem and think others should to. I respectfully disagree with her sentiment. I read it after it was edited, but still find it to be misguided and the genealogy of UGA bloodlines was the icing on the sanctimony cake.
Here’s why:
That is a broad leap right off the bat. How is this situation best for Todd Gurley? I understand you have to protect your team and university, but how is this best for Todd Gurley? For that matter, how is releasing a player that committed a crime best for him? I agree that crimes have punishment and criminal activity should not be tolerated, but sometimes releasing a player from the only stabilizing force in his life sends them down a spiral that leads to death or Auburn. How is that what is best for the player? Do what you have to do (and sometimes should do), but that doesn’t put you on a moral mountain top.
Yes, what are we teaching? What will the children learn from all of this? That rules are rules for a reason, no matter how ridiculous or illegal or how they go against the Constitution of the United States. “Rules are rules” seems to have a very distinct Southern tinge to it, doesn’t it? Maybe that’s my over-sensitivity to these types of things, but when there are rules in place that systematically take advantage of a group of people for the benefit of a better-off group of people by declaring to know what is best for them… I don’t think the moral high ground is on the side of the argument certain people believe it to be.
Another poor turn of phrase. All NCAA violations are not the same. Lumping what Gurley allegedly did with what Winston was accused of criminally (or the NCAA allegations against Miami or North Carolina) is just wrong. They are not equal, and equating them to make a point is lazy at best. If you want to say this about the check-cashing incident, or assault allegations, or even failed drug tests (which is illegal, unlike getting paid for a signature), then bully for you. You support Richt, I support Richt, let’s all get in a circle and help your partner to the left. I disagree that Gurley has anything in common with those examples, and I take offense at the suggestion.
Actions do have consequences. I understand why UGA had to suspend Gurley. But, again, how do you suggest UGA took the high road? They did what they agreed to do with the NCAA, but posturing UGA’s actions as somehow moral is an idea that we should be mocked for. UGA is not squeaky clean. To suggest otherwise is either blissful ignorance or intellectual dishonesty.
More than anything, when I read the letter, this is what I thought of:
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This was not only a spot on point, but brilliant turn of phrase:
“sometimes releasing a player from the only stabilizing force in his life sends them down a spiral that leads to death or Auburn.”
/applause
I also love this point of yours:
“Yes, what are we teaching? What will the children learn from all of this? That rules are rules for a reason, no matter how ridiculous or illegal or how they go against the Constitution of the United States. ”
Our country is not founding on the principle of “rules are rules.” Our country was founded by rebels who revolted against an oppressive regime.
True courage on UGA AD’s part would have been to refuse to enforce a bullshit rule that is potentially illegal in the first place.
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It’s best for Todd Gurley to sit him (if in fact he either admitted breaking the rule or they have proof he broke the rule) because instead of coddling him due to his talent, or trying to stonewall the NCAA, which shows him that “talent doesn’t have to follow the rules,” bad decisions have consequences.
You’re probably a lot smarter than me, because I always thought one of the problems with the world today is too many people who think the rules don’t apply to them. If you’re talented, you can do whatever you want. Instead of coddling Gurley because he’s a good kid, or making excuses for him because we want him on the field and nobody else follows the rules, maybe next time he’ll think twice before he puts himself ahead of his teammates.
I’m sorry if he doesn’t come from a rich family. Lots of people don’t, and they learn how to work past it. I don’t think he’s a criminal, and I understand why he’d do it, IF he did it. But you can’t just ignore the rules you don’t like, especially when you are putting your needs above the team that’s counting on you, and your teammates who have worked along side you, and sacrificed with you, and are counting on you, just like you count on them.
If that is too naïve or old fashioned for you, so be it. Me? If he did what they say, he made a dumb choice and put himself first and he broke the rule. If he learns now that when you do something dumb, you have to be lucky EVERY time, the guys punishing you only have to be lucky once, maybe that will help him in the future. If other places don’t get that, or you don’t get that, that’s on you.
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I’m not sure if you’ve directed that comment towards me, but if so, what does it have to do with what I posted about?
