Image: Jim Hipple
According to the AJC, Reggie Ball (Sr.) and Kenny Scott (Sr.) have both been declared academically ineligible for the Gator Bowl. Both players are ineligible by NCAA and Georgia Tech standards. Per the AJC:
NCAA rules require seniors to pass at least six hours in the fall semester to be eligible for a bowl. Tech rules require seniors to maintain a 2.0 grade-point average to play, according to the athletics department Web site. Gailey, citing federal privacy laws, wouldn't say how Ball fell short but said he was ineligible under NCAA and Tech rules.I'm sorry, but what? You didn't realize that your starting quarterback and cornerback were struggling to pass only six credit hours worth of classes and maintain a 2.0? Come again? In 2003, GT announced new procedures designed to ensure that a repeat of Flunkgate wouldn't happen.
"We would have probably been able to look at some things to help them a little bit better down toward the end of the semester if we realized they were in this situation," Gailey said.
I guess they didn't put those procedures through AutoCAD for the benefit of all the rocket scientists on the team. On the flip side, Reggie will have more time to get ready for The Draft. Unfortunately, Gailey probably thinks Reggie still has another
Gailey will start Taylor Bennett in the ultimate damned if you do damned if you don't scenario. If Bennett bombs and proves that Reggie really was the best QB on campus, then where is the optimism at QB for next year? The fan base's four year whipping boy -- Reggie Ball -- won't be around to blame when things go badly. On the other hand, if Tech wins behind a solid game by Bennett, then the Tech faithful (sic) has to wonder why Gailey didn't make the switch sooner.
pwd
See also:
GT loses QB for Gator -- AP
I'll Take: Least Damaging Suspension in History for 1,000 - Alex -- AOL
11 comments:
On the one hand, this is great for Georgia Tech because, hey, no Reggie Ball.
But on the other hand, this has got to be yet another blow to their recruiting -- guys like Mark Richt or Tommy Bowden or whoever can chase Tech recruits and convince them that Tech's athletic department just flat doesn't take care of its own. Between Flunkgate and now the suspension of a starting QB -- about as high-profile as it gets, even if it is just Reggie Ball -- it's getting easier and easier to make the case that anyone who plays football for Tech stands a significant chance of getting hung out to dry when grades start coming out.
Perhaps Reggie's aforementioned counting problem extended beyond the field of play...
well guys...the Reggie Ball era appears to be over...finally.I'm sure the Tech fans are relieved that it's over.RB had the ability to do some things but he fell a little short of being a total package.
My problem with him was simple.Even as a freshman,he would come out onto the field ahead of the entire team like it was all for him.He got off to the good start by beating Auburn and maybe it went to his head a little.
later,old dawg
HAAAAA! HAAAAA! just another chapter in "The Joke By Coke". I wonder if this will affect his chances of getting his "dream job"? The manager-trainee at Churches Chicken.
insert the signature Nelson Muntz "Ha Ha!"
Go Dawgs!
Looks like UGA can go ahead and retire his jersey now, dog.
DawgByte,
You're definitely right about our pompousness. And we actually take a kind of disappointed pride when players get ineligible, in that at least we weren't inflating their grades or otherwise compromising our integrity for the football team; that is, many of us would rather have players fail out than cheat to keep them.
That said (I only bring this up because most likely someone else would now), yes the academic ineligibility stuff with Joe Hamilton and who-all in the late 90's is unfortunate, but the thing is we didn't even have to report it to the NCAA (statute of limitations) but did anyhow. It's a black eye on the program, but at least we admitted we dicked up.
I can just picture the conversation:
Chan Gailey: Reggie, I was just informed by the school that you've been ruled academically ineligble for the Gator Bowl.
Ball: Come on Dog, you've gots to be kidding me.
Gailey: Apparently you didn't pass at least 6 hours of credit to maintain your eligibility.
Ball: But Dog, I was counting my credits and I knows I had at least 6 of them.
Gailey: If you were using the same counting method that you used to count downs against UGA two years ago, I can see why you're ineligible.
Jeff - That's not true at all.
GT did did have to report the Joe Hamilton violations. They however did NOT report them. One of their internal employees secretly tipped the NCAA off. Even after the NCAA said "Begin your internal investigation now." GT kept playing with ineligible players in 2004.
The statute of limitations had NOT expired. That's why the penalties came down.
In fact, Wes Durham acknowledged on the radio that GT had been out of compliance since AT LEAST 1992. However, 1992-1997 were beyond the limitations period.
GT had sent their compliance director in charge of eligibility issues to ONE NCAA mandated seminar in a 35 year period. He listed his reason for not attending the other sessions as "being too busy."
LOL!
Read the NCAA's report. It's all available in black and white on the PDF available on the NCAA infractions web site.
There was nothing nobel about GT's behavior. They did NOT turn themselves in. They did NOT sack up and report it when they didn't have to. And they did cheat WELL BEYOND the period from which the NCAA punished them.
PWD
I attend GT now, and this is the best thing that could of happen to Tech. With a new QB, comes a new beginning. If the QB can get the ball to Calvin during the bowl game, then he might stay his senior year!
I dont understand you cant get a C in 2 classes well this is good for tech because Reggie Ball is a terrible quarterback anywaY
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