Mark Richt and the Players Share Blame for Suspensions

The Bulldogs suffered a blow on Thursday when linebacker Alec Ogletree and safety Baccari Rambo have reportedly tested positive for marijuana and will be suspended for multiple games during the 2012 season. This is nothing new to Rambo because he was suspended for the first game last season for the same offense. Rambo is appealing his decision and if the suspension stands and he has to miss six games, he’s considering moving on to the NFL via the supplemental draft. With Rambo and Ogletree out at the start of the season, nearly 50 percent of the starting defense will not dress on opening day because Sanders Commings is suspended for the first two games and Branden Smith is suspended for only one game.

So here’s a question concerning the Bulldogs’ off-the-field issues. Who is to blame for all this?

The reality is they live in Athens and they are around drugs and alcohol all the time. Richt and the rest of the coaching staff can only do and say so much to make sure the players stay away from all the distractions.

But at the end of the day, the athlete has to stand on his own two feet and has to be above the influence. The athletes for football or for any other sport at Georgia, have to realize they have too much going for them to have a little bit of unnecessary fun.

The players have to think before they do something that could potentially get them in trouble. If they know the situation is not going to turn out good, walk away. There’s nothing wrong with walking away and saying no.

There’s no telling how many games Ogletree and Rambo could miss. But no matter what happens, this is the last thing Bulldog fans wanted to hear because it has been the same old story for the last few years.

by B. Jones