“We have the same fear that UGA has.”

For those of you thinking you’re going to take your tailgating act off campus and onto the greater confines of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, not so fast, my friends.  It doesn’t sound like those folks are going to be overly welcoming.

The city of Athens can’t simply ban tailgating like the university did. Commissioner Melissa Link fears that UGA’s decision will just push some tailgaters out into big gatherings outside the campus and in bars.

“My big question is, do (fans) know what they’re getting into?” Link said.

“Obviously, we don’t have the virus handled at this time,” said Denson, who hopes Girtz will convene a special meeting of the commission next week to enact some measures to cope with the expected football crowds.

About five months into the pandemic, Clarke County had a relatively low per-capita COVID-19 rate and one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the state. But that changed when UGA students began coming back to Athens ahead of Aug. 20, the first day of fall semester classes. In September, Clarke’s infection rate became one of the highest in the nation.

Though the local government can’t ban tailgating or football parties, Link thinks it’s possible the commission could tweak some its existing ordinances, such as local laws that regulate loud and unruly gatherings or its noise ordinance.

They’ve got the government’s lawyers studying the question, and some of the commissioners will informally huddle this weekend while Williams and Girtz go on their scouting mission, Link said.

They’ll also be keeping an eye out for what happens in other college towns as the football season gets under way.

So, no, they can’t stop you entirely, but can they make your life somewhat miserable with enforcement of the ticky-tacky?  Let’s just say they’ve got some experience in that regard.  Ask football players about that.

Wednesday morning buffet

Sights and sounds from around the world of college sports…

• The NCAA’s football oversight committee has developed a 12-hour schedule model for teams not playing this fall that it recommended to the NCAA’s Division I council for approval on Tuesday.
• “Negative plays really suck.“
• It sounds like the Pac-12 has millions of reasons to hope every P5 conference shuts down their seasons.
• Kirby Smart sees the good in the extended preseason practice period:  “By spreading it out over more days, you’re giving guys more time for recovery, and there are not those intense repeated practices.”
• Tom Mars is losing it.
• The SEC knows those cupcakes aren’t gonna beat themselves.
• Barry Alvarez, to Wisconsin seniors covered by the NCAA’s eligibility extension for spring athletes:  drop dead.  And do it elsewhere, please.
• “(Orgeron) said, ‘Everybody’s girlfriend sleeps with other people…’”

Sammy Wheeler, salut!

K-State TE Sammy Wheeler arrested on charges of unlawful use of driver’s license, purchase/possession/consumption of liquor by a minor (the day before he turned 21!!!), interference with a law enforcement officer, and urinating in public: https://t.co/DZxGpYwsmI #FulmerCup #Late

— The Fulmer Cup (@TheFulmerCup) May 27, 2020

“The day before he turned 21” is what really makes this sing.

As the saying goes, youth is wasted on the wrong people.

Urnge thirst

LOL.

Two people are charged with attempting to steal more than $600 worth of beer after breaking into Neyland Stadium on the University of Tennessee campus over the weekend, according to arrest warrants.

Police were dispatched shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday after as many as five people were spotted on security cameras inside the football stadium.

Officers arrived to catch three people inside the perimeter fencing near Gate 22. Two of the suspects were carrying 24 beers apiece.

Beers at Neyland Stadium are sold for $12-13 each.

The total beers between them were valued at $624, the warrants read.

Rachel N. Barber, 20 of Nashville, and Spencer Ranencio Ngumuya, 19, of Osceola, Indiana, both admitted to crawling under the fencing to gain access to the locked stadium, and then deciding to steal the beers once they spotted them inside a walk-in cooler, the warrants state.

Seemed like a good idea at the time, no doubt.  In hindsight, though, trying to steal the most expensive Miller Lights in the state of Tennessee might not have been so smart.

Don’t bogart that drug penalty, my friend.

When I hear a coach say something like, “My deal is the welfare of the student athlete and what best helps that”, my initial tendency is to wince, but Lincoln Riley’s comments about the NCAA’s stance on marijuana make me wonder if that’s the next big frontier the organization is forced to confront.

When asked about if he anticipated the NCAA enacting looser marijuana rules similar to the MLB and NHL, Riley said he sees it in the future, but is unclear as to when it would happen.

Marijuana is now legal medically in 33 states, including Oklahoma, but Riley said players with medical cards are not exempt from marijuana tests.

Testing positive for weed means a half-season suspension under current NCAA guidelines, something that’s bound to be tested as society continues to move closer to de-criminalization or outright legalization.  It’s a stance that’s hard to justify, considering that marijuana isn’t performance enhancing.

Forget it, Jake. It’s Athens.

Devonte Wyatt, come on down.

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UPDATE:  Kirbs is definitely feeling “been there, done that” today.

Kirby Smart: “I’m disappointed in the misconduct…outlined in the incident report. This is not indicative of the behavior we expect from our student-athletes who represent the University of Georgia and our football program. We will address it internally in the appropriate way.” https://t.co/e470ADNrSf

— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) February 26, 2020

The 1% of the 1%

Just another one of Corch’s proteges heading to the big house…

Former Ohio State assistant Zach Smith was sentenced today to 180 days in jail (20 days to be served forthwith), anger management, 40 hours of community service and 3yrs probation with drugs & alcohol conditions. He was found guilty of violating a civil protection order in Dec.

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) February 7, 2020

Wonder if he’s gonna do his next podcast from jail.

Crime of the century of the week

Somewhere out there, a Tech fan is slapping his head, saying, “why didn’t I think of that?”.

Nashville, a toddling town

“After a sobering-up period, they were released around midnight with the charges dismissed.”

I ask you, who among us hasn’t gotten shitfaced with their parents before the Music City Bowl?

TFW you’re taking this year’s Sugar Bowl more seriously than last year’s

James Cook is cleared to play in the Sugar Bowl despite his arrest earlier this month. Smart said Cook passed a marijuana test.

— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) December 27, 2019

Internal discipline, for the win!

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UPDATE:  This, on the other hand, doesn’t sound so good.

Kirby Smart declining to answer questions about certain players who may or may not be here.

Smart when asked whether Tyler Clark or Brian Herrien are here:

"We're going to focus on the players that are playing in the game."

— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) December 27, 2019