3 dismissed, 1 suspended

[OldJacketFan]

Guys, I hate to say this, but I would be willing to bet that the majority of GT athletes in all sports are regular marijuana users. At my old high school drug usage is common among the white, middle class, AP students. Our school is located in a rural area far from any big city. If a majority of these high school students occasionally partake, it is an almost certainty that GT college athletes do as well. I know it is hard to believe, but times have changed. We are foolish to believe otherwise.

You may well be right but that's not the issue. The issue is the players violated the GTAA code of conduct. Not once, not twice but at least three times. Agree with the code or not it is what is in place, the players knew it and decided to act outside what the code requires.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Guys, I hate to say this, but I would be willing to bet that the majority of GT athletes in all sports are regular marijuana users. At my old high school drug usage is common among the white, middle class, AP students. Our school is located in a rural area far from any big city. If a majority of these high school students occasionally partake, it is an almost certainty that GT college athletes do as well. I know it is hard to believe, but times have changed. We are foolish to believe otherwise.

Times haven't changed. Kids have been smoking pot since the 50's. I'd say that 70% of my highschool football team got stoned every weekend, and that was the early to mid 80's. The issue is that these elite kids aren't kids any more. They're old enough to understand what's going on and suffer the consequences.

I'm not condoning or condemning these kids for toking up, but they know they're getting tested and still do it. They know what's going to happen when they get caught. They do it anyway. That's the part I struggle with.

 

[franklinjacket]

Well:

DE: JHD
DL: Commissiong
DL: Akins
DE: Robbins

DL completed...holy f$ck

Add Kitchens and Henry and you've almost got a 2-deep. I hope the young guys are ready to step up in the trenches. Not getting a DT this past cycle really hurts now.

 

[jeffgt14]

Guys, I hate to say this, but I would be willing to bet that the majority of GT athletes in all sports are regular marijuana users. At my old high school drug usage is common among the white, middle class, AP students. Our school is located in a rural area far from any big city. If a majority of these high school students occasionally partake, it is an almost certainty that GT college athletes do as well. I know it is hard to believe, but times have changed. We are foolish to believe otherwise.

Doesn't matter. These athletes know the rules when they come here and if they want to risk doing something then they will have to face the consequences. A rule is a rule whether they or any of us agree with it or not. You can't pick or choose which rules to follow just because you don't agree with it or don't think it's that big of a deal and CPJ can't not punish a player because he disagrees with the rule. I'm not convicting these kids of anything because I don't know all the facts but if marijuana was the reason for the suspensions/dismissals then I can't feel sorry for any of them. As a program, you have to enforce these things or it will become a problem.

 

[Eastman]

Sounds like Griffin is repentant and that is a good thing. Great things can come out of adversity and I hope the rest use this to become better, not bitter. Personally I don't see this as an indictment of PJ at all. I have hired a lot of people over the years and despite my best efforts, some were total busts because of choices they made. A football coach can't totally control the choices each player makes and this just happens sometimes. A judgment criteria that has served me well is "What are you characterized by". Applying that method, if this specific situation were typical of PJ teams then I would be very critical but as I understand it, this is an exception that I hope we use for good.

For me every victory this year will be sweeter because of what now must be overcome.

 

[shockwaveGT]

How is this going over with the current commits?

 

[gtg936g]

How is this going over with the current commits?

I doubt this will have a negative effect on the recruits.

 

[RamblinCharger]

Guys, I hate to say this, but I would be willing to bet that the majority of GT athletes in all sports are regular marijuana users. At my old high school drug usage is common among the white, middle class, AP students. Our school is located in a rural area far from any big city. If a majority of these high school students occasionally partake, it is an almost certainty that GT college athletes do as well. I know it is hard to believe, but times have changed. We are foolish to believe otherwise.

