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110%er [6403]
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From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 1, 2023, 9:04 PM
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This is Kirby Smart’s program, for better and for worse. He’s paid $11.25 million per annum to win national titles, which he has done two years running. He’s also charged with running a program filled with players and staff. Forty-five days ago, one player and one staffer died.
Not since the morning of Jan. 10, the day after his Georgia Bulldogs won their latest championship, has Smart been made available to the media. He offered a statement in the wake of the Jan. 15 crash that took the lives of Chandler LeCroy and Devin Willock, and he spoke at two memorial services for Willock. Smart has not answered questions about his program.
Smart offered another statement Wednesday after Athens police issued arrest warrants for Jalen Carter, among the most famous Bulldogs ever. The charges are misdemeanors – street racing and reckless driving. Smart deemed them “deeply concerning,” and they are. They lead us to wonder: What’s going on over there?
Maybe soon, someone will get the chance to ask Smart as much. That’s the flip side of making eight figures. You get the glory when times are good; you also get the scrutiny when times are bad. For Georgia football, the days since Jan. 9 have been grim.
What was first characterized as a single-car incident has become something else. An investigation led police to identify Carter’s Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk as a second vehicle. Carter’s Trackhawk and the rented Ford Expedition driven by LeCroy, according to a police statement, “switched between lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposite lanes of travel, overtook other motorists and drove at high rates of speed, in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other.”
The Expedition hit a curb. It wound up a mangled mess of metal. Those seated on the driver’s side – LeCroy, a recruiting staffer and Willock, an offensive lineman – died. Staffer Tory Bowles, seated on the right side, suffered severe injuries. Offensive lineman Warren McClendon, also on the right, played in the Senior Bowl later in the month.
On Wednesday, police revealed the Expedition was travelling at 104 mph just before the crash. LeCroy’s blood alcohol index was .197, two times above the legal limit.
This wasn’t teenagers doing donuts in a deserted parking lot. This was a 24-year-old (LeCroy) apparently under the influence and a 21-year-old (Carter) allegedly endangering public safety at 2:45 a.m. after a day in which Georgia celebrated another championship. If the police are to be believed, this fatal accident, as bad as it was, could have been worse. Maybe it could have been prevented.
The University of Georgia has conceded LeCroy should not have been driving the Expedition, rented by the Georgia Athletic Association for the purpose of transporting recruits. Court records show Carter was cited three times last fall for traffic violations – parking in a handicapped zone, failure to obey a traffic-control device and going 89 in a 45-mph zone. He was fined $1,013 for the latter violation.
According to body-camera footage obtained by the AJC, an officer named J. Lewis told Carter he had ticketed two other Georgia players for speeding. “Your break is not going to jail,” Lewis told Carter. “That’s your break. It’d make all kinds of news.”
The warrants arrived on a day when Carter, who might be the first player taken in the NFL draft, was due to meet the assembled media at the combine in Indianapolis. The session was canceled. He later released a statement: “There’s no question in my mind that when all the facts are known I will be fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.”
Smart also issued a statement. He promised his program “will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities while supporting these families and assessing what we can learn from this horrible tragedy.”
Last week, linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson was arrested on charges of reckless driving and racing, the incident having occurred Jan. 10, the day after the title game. Have those affiliated with UGA football come to view themselves as invulnerable? Are they conditioned to having Bryant Gantt, Smart’s director of player support, sweep up after them?
(The AJC reported Gantt arrived at the crash scene in its immediate aftermath. Also: A court notation shows Carter’s $288 fine for improper parking was paid by “Gant.”)
Georgia is the king of college football. That doesn’t make Georgia the king of the world. Hours after he felt the adoration of his constituency in Sanford Stadium, Smart was informed that a player and a staffer were dead. Only now are we getting the full picture of what happened.
It would be nice to hear Smart tell us, in unscripted words, what he plans to do to keep such a thing from happening again. At this late date, it would be nice to hear him say anything.
About the Author Mark BradleyFollow Mark Bradley on facebookFollow Mark Bradley on twitter Mark Bradley is a sports columnist and blogger for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has been with the AJC since 1984.
Editors' Picks Police: Stetson Bennett hid behind brick wall prior to arrest 4h ago Long before season, Georgia Tech president found football performance ‘worrisome’ 4h ago Georgia’s Jalen Carter pulled from media interviews at NFL combine 7h ago In federal trial, Ron Bell
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110%er [5179]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 1, 2023, 9:10 PM
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Every program has some issues. This program has been out of control for a long time.
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Head Coach [759]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 1, 2023, 9:11 PM
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Well said......
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All-TigerNet [14345]
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sadly, it's always been the uga way
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Mar 1, 2023, 9:17 PM
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just means more......
