With spring practice kicking off yesterday, there were lots of shiny objects to draw our attention, but I’m most intrigued by a relatively minor issue Smart raised in his presser, that being Riley Ridley’s status after being busted for marijuana possession.
Following his arrest earlier this month, Georgia sophomore receiver Riley Ridley will face “internal discipline” according to Georgia head coach Kirby Smart during his press conference on Tuesday. Smart said that he was disappointed in Ridley, but did not specify the punishment he would receive or his role on the team going into spring.
“He’ll receive internal discipline,” Smart said during his press conference. “I’ll say this, we are very disappointed in his decision and do not condone that behavior and I think Riley is going to learn a value lesson from this mistake.”
Okay, stadium steps and puking. Got that. But what about game suspension? Crickets there.
Now I don’t want to read too much into that. It’s very possible that Smart didn’t want to discuss that which is beyond his control, which is something he’s clearly indicated before about Georgia’s drug policy. But I can’t help but wonder if there’s something going on behind the scenes regarding the charges, something that, in other words, might also explain the reticence about a game suspension. If those go away, it’s a whole new ballgame, so to speak.
It might be worth keeping an eye on Ridley’s fate over the summer is all I’m saying.
Get The Picture 
I noticed that as well when I watched the press conference. Either we’re getting a Huntley Johnson to handle the relationship with the local criminal justice apparatus, and/or some policy changes are afoot. For a misdemeanor like this, internal discipline may be a hell of a lot worse for young Riley than the ramifications in the legal system. I’ll say this for Kirby … he doesn’t like it at all and isn’t afraid to show it in public when a player does something to embarrass the program.
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His Ridley comment certainly caught my attention as well. Let’s hope changes are underway that will bring our disciplinary standards more inline with other schools. There’s no need to be out in front in this area and if anything it often put us in a worse light because no one in the media/public differentiates between scooter parking violations and drug violations – they just hear “suspended for a violation”.
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If there are changes, let’s be up front about them and not let the AU-C go wild with speculation about it.
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If they state they change it, the AJC will rant on it being all about football, if they don’t they speculate. Let the AJC speculate.
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Yep, no pleasing them, the AJC is best ignored…let them continue to wither away.
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My point is to be clear about it. Sure, Schultz may use it for clicks for a day or so after the release. Then, it goes away. Like in politics, release any change in the policy on a Friday afternoon. The whole thing goes away in the weekend news cycle when no one is listening, watching or reading. If they don’t, the question about suspensions is going to come up every time someone does something stupid.
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Every time somebody does something stupid the AJC is going to harp something anyways, let it be an old story that fades quicker.
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I was listening on the radio, and maybe I don’t know what internal discipline means, but among us, the great unwashed, it does not mean a game suspension. Hmmm
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This Georgia Way stuff was never about them.
It was always about me.
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Very Good
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The internal education about making smart decisions should include lessons about exercising the right to remain silent.
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I have disagreed with the set in stone rules/suspensions since Richt was the coach, it actually diminishes the ability of a head coach to create a culture of accountability, respect for the coach, and thus respect for the rules.
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New policy? Gentlemen, smoke em if you got em.
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I prefer the way Kirby is handling this. Discipline should be a private matter.
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Careful, that was JoePa’s way. Where did that lead?
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Seriously?!
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Internal discipline means “If you don’t do well in practice and you’re not one of the outstanding receivers by Fall then we do not need you in the first game”. That’s the automatic suspension for you AJC. Haha.
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