Probably 75-80% of the US population has smoked pot at some point or another, the problem is still doing it when you know you'll have a drug test. That's just pure stupidity. I have a dumb friend that got caught by his parents once that happened he stopped because they told him he'd be drug tested, and he is a DUMB friend. Of he figured it out just due to parents being pissed you would think these guys would figure it out if they wanted to play D1 football.

 

[Techster]

If you can't pass a drug test after failing 2 while trying to stay on a football team you're literally retarded and we don't need any *******es on the team. See ya! Have a good time doing nothing with your life. Just go to a frat party and get hammered if you absolutely need something to have fun. Skip the weed guys, it's not that good.

Pretty much this. If you didn't learn the first time getting in trouble for weed, the second time should have set you straight for life...atleast until you left an athletic program. Getting busted a 3rd time is plain idiotic and you deserve what you get.

I'm not sure about NCAA athletes, but an NFL personnel guy once said that there was a window during the year that players absolutely should not take any kind drugs or performance enhancing substances because EVERYONE in the league knows that's when someone may come knocking for you to piss in a cup. If you got busted during that time, not only should you be suspended, but kicked out of the league for stupidity alone.

I'm not saying these guys are in trouble for drugs because I don't know for a fact. But what we can piece together is they're off the team now for repeated violations of something. The damned of it all is all three guys are about halfway done with their degrees. Unless they stay to finish it on their own, which highly doubt, they just threw away a great opportunity to get a degree from a world class school.

 

[BUZZ NATION]

Do we have a limit on how many we can sign in one year ?

 

[AtWork]

I agree it is dumb to do something you are getting tested for. It is like getting mad for going 70 in a 55 and getting pulled over. We all know the rules and have to live by them. I am sure that every effort was made to correct errors but at the same time you have to punish people to make the rest know that there are consequences to their actions and not empty statements. I feel bad for the kids that are still on the football team let down by their team mates. Goes back to big "TEAM" and little "me".

What is in the past is in the past. Knock the dirt off your shoes and move on.

 

[RamblinCharger]

Do we have a limit on how many we can sign in one year ?

We're supposed to. I think it's 25, although SEC schools don't follow this rule. Maybe we can sign more with extra attrition, Eric can answer that I'm sure.

 

[91Wreck]

Times haven't changed. Kids have been smoking pot since the 50's. I'd say that 70% of my highschool football team got stoned every weekend, and that was the early to mid 80's. The issue is that these elite kids aren't kids any more. They're old enough to understand what's going on and suffer the consequences.

I'm not condoning or condemning these kids for toking up, but they know they're getting tested and still do it. They know what's going to happen when they get caught. They do it anyway. That's the part I struggle with.

They do it because the stigma of pot smoking for the new generation is completely gone. They don't understand the rules and they don't understand the consequences. In this video game generation where one simply hits reset to start a brand new game, and where every kid gets a trophy regardless of actual athletic performance, and combined with the fact that very few, if any, of these kids got in trouble in high school for drug use, it is no wonder that these kids are doing such obviously stupid things.

I am neither condeming nor condoning. Nor am I suggesting that there should be any rules changes. I am simply stating the current situation most of these kids face.

 

[33jacket]

Guys, I hate to say this, but I would be willing to bet that the majority of GT athletes in all sports are regular marijuana users. At my old high school drug usage is common among the white, middle class, AP students. Our school is located in a rural area far from any big city. If a majority of these high school students occasionally partake, it is an almost certainty that GT college athletes do as well. I know it is hard to believe, but times have changed. We are foolish to believe otherwise.

But that doesnt mean its legal or not breaking the rules. See you start with the rules. Then figure it out from there what risks you want to take breaking em. For me i could hold off on pot for a 46,000 scholarship and free food. Just saying.

 

[BUZZ NATION]

We're supposed to. I think it's 25, although SEC schools don't follow this rule. Maybe we can sign more with extra attrition, Eric can answer that I'm sure.

We need more than 25 but I think you are right.