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All-TigerNet [10553]
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Meanwhile, Alabama had 3 players ejected tonight for leaving
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Mar 1, 2023, 9:19 PM
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the bench during a skirmish.
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Orange Blooded [3177]
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Re: Meanwhile, Alabama had 3 players ejected tonight for leaving
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Mar 1, 2023, 10:38 PM
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They were trying to keep up with the other two SEC schools who each had four players ejected during "ladies" tournament play this afternoon.
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Letterman [274]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 1, 2023, 9:20 PM
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What is the purpose of posting this?
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110%er [7302]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 1, 2023, 9:33 PM
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Uhhh … it’s news.
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CU Guru [1405]
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Associate AD [805]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 2, 2023, 10:26 AM
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He has none. Other than professional troll.
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110%er [6499]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
Mar 2, 2023, 11:31 AM
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Nancytyger is a troll
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110%er [7302]
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From AJC's Mark Bradley: How long B4 M.Bradley ‘retires’?
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Mar 1, 2023, 9:32 PM
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Good work by AJC’s Mark Bradley for coloring between the lines on what we now know is 3 vehicles involved in street racing, with each of these vehicles intimately associated with the UGA football team.
GA Governor Brian Kemp is a UGA grad and allegedly a big Dawgs FB fan.
(?). How long before AJC’s Mark Bradley ‘retires’?
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All-In [26211]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley: How long B4 M.Bradley ‘retires’?
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Mar 1, 2023, 10:08 PM
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Some of the reasons I don't want us in the SEC.
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All-In [36438]
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Turdbee and the UGHAY Program Are Just a Higher
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Mar 1, 2023, 10:38 PM
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Order LSU. Their fans and admin know it's a fecal storm of classless money-grubbers and they are ok with it. To each their own. Saban irks me, but I do have some respect for him, Turdbee is just a low-brow huckster.
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Orange Blooded [3086]
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Re: Turdbee and the UGHAY Program Are Just a Higher
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Mar 2, 2023, 11:26 AM
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What would you like UGA fans to do about this? Stop watching or going to games? Relocate their loyalty to another program? Start using terms like "Turdbee" and "UGHAY"?
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Heisman Winner [112232]
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what are UGA fans supposed do about this?
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Mar 6, 2023, 12:41 AM
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I think the AJC made themselves pretty clear when they asked that Smart answer to this and assure the community that nothing like this will ever happen again, and how he plans to achieve this. He is supposed to be a leader and an ambassador to the University, these kids and staff are his responsibility, it comes with the 11 million dollar salary.
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Orange Blooded [3086]
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Re: what are UGA fans supposed do about this?
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Mar 6, 2023, 6:07 AM
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Smart spoke out about it a couple of days ago. I'm sure that will satisfy everyone here that he takes it seriously.
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All-TigerNet [10767]
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Re: what are UGA fans supposed do about this?
Mar 6, 2023, 9:05 AM
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I guess you wouldn’t mind your children or grandchildren living on the street where some idiot is driving by at 89 mph in a 45 mph zone. Smart just said what his ventriloquist lawyers told him to say.
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All-In [36438]
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Associate AD [806]
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Orange Blooded [4067]
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Awful. Wonder if it impacts Jalen Carter’s draft selection?
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Mar 1, 2023, 11:17 PM
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It is certainly something teams will want to know more about.
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All-In [31438]
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Re: Awful. Wonder if it impacts Jalen Carter’s draft selection?
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Mar 2, 2023, 6:25 AM
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A few years back info had come out on a kid, could have been injury related or possible character issues I do not remember, but we watched as he sat there pick after pick slide down the pecking order. The GM’s seem to place emphasis on character. I’m guessing to some teams it may not matter as much. Will be interesting to see where he ends up pick wise.
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Hall of Famer [23158]
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Re: Awful. Wonder if it impacts Jalen Carter’s draft selection?
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Mar 2, 2023, 10:14 AM
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My guess would be Lions at 6 or Falcons at 8. If he drops that far the Ravens would be a good fit at 22.
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Rock Defender [56]
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Re: Awful. Wonder if it impacts Jalen Carter’s draft selection?
Mar 6, 2023, 12:29 AM
[ in reply to Re: Awful. Wonder if it impacts Jalen Carter’s draft selection? ] |
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Yes, but this all boils down to the fan base. Are fans willing to look the other way when a collegiate or pro player screws up royally or criminally? Do they boycott their team and stop watching? Stop buying tickets or donating to the program? Lots of sports fans have their priorities out of whack, and team owners and college presidents and AD's simply follow their lead.
