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With this much publicity, eventually something has to give, right?
www.ajc.com
"Of course, UGA football’s fixer, Bryan Gantt, was there when Jarrett was questioned. Police have allowed Gantt extraordinary access when Smart’s players are accused of crimes.
I’m all for due process. UGA athletics should protect the rights of athletes who face legal jeopardy. It’s not necessarily nefarious for Gantt to help players. I do wish that all people had the same assistance, and not just players who are making millions of dollars for the football program that pays them no salary.
But it’s improper and immoral if Gantt’s help goes beyond counseling players and he uses the power granted to him by Smart to influence investigations or oppose accusers. The AJC’s reporting shows that Gantt did both things when police arrested UGA linebacker Adam Anderson in 2021.
A woman who worked at the football office accused Anderson of sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious. The accuser watched as Gantt and eight UGA players advocated for Anderson’s release at a bond hearing. She told the AJC that she felt intimidated when Gantt stared at her.
That courtroom scene had nothing to do with due process. It was more like a UGA football production to intimidate the accuser. So far, no one associated with UGA has said it was wrong. All we get from UGA are carefully worded statements that largely avoid answering any details revealed by the AJC’s reporting.
Anderson’s defense attorney told the judge that he’d gotten Smart’s permission to have the players attend the hearing. UGA athletics denied that Smart “instructed or authorized” the players to go. Are we supposed to believe that a lawyer lied to the judge about the circumstances? Is it plausible that Smart told his players not to attend the hearing, but they did so anyway?"
As problems mount, Smart escapes accountability
Cunningham: College football is king in Georgia, which means the state is Smart’s kingdom. He’s left to deal as he pleases with some of his program’s issues.
"Of course, UGA football’s fixer, Bryan Gantt, was there when Jarrett was questioned. Police have allowed Gantt extraordinary access when Smart’s players are accused of crimes.
I’m all for due process. UGA athletics should protect the rights of athletes who face legal jeopardy. It’s not necessarily nefarious for Gantt to help players. I do wish that all people had the same assistance, and not just players who are making millions of dollars for the football program that pays them no salary.
But it’s improper and immoral if Gantt’s help goes beyond counseling players and he uses the power granted to him by Smart to influence investigations or oppose accusers. The AJC’s reporting shows that Gantt did both things when police arrested UGA linebacker Adam Anderson in 2021.
A woman who worked at the football office accused Anderson of sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious. The accuser watched as Gantt and eight UGA players advocated for Anderson’s release at a bond hearing. She told the AJC that she felt intimidated when Gantt stared at her.
That courtroom scene had nothing to do with due process. It was more like a UGA football production to intimidate the accuser. So far, no one associated with UGA has said it was wrong. All we get from UGA are carefully worded statements that largely avoid answering any details revealed by the AJC’s reporting.
Anderson’s defense attorney told the judge that he’d gotten Smart’s permission to have the players attend the hearing. UGA athletics denied that Smart “instructed or authorized” the players to go. Are we supposed to believe that a lawyer lied to the judge about the circumstances? Is it plausible that Smart told his players not to attend the hearing, but they did so anyway?"
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