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sorry, that was directed at Trey, which might explain why it has little, if anything to do with what you posted about. Although, given your superior grade point average to mine, you might be able to see some connection I missed. 😉
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But, the rule itself is illegal… as in the United States court system will declare the rule un-Constitutional once the case is heard. I understand why UGA had to suspend him. They did what they had to do. I disagree that abiding by the NCAA rules just because they exist is the moral thing to do. Sometimes the moral thing to do is to disobey the rules to bring much-needed attention to a systemic or societal or cultural problem that needs to be changed.
I believe laws should be obeyed, and if you change rules to laws, I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment. But, I feel less agreeable when we attribute abiding by the NCAA’s wishes to some higher sense of morality.
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I’m not sure that I would call following the NCAA rules everyone agrees to follow when they accept a scholarship to an NCAA institution “some higher sense of morality.” I do call it sticking to your word. I don’t think anyone has ascribed the moral high ground to the NCAA. You do things the right way, even if it’s inconvenient, not because you love the NCAA or you agree with them, but because there’s still right and wrong, and you choose to do right. Of course,
I’m glad you know what the Supreme Court will do with the O’Bannon case before it even gets out of the district court. Do you have any stock tips? The O’Bannon decision, while very possibly becoming the law at some point, isn’t even final regarding the NCAA yet. The O’Bannon plaintiffs have gone about challenging the rule, which I agree is stupid, the correct way. Deciding “I’m getting mine now” while it’s against the rules you agreed to follow? Not the right way.
Nobody will be happier than me when the suits at the NCAA get their ultimate comeuppance in court. That day isn’t here yet, and the rules are what they are. There’s a model for what you seem to be advocating, where enlightened people like yourself can pick and choose which rules they care to follow. It’s called “chaos.”
I’d be a lot more impressed by some of you blowhards who are so much smarter than us simple drudges who insist on the right way and the wrong way of doing things if I didn’t have a vague suspicion that you don’t give a damn about Todd Gurley so much as you want to make sure he’s out there winning football games for you.
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I am not ascribing the sense of moral superiority to you in particular, but the linked letter certainly seemed to claim it. That was the direction of my rebuttal.
My issue is that we have used “rules” and “laws” interchangeably when discussing this topic. I disagree with that premise. Then, we try to attribute an equivalent right and wrong to abiding by the rules and the laws. I abide by the laws of the land. I think speed limits are often ridiculous, and I think speeding fines are absurd, but I have only gotten one speeding ticket in my life because I respect the authority of the police and the law. That doesn’t mean I don’t speed, but I don’t flagrantly speed to draw attention to myself either. I keep with the flow of traffic (which I think is a decent metaphor for Gurley’s actions, if you believe what nearly all ex-athletes are saying… he basically got a night in jail for going eight over). If we resist the notion of identifying which side is right and which is wrong, we can come to appreciate that what Gurley did required punishment under the current system, but that the NCAA is so very wrong and should be changed. If you (the royal you) are still sympathetic towards the NCAA after the past five years…
If my professional association mandated that I wear a clown suit at all times in order to maintain my credentials, that is a rule. It is ridiculous, and no one would abide by it. But, it could very well be a rule that an organization voted on and put in place as a term of association. That doesn’t mean I have done anything morally wrong if I disobey that rule, even if I agreed to the rule when I applied for my credentials. That is more in line with what Gurley has done, except that the NCAA enforces the rule now, not to protect Gurley from unsavory characters like Bryan Allen, but to ensure the flow of revenue goes through them first. They are now the unsavory characters restricting the market in their favor.
I am glad that the University of Georgia’s football team has taken such an aggressive stance toward punishing players that fail to abide by the laws of the land. It is one that I wish others teams would take, particularly when crimes are of a serious or violent nature like sexual assault. If there is a moral high ground to be had, that is where it is. Equivocating that stance with the Gurley situation is just a bad starting place for a discussion in my opinion.
The O’Bannon case had a limited scope. The Kessler case will bring the NCAA to the ground barring Congressional interference. Again, just my opinions, but opinions informed from the echoes of legal experts over the past year or so. And, when this all broke I suggested Gurley tell everyone “Thanks for the memories” and hit the road for greener pastures. While I am happy he cares about this team more than that, and I look forward to watching him play the remainder of this season, I certainly would not have held any ill will towards him had he chosen to do so.