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All-TigerNet [11288]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 2, 2023, 9:03 AM
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I think a player getting NIL, projected to be the #1 NFL draft selection, and driving a $100,000 Jeep Trackhawk, needs to pay his own $288 fine. The only message that sends is that "you" don't have to be accountable for your actions.
Hopefully, Bradley and a few other reporters with morals will finally expose what has really been going on at UGA over the years.
UGA has been protecting their investments. Why not, they have been building houses, buying cars, and financially supporting families all the way back to the late 70s and early 80s. When that much money is invested, they have to keep them on the field. Back in the early days it was just a wink, wink, Mr. Policeman, he won't do it again.
I guess over the years taking care of parking tickets, under age drinking, speeding, reckless driving, fights/brawls, weapon possesion, armed robbery, and domestic violence (to name a few) that trying to cover up for players involved in racing in town resulting in the death of 2 people is not much of a leap. Does Gantt have blue lights on his car and a badge? Wouldn't that be fitting.
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Legend [16888]
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If I were Devin Willock's parents,
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Mar 2, 2023, 9:42 AM
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I'd be owning me a university in short order...and a president, AD, and football coach would be looking elsewhere.
Nothing about what happened suggests foresight or oversight. That it trickled down to the police department screams 'problem'. That it took six weeks for this to all come to light suggests the other two players in the Expedition were told to be quiet. Then again, it suggests law enforcement remain silent, too.
No program is perfect; however, it's a canyon of difference between having issues and 'out of control'. This outcome hints loudly at misplaced priorities in Athens. If this were Clemson, I'd be outraged and expecting very serious action.
Message was edited by: Salty55®
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Orange Blooded [2635]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
Mar 2, 2023, 10:00 AM
[ in reply to Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad ] |
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I knew there was more to it than just this girl driving off the road. Wow! Just unbelievable and what a waste of life.
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Hall of Famer [23315]
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Is paying a player's fine not an NCAA violation?
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Mar 2, 2023, 10:01 AM
[ in reply to Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad ] |
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Also weird that McClendon knows exactly what happened that night and we haven't heard his account yet. Maybe it's that 90 day Kirby rule thing again.
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All-In [46783]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
Mar 6, 2023, 12:59 AM
[ in reply to Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad ] |
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Don’t forget we did our share of spoiling players in the 70’s & 80’s with cars, money & etc.
It was all of college football at that time, we got punished hard but that didn’t stop this until the early 90’s.
UGA has been doing this in a big way for a long long time. Players headed to our camps where no shows the day they left to come because the money got there quick. This happened to many teams via UGA since Smart came. The truth will come out.
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All-TigerNet [12065]
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GT fans deride this guy as "Bark Madley"....
Mar 2, 2023, 11:15 AM
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So it's a big deal that this veteran AJC sportswriter is no longer toeing the line.
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All-TigerNet [12245]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 2, 2023, 11:25 AM
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So Carter is a part of the death of multiple people, and the first thing that comes to mind is clearing him of any blame.
Sounds about right.
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CU Guru [1472]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
Mar 6, 2023, 4:00 AM
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In 2009, the Orlando Sentinel began to compile a list of wayward athletes under Urban Meyer's rogue program at the Univ. of Florida. There were dozens on the list who were guilty of a myriad of crimes. Florida suffered an enormous loss of respect among their alumni and citizens of this state. I feel UF has never recovered. If the goal is winning only, then, why not just allow Kirby to recruit professional football players from the NFL for his team. That way, everyone wins, Georgia gets more championships and the players get more money.
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Orange Blooded [2987]
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Re: From AJC's Mark Bradley...Sad
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Mar 6, 2023, 6:35 AM
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Say negative stuff about UGA but we had a very similar issue little over year ago. We had a defensive back that raced his car, hit a postal worker and not only almost killed her but she is handicapped at some level for rest of her life.
While its fun to pick on other programs, if this happened to NIU, we could care less!! That said, ot was a huge mistake, kids do stupid stuff, but we had the same scenario 18mos ago. I rather find sympathy for players and family. I have zero desire to make this look like a University issue as much as it was a player just being a dumb kid. We all made mistakes as kids, fortunately most of us didn't cost the life of another person
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Legend [16888]
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It's your view...
Mar 6, 2023, 8:36 AM
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Then keep your head firmly buried in the sand if you believe this compares even remotely. Granted, it's your opinion...still...might be best to keep such to yourself. Georgia has an institutional problem...massive in scale and should not be swept under the rug. To pretend that's not happening calls into question why it's taken six weeks for much of this to come out. That's a 'sweeping' timetable.
This isn't being done for fun, by the way. People died...and the details hidden. And key people have tried to look the other way. In no way, shape, or form does this incident even hint at 'full disclosure and transparency'.
Message was edited by: Salty55®
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