We Sure Could Use a Little Good News Today

by T Kyle King on Jan 25, 2008 8:23 AM EST in Football Comment 0 comments

So, what would you like to discuss first? Hey, there's no pressure for me to be good or anything, right?

There is, of course, the typical offseason fare of maddeningly predictable alcohol-related arrests, which attracted the attention of both Orson Swindle and Sunday Morning Quarterback, and with respect to which it appears that the hole dug for himself by Fred Munzenmaier has just gotten a little deeper:

The incident report filed by Athens-Clarke County police included details of Munzenmaier's inappropriate exchange with the arresting officer.

Munzenmaier told the officer it was obvious the police have it "out for them," according to the report, and that police have a point system for athletes.

Munzenmaier later used an expletive to tell the officer to be quiet, according to the report.

"The way he handled the situation with the police officer was totally inappropriate and demonstrated a lack of respect for authority," Richt said. "We expect our players, just like my children, to show total respect at all times for those in authority and especially police officers."

It is at moments like these that I am glad Mark Richt is a better man than I am. Coach Richt's decision to double Munzenmaier's suspension due to the insolent attitude he displayed to the authorities was, of course, the correct one.

The Georgia fullback was out of line . . . but being rude ain't the same as being wrong and it's not hard to make a case for the proposition that there are at least a few "Reno 911!" wannabes on the campus police who derive a tad too much enjoyment from busting a football player. We have heard a lot about the preferential treatment afforded athletes, but preferential treatment cuts both ways.

Nevertheless, Coach Richt is right and it's a point of pride that our head football coach is such a fine role model for his players. I can only hope these young men are having the same kind of good example set for them by their high school coaches. . . .

A North Clayton High School student was trying to fix the football coach's computer last month when he stumbled upon racy photos of an assistant principal. He downloaded them to his iPod and started showing them to other students during school. The photos, taken by the football coach, found their way onto the Internet and prompted an internal investigation.

The investigation uncovered an intimate relationship and attempted cover-up between Donald Shockley, the school's football coach and athletics director, and assistant principal Josette Franklin, whose duties included oversight of athletics. By the time the investigation ended, Shockley, whose son is Atlanta Falcons quarterback D.J. Shockley, resigned.

Oh, swell. This has nothing to do with the Georgia program, of course, but, still, a beloved former Bulldog quarterback's dad finding himself in this sort of situation can't be anything but trouble.

Well, dang. Can't there be any good news out there?

Hang on . . . Brian VanGorder left South Carolina to go be the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons?