NCAA Drops Hammer on A.J. Green for Selling Jersey to Agent

by cocknfire on Sep 8, 2010 4:49 PM EDT in SEC Football

The NCAA decides to drop a sledgehammer on A.J. Green: A four-game suspension. Why? Because he not only sold his jersey -- he sold it to an agent, which does seem to be a bird of a different feather. (HT: Bulldogs Blog)

The press release:

According to the facts of the case submitted by Georgia, the student-athlete sold his Independence Bowl game jersey to an individual who meets the NCAA definition of an agent. Green has repaid the $1,000 value of benefits to charity.

The suspension comes at almost the worst possible time for Georgia, which faces a huge test this weekend at South Carolina, an almost-as-important and maybe more challenging game next week against Arkansas and a visit to improving Mississippi State following that. If the four-game suspension begins this weekend -- and I'll have to admit that right now I don't know -- it would include the Dawgs' trip out West to face Colorado.

It's not a death knell for Georgia's season, but it's not a good sign for a team with a first-year quarterback.

UPDATE FROM YEAR2

Everything I can find so far indicates that his time served last weekend counts as a part of the suspension, which means that he has three more games to sit out. UGA is appealing of course, though even if it's cut in half like Marcell Dareus's suspension was, he's still going to be on ice this weekend in Columbia.

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Comments

Anyone else want to pile on AJ Green?

C’mon, tell us why you hate him so, America. Why he’s so worthy of your loathing, your draconian punishments.

by D.N. Nation on Sep 8, 2010 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

I love him even though I'm a Gator

He got in trouble for selling a used jersey? That makes as much sense as beating a dead horse

"It's here, it's here, it's finally here" :Strongbad on football season

by southman on Sep 8, 2010 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't get it either

The guy’s a blast to watch, and any team in the country would be glad to take him if possible. He’s by all accounts a stand-up guy whose great transgression here has nothing inherently wrong with it outside the NCAA’s goofy rule book.

Team Speed Kills -- SBNation's SEC Blog
If you're so inclined, follow me @Year2

by Year2 on Sep 8, 2010 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

It's the agent

I understand why the NCAA looks at it this way. Who actually thinks the agent was buying the jersey and not the access. The punishment still seems a little bit harsh, but that’s why.

Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.

by cocknfire on Sep 8, 2010 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

But

Did AJ know at the time this guy was an agent? That is key.

If he sold a jersey to someone who is retroactively determined to be an agent by the defintion of “agent” in the rule book, the mens rea element of the infraction is removed. Thus, a 2 game suspension seems to fit (per: Dareus of Alabama ruling).

Admittedly, I am a fan of UGA, but the inconsistency of the NCAA rulings toward Green and Dareus is mind-boggling.

"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones

by Jman781 on Sep 8, 2010 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions