ColonelKurtz
07-25-2005, 08:13 AM
Macon Telegraph (http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/sports/columnists/michael_lough/12208971.htm)
How many shoes can drop in Athens?
Was it only two months ago a pair of Georgia football players
offered inspiration rather than frustration? Yes, it was mid-May when offensive linemen Russ Tanner and Dennis Roland saved a couple lives after a car accident in Athens. That was a day or two after the announcement that another player was being sent down to Georgia Military College to straighten things out.
And now Tavares Kearney interrupted what had been a fairly calm
stretch by allegedly cheating on an exam and putting hands on a
teacher.
With that, concerns are renewed about what's going on with Georgia
football players. Of course, those coming to immediate defense would
be hurting with laughter had the folks in Knoxville or Gainesville
or Atlanta had the same scorecard for the last 14 months.
To be sure, questions about Mark Richt's disciplinary practices and
recruiting philosophies increase. There's no doubt there is more to
in-house punishment than running steps until you lose your lunch.
But every coach in the world gives the same warning speech about
avoiding trouble, representing yourself and your family and your
school with at least a hint of maturity. And it could be argued that
this year is an anomaly in Athens. One wonders about the
intellectual capability of those in the audience to grasp the simple
logic of it all.
One also wonders, as one did back in May when Richt visited Macon,
if it was time for the biggest Bulldog to have a vein-popping team
meeting and lay down the law, along the lines of: "I'm tired of
this. I'm tired of people working hard and a couple boneheads mess
it all up and embarrass an entire university. You wanted to play big-
time football, and there are some issues that come with that. If you
think you're better than somebody, start acting that way, which
means ignoring the ignorant, walking away from trouble, pay
attention, and using your head.
"It's not hard. People do it all the time. So, regardless of your
spot on the depth chart, any more stupid garbage, and be prepared
for more than running. Period."
Richt has clearly tired of talking about it, but he has the right ideas.
"The goal is to change behavior. ... I try to be as consistent as I can be, as fair as I can be. Again, the goal is for the guys to learn from their mistakes," Richt said in May.
"I've suspended more people than anybody. It's funny. When you suspend guys, people think you're losing control of the program. If you don't suspend a guy, they think you don't have any discipline."
Rock, meet hard place.
Everything Richt said is logical and justifiable. But too many athletes on the major college level need the fear of interrupting their pro plans for the point to get through.
Well, here's a thought for coaches: encourage peer pressure. To be sure, one player getting in the face of another to steer him to the land of safety, to offer reminders of the big "you're gonna get kicked off the team" picture, can't hurt. One needn't be on the field to make a season-saving play.
Every community with a major college has antagonists who want to see players get in trouble, especially the players with the chest-thumping and strutting and arrogant mentality, or the beneficiaries of jock-worship rule-bending. Actually, it exists on every campus on most levels, from Division III to the BCS boys.
We do perhaps expect a little much from that age group. After all,
college is college and halos are rare. Things happen, and to expect
an athlete to be substantially different than a fairly normal
college student is to hallucinate.
To expect them to learn, to know what they're getting into and to adhere to standards, though, is not. Being a college athlete on a big scholarship does require a somewhat higher standard. You want to be in the big time? Be ready for it.
An athlete who's somewhat worthy of trust off the field is likely to
be a better performer on the field.
While no program expects angels, having a minimal number of devils shouldn't be so difficult.
"Character issues" was a popular phrase during the NFL Draft. Such problems begin long before somebody is a major athlete, but they're allowed to continue, whether because of nonexistent parenting, an easy ride through school, or keeping things quiet.
The "newsy" mistakes happen on a coach's watch, only after the
fumbles committed by parents, teachers, and coaches over the
previous decade, and we suddenly wonder why a 20-year-old can't get
himself under control.
There's enough blame to go around. Then again, people eat bugs on TV to become "famous", so perhaps it's nearing time to lower
expectations anyway.
Michael A. Lough is an assistant sports editor of The Telegraph.
