Thursday, August 11

The grinches who stole opening day.

I don't know whether this story is a better testament to the heart and overall awesomeness of Bulldog Nation or the overall stick-up-their-assedness of the NCAA, but I'm trying to be positive, so I'll say it's the first one:

ATHENS -- A group of Georgia football fans took up a collection to pay for a Boise State player's father to fly from Baghdad to see his son play against the Bulldogs in Athens.

But the NCAA rule book got in the way.

Dan Miller, father of Broncos sophomore guard Tad Miller, is a retired police lieutenant who is training Iraqi police officers.

When Sam Hendrix of Signal Mountain, Tenn. -- "suthndawg" to his fellow Georgia fans on the Dawgvent, an Internet message board -- read a story in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the Millers, he started an online movement to raise the $2,700 it will cost Dad to make it to Sanford Stadium to see his son play in the home opener Sept. 3.

"Within moments of suthndawg's post, there were 25 to 50 people who offered to pledge money," said Ryan Crowe, a 25-year-old legal assistant from Atlanta who offered to collect and distribute the funds. "It just took off from there."

But when Crowe checked with the two schools, he was told the UGA fans' generosity would be a violation of NCAA bylaws regarding extra benefits and expenses for student athletes and their families.

"Ironically, by providing this money, these [Georgia] fans would in effect become Boise State boosters," said Amy Chisholm, UGA's assistant athletics director for compliance. The NCAA defines a booster as "a representative of an institution's athletics interests."


Wait, so Tennessee's Tee Martin can accept $4,500 for "car repairs" from Dianne Sanford because she "wasn't considered a booster," but a bunch of big-hearted Georgia fans can't pay for a player's dad to come home from Iraq and watch his son play for the opposing team?!? Funny how when Tee Martin came into all that cash, the definition of booster was "someone who has supported the school in the past," but when some Dawg fans want to pay Dan Miller's way home from Baghdad, all of a sudden now the definition is "anyone who gives any money to anybody."

OK, I'm getting ranty and negative here, and I promised myself I wouldn't do that. The point is, Georgia fans are awesome. (Oh, and Tennessee sucks, but that's secondary.) Any questions?

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, a question. Aren't these the same dickheads that want to eliminate Indian mascot names?

Josh M. said...

Damn, I really hate those "comment spammers." Blogger needs to do something about that.

DAve said...

Maybe you kids oughta grow up, get yerself Movable Type with the MTBlacklist plugin, and then you wouldn't have to worry about it.

DAve said...

Oh, and fark Tee Martin.

Anonymous said...

Anon is a spammer.... seems appropriate somehow.

Oh, and Tee Martin rocks, btw. Heck if he had gone to UGA he could have won even them a championship.

Kevin said...

Actually anonymous, it's the Native Americans who want to eliminate "Indian" mascot names.

Anonymous said...

Jeeez, kevin, don't you ever think for yourself? First, the Seminole Indian Nation in Florida has spoken out against this PC libshit. What it is, is a handful of liberal PCnik whining injuns playing on the "we don't want to offend ANYONE" sentiments of a liberlista NCAA exec. Hell, it's a damn vast left wing conspiracy is what it is! Even Lou Dobbs was pissing all over it last night! We all know what's next...PETA's gonna demand that the Dawgs, Wildcats, etc. all drop their animal mascot names.
What a bunch of losers. Losers from Loserville.

Hey kev, what's Loserville High's mascot? The Fighting Fescue? How can you offend grass? I got it! The Liberal Losers! 2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits, a dollar, all for the Losers stand up and holler!

(Let's see if this one makes it past the censors.)

Kevin said...

"...a handful of liberal PCnik whining injuns playing..."

Um, yeah...that's what I said:

"...it's the Native Americans who want to eliminate "Indian" mascot names"

I think you just argued against an agreement. Although, I personally wouldn't refer to them as "injuns", but that's just me.

Also, I think the whole mascot name debacle is horseshit anyway. I have no problem with teams using Native American names. Hell, they could call their teams the Screaming Stupid Polock's or the Drunken Potato ("potatoe" if you prefer...or if you're conversing with Mr. Quayle) Eating Irishmen, and I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. But then again, that's coming from a dumb, alcoholic, Polish/Irish American liberal puke.

Kevin said...

...from Loserville.

Anonymous said...

Good deal, kev! You're on your way to a whole new life!

Let's move on to the next piece of libshit: NAACP reparations. You gotta see Chapelle's black reparations piece. Just beautiful.

Since I'm Irish, do you think I can get reparations from the British crown for Cromwell's transgressions against my great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather?

Astronaut Mike Dexter said...

I think this whole thing is sort of silly, too. Last I checked, sports teams weren't falling all over themselves to name themselves after people, places, or things that they find risible or inferior. When teams name themselves after Indians or Indian tribes, they're doing it because of the strong, powerful, and/or courageous attributes they have, the same reason that other teams choose Patriots or Mountaineers or whatever. No insult intended.

Now, if there was still a substantial feeling on the part of an entire Indian tribe that they still didn't want their name on somebody's uniform, then we'd need to sit down and have a discussion. But as both Kevin and anonymous have pointed out, this doesn't seem to be a major issue for anyone other than a few small, isolated groups (and the NCAA, whose ability to focus on minute problems while ignoring the major ones -- like the utter stupidity of the BCS, f'rinstance -- is well-documented).

Of course, the exception to this -- sadly for someone who's been a superfan since age 3 -- is the Washington Redskins, which is barely any better than something like the Washington N***ers. But I'm not touching that one with a 10-foot pole.

Anonymous said...

just imagine singing "Hail to the Washington team, Hail victory. Guys on the warpath [will the word warpath still be permitted?] Fight for old DC" - somehow it really looses its punch. For now, though, I do try to just refer to the "Washingon football team" and avoid the offensive terminology. Age 3? My guys knew the fight song almost before they could talk! Your dad shorted you, as they approached their glory years!

Anonymous said...

What the fuck are we gonna call a Winnebago now?

Anonymous said...

I imagine you can still call it your richest relatives mansion Anon, no one will mind.

Anonymous said...

I'm just hoping for the day some school names their team the Rich White Guys so I can claim a foul. Someone above said silly. I say silly horseshit. There are so many other important things in life, like surfing the internet for the Mary Landreau accidental nipple shot.

Anonymous said...

and my guess is any Native Americans that have a problem being associated with the Redskins is being associated with a team that played like they did on Saturday. You should be able to smell the stink in AL.

ACG said...

Bill - don't engage.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, billshit, don't engage. Go play with Ann. You're in over your head here.

Anonymous said...

Ok Ann I will not become engaged, I am sorry, I did not know your feelings for me ran so deep... Not only will I remain availible, I will stop seeing other women altogether and dedicate myself only to you! Shall we set a date or just take it slow for awhile? I hope you like large families as I want lots of children!

As to the Redskins sucking, it's Joe's second year back,,, we shall see what the season brings, I have great hopes!

I think this whole mascot name thing was brought up by right wingers who oppose the name "Volunteers" because it reminds people of what cowards they are when the Armed Services calls out for troops.

Anonymous said...

ick

Anonymous said...

until there is a team named the holy christs with a mascot of say a guy on a crucifix I don't think non-indians should use symbols which are sacred to indians... whether they are "powerful" or not...

that's the crux of the argument so to speak and if that means its pc, then up yours...

oh, and the redskins suck.

Anonymous said...

Damn, these anon wannabes are really giving me a bad name.

Anonymous said...

oh yes, I want to be you so bad. it must be wonderful to be an asshole

Anonymous said...

It comes in handy from time to time. Call me Mister Asshole, please.