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Don’t be so hasty. That clown suit might look good on you. 😉
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It amazes me that, 165 years after Thoreau published Civil Disobedience, people continue to insist that, if our wise and benevolent overlords come up with a rule, we’re all morally obligated to follow it, no matter what.
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It amazes me that people throw the term “civil disobedience” around like Todd Gurley was Gandhi. As someone else pointed out, taking a principled stand in public to challenge a rule that’s morally wrong, knowing you will suffer some consequences, in the hope that the rule will be changed, is one thing. Getting caught trying to sneak your hand in the cookie jar after you’ve been told repeatedly isn’t quite the same as Rosa Parks refusing to sit on the back of the bus. Sorry if that doesn’t fit your narrative, though.
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I posit that the NCAA rule is morally wrong, though not of the same magnitude and not as far-reaching as the cultural problems that the civil rights movement addressed.
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So, disobeying an immoral rule can only be moral if it’s done publicly? Otherwise, we should all meekly accept whatever rules and regulations are handed down from on high? I don’t know much about geography, but I didn’t think Mt. Sinai was in Indianapolis.
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You used the term “civil disobedience,” Sparky. Don’t whine when someone points out to you that it doesn’t mean what you seem to think it means.
Gurley didn’t break the rule (if in fact, he broke it) as part of some grand social protest movement. He wasn’t trying to make a statement, or draw attention to his own plight. He did it because he thought he could get away with it, and neither he nor his team would suffer any consequences. That turned out to be wrong, as it happens.
Argue that it’s an unfair rule? I’m with you. The gap between “the right way to address a problem” and “meek acceptance of injustice” is pretty big, and you clearly either don’t understand, or just don’t care, about the difference. What about the rules against smoking pot? Or gambling? Or drinking under age? Sure, those are actual laws, but why should anyone obey those rules, which many people find wrong?
There’s a right way and a wrong way to do most anything. Gurley rolled the dice on taking some cash, apparently, and it hurt his team, and perhaps him, too. It’s entirely possible to be able to think the NCAA rule is wrong, but understand Gurley wasn’t in the right here.
Suit yourself, though. But maybe you can tell me why Cam Newton or (apparently) Laramy Tunsil should have been pilloried by tons of UGA fans for taking some cash? Were you one of them? Sure, it was a little more cash, allegedly, but it’s the same principle. Are they noble crusaders against injustice, too?
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Excellent, bravo. But how dare you steal their right to act like the vast majority of us do not also disagree with the rule but do not feel breaking it for one’s own personal gain is what should be defended. The NCAA rule is a bad one, and certain to be short-lived, but TG put his teammates’ season in jeopardy, and the program in a bad light (although the way it has been handled is making chicken salad out of chicken sheet to all but a few anarchists here.)
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the most head shaking aspect of this whole thread to me is that so many people who criticize her “know it all, preachy attitude” are doing exactly what they accuse her of, or worse. I don’t know the young lady, she may be a total pain in the ass in person, or she may be a saint. They don’t know her, either. You don’t agree with her conclusion? Fine. The kind of hipper than thou personal attacks? Smacks of guys needing to, umm, compensate.
Disclaimer: The Senator, who has gone to great pains to avoid personal attacks on her, rather than simple disagreement with what he sees as her presence, is not who I’m talking about here. You sport models all know who you are.
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oops. “Premise,” not “presence.” I need a better editor.
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+1
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Has anyone thought about the law of unintended consequences when it comes to allowing college players to sell their autographs? Anyone?
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Are they worse than those for overpaying conference commissioners, athletic directors, Charlie Weis and NCAA presidents?
Or for professional athletes, for that matter?
Tell you what. Why don’t you make a list of people you don’t think should be paid for their own names and likenesses and why they shouldn’t? Should be a hoot to read.
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+1
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Do you know what is the best tool for handling unintended consequences? The free market.
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So college players don’t get enough money, but pros get too much? You get an A in Socialism for the day.
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As Bluto wrote in a prior comment, the free market is a socialist plot?
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Senator. Click bait is for fags.
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So what are you doing here? 😉
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Just wanted to make sure I got the last word in here.
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