 

[RamblinCharger]

They do it because the stigma of pot smoking for the new generation is completely gone. They don't understand the rules and they don't understand the consequences. In this video game generation where one simply hits reset to start a brand new game, and where every kid gets a trophy regardless of actual athletic performance, and combined with the fact that very few, if any, of these kids got in trouble in high school for drug use, it is no wonder that these kids are doing such obviously stupid things.

I am neither condeming nor condoning. Nor am I suggesting that there should be any rules changes. I am simply stating the current situation most of these kids face.

Such an "old school" mentality. Not true at all. There are outliers but I don't think these kids are breaking rules due to some "video game mentality" if you spend your childhood playing too many video games you don't play high school football, work out daily, and make it onto a D1 program. Weed is a cultural issue for certain races and is a high school/college issue in general. These guys see players getting away with it at other schools and they think they can do the same, that's all their is to it. Our generation isn't all addicted to video games like people think for some dumb reason.

 

[txsting]

Sounds like Griffin is repentant and that is a good thing. Great things can come out of adversity and I hope the rest use this to become better, not bitter. Personally I don't see this as an indictment of PJ at all. I have hired a lot of people over the years and despite my best efforts, some were total busts because of choices they made. A football coach can't totally control the choices each player makes and this just happens sometimes. A judgment criteria that has served me well is "What are you characterized by". Applying that method, if this specific situation were typical of PJ teams then I would be very critical but as I understand it, this is an exception that I hope we use for good.

For me every victory this year will be sweeter because of what now must be overcome.

I don't see why you think griffin is repentant. It sounds like he is at two strikes, and the other guys just reached strike three. If griffin screws up once more he is next.

 

[AtWork]

They do it because the stigma of pot smoking for the new generation is completely gone. They don't understand the rules and they don't understand the consequences. In this video game generation where one simply hits reset to start a brand new game, and where every kid gets a trophy regardless of actual athletic performance, and combined with the fact that very few, if any, of these kids got in trouble in high school for drug use, it is no wonder that these kids are doing such obviously stupid things.

I am neither condeming nor condoning. Nor am I suggesting that there should be any rules changes. I am simply stating the current situation most of these kids face.

I would be interested in seeing actual statistics about drug usage today versus yester year. I knew growing up who was smoking pot and who was out drinking. It is normal to experiment but I doubt that the vast majority is doing it. It may seem like they are smoking all day but i assure you that less than 50% are smoking pot regularly. I would bet on it. We all encounter people who are drug users in our life, whether it be perscription or illegal. You have to weigh every option accordingly. But as far as the reset, video game, everyone gets a trophy generation I for one dont' think that is it. Every generation feels that the one behind it has it easier and didn't have to do what i did. The reason is most of the time they didn't. I still play video games...i am only 29 but it is about how you were raised and the values you set for yourself.

 

[CuseJacket]

We need more than 25 but I think you are right.

Here's the math as I understand it. You get 25 scholarships/yr. Last year's class was 22 including Kagawa. 4 of those 22 enrolled early, and when that happens those 4 get to count toward the previous year's class.

That means last year's class nets down to 18. Therefore in theory we could take up to 32 this year as long as two parameters are met - 1) 7 of those early enroll, counting toward the previous year's limit and 2) we do not exceed 85 total scholarships on roster.

That's how I believe the rule still works. I may be off in terms of last year's class size i.e., not sure if transfers in count toward the annual limit. Given that we often redshirt we usually can't take the max each year due to the 85 limit, not the 25.

 

[Eastman]

I don't see why you think griffin is repentant. It sounds like he is at two strikes, and the other guys just reached strike three. If griffin screws up once more he is next.

Primarily based on Larramore's earlier statement that "Guys just encourage the young man. He has called everyone in tears but he accepts his punishment. I am disappointed but I think Lynn is beating himself up far more than we could." Maybe he is just upset he was "caught" but I hope this actually means the light has come on and he is repentant.