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.