Reach him at 744-4626 or by e-mail at mlough@macontel.com.
How many shoes can drop in Athens?
Was it only two months ago a pair of Georgia football players
offered inspiration rather than frustration? Yes, it was mid-May when offensive linemen Russ Tanner and Dennis Roland saved a couple lives after a car accident in Athens. That was a day or two after the announcement that another player was being sent down to Georgia Military College to straighten things out.
And now Tavares Kearney interrupted what had been a fairly calm
stretch by allegedly cheating on an exam and putting hands on a
teacher.
With that, concerns are renewed about what's going on with Georgia
football players. Of course, those coming to immediate defense would
be hurting with laughter had the folks in Knoxville or Gainesville
or Atlanta had the same scorecard for the last 14 months.
To be sure, questions about Mark Richt's disciplinary practices and
recruiting philosophies increase. There's no doubt there is more to
in-house punishment than running steps until you lose your lunch.
But every coach in the world gives the same warning speech about
avoiding trouble, representing yourself and your family and your
school with at least a hint of maturity. And it could be argued that
this year is an anomaly in Athens. One wonders about the
intellectual capability of those in the audience to grasp the simple
logic of it all.
One also wonders, as one did back in May when Richt visited Macon,
if it was time for the biggest Bulldog to have a vein-popping team
meeting and lay down the law, along the lines of: "I'm tired of
this. I'm tired of people working hard and a couple boneheads mess
it all up and embarrass an entire university. You wanted to play big-
time football, and there are some issues that come with that. If you
think you're better than somebody, start acting that way, which
means ignoring the ignorant, walking away from trouble, pay
attention, and using your head.
"It's not hard. People do it all the time. So, regardless of your
spot on the depth chart, any more stupid garbage, and be prepared
for more than running. Period."
Richt has clearly tired of talking about it, but he has the right ideas.
"The goal is to change behavior. ... I try to be as consistent as I can be, as fair as I can be. Again, the goal is for the guys to learn from their mistakes," Richt said in May.
"I've suspended more people than anybody. It's funny. When you suspend guys, people think you're losing control of the program. If you don't suspend a guy, they think you don't have any discipline."
Rock, meet hard place.
Everything Richt said is logical and justifiable. But too many athletes on the major college level need the fear of interrupting their pro plans for the point to get through.
Well, here's a thought for coaches: encourage peer pressure. To be sure, one player getting in the face of another to steer him to the land of safety, to offer reminders of the big "you're gonna get kicked off the team" picture, can't hurt. One needn't be on the field to make a season-saving play.
Every community with a major college has antagonists who want to see players get in trouble, especially the players with the chest-thumping and strutting and arrogant mentality, or the beneficiaries of jock-worship rule-bending. Actually, it exists on every campus on most levels, from Division III to the BCS boys.
We do perhaps expect a little much from that age group. After all,
college is college and halos are rare. Things happen, and to expect
an athlete to be substantially different than a fairly normal
college student is to hallucinate.
To expect them to learn, to know what they're getting into and to adhere to standards, though, is not. Being a college athlete on a big scholarship does require a somewhat higher standard. You want to be in the big time? Be ready for it.
An athlete who's somewhat worthy of trust off the field is likely to
be a better performer on the field.
While no program expects angels, having a minimal number of devils shouldn't be so difficult.
"Character issues" was a popular phrase during the NFL Draft. Such problems begin long before somebody is a major athlete, but they're allowed to continue, whether because of nonexistent parenting, an easy ride through school, or keeping things quiet.
The "newsy" mistakes happen on a coach's watch, only after the
fumbles committed by parents, teachers, and coaches over the
previous decade, and we suddenly wonder why a 20-year-old can't get
himself under control.
There's enough blame to go around. Then again, people eat bugs on TV to become "famous", so perhaps it's nearing time to lower
expectations anyway.
Michael A. Lough is an assistant sports editor of The Telegraph.
Reach him at 744-4626 or by e-mail at mlough@macontel.com.