Dirty Dawgs no match for Classy Auburn Tigers: Georgia Footbrawl shows true colors

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In what will surely be remembered for years to come in the annals of the NCAA and SEC, the final two minutes of the 2010 Auburn v Georgia game took a grossly filthy turn. The undefeated 11-0, Number 2 ranked Auburn Tiger’s 49-31 victory was made even sweeter by Georgia’s sour behavior. Rule making will undoubtedly follow.

After having overcome a 21 point deficit in the first half, Auburn was leading by 18 points.

Auburn’s end game is nothing less than phenomenal, and with their two-plus TD lead, the game was essentially over. But as many astute observers know, in the SEC, two minutes of play can turn a game. And the players don’t stop putting forth their best effort. So it’s always a fight to the finish… as it well should be.

Georgia was in possession of the ball, and it was third down and three with 2:06 on the clock.

Georgia Quarterback Aaron Murray dropped back, and completed a pass for a Georgia first down.

The following events are not in dispute.

Auburn Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley proved quicker than Georgia Offensive Lineman Cordy Glenn, and got to GA QB Murray. AU DT Fairley was pushed to the ground, and in that process, his helmet hit Murray’s shin and knee.

Murray rolled around on the ground in obvious pain, and limped off the field. (Later reports indicated he was not seriously injured.)

In the following play, the GA Bulldogs behaved in a style that can only be reminiscent of gangland thugs.

On the play, after a three yard gain, Fairley tackled sophomore GA Running Back Washaun Ealey, who was earlier suspended from GA’s September 4 season opener against Louisiana-Layfayette for an arrest for hit-and-run of a parked vehicle and driving with a suspended license. Ealey’s arrest made him the eighth UGA player as of August 27 to be arrested this year. Ealey earned UGA Head Coach Mark Richt‘s ire after lying to him, having promised him that he wouldn’t drive.

During that play, 6-foot-3, 300 pound GA Center Ben Jones #61, from Centerville, AL’s Bibb County HS, clearly held Auburn Defensive Lineman Mike Blanc #93’s jersey, and pushed his 6-foot-4, 289 pound frame away. Blanc won the SEC’s Defensive Lineman of the week award September 27.

Then, Jones immediately jumped on Fairley, and wrestled him to the ground, and punched Fairley in his abdomen while pinning him to the ground.

Blanc saw Jones’ attack and pulled Jones off Fairley.

Ealey then jumped in the middle to prevent Blanc from pulling Jones off Fairley, and started shoving and pushing Blanc.

GA Offensive Tackle Clint T. Boling #60, then took his 6-foot-5, 315 pound frame and began throwing punches on any Auburn player near him, while simultaneously throwing himself into the Auburn line of scrimmage.

While Boling was throwing punches, Auburn’s 6-foot-3, 261 pound Defense End Michael Goggans, a Senior from Alexander City, AL, pushed Boling away from the Auburn players that Jones was attacking. In that process, Goggans pushed Boling’s face mask. Ealey then immediately punched Goggans’ facemask.

The referee called the punch on Goggans, and ejected him from the game.

While the SEC Referees were on the field explaining the call, University of Georgia Head Coach Mark Richt charged onto the field, complaining that the Referee didn’t call a personal foul on Fairley in the previous play.

The following two plays demonstrated conclusively that the University of Georgia Bulldogs are criminal thugs, led by an out-of-control, and vindictively criminal head coach.

Still in possession of the ball, Georgia ran to the right, and Boling went after Auburn #46 Linebacker Craig Stevens’ knees.

Then, 6-foot-5, 320 UGA Guard #71 Cordy Glenn blocked Blanc in his back, and pushed him out of the play, while holding Blanc’s jersey. Blanc then began pounding Glenn’s chest – appropriately, and similarly to a Lineman punch during a pass rush – and Glenn continued to shove Blanc after the referees blew the play dead. Glenn then attempted to shove Blanc into the UGA players’ sideline bench.

The Referee called a punch on Blanc, and ejected him from the game, which made him the second Auburn player ejected. Under NCAA rules, ejected players must sit out the first half of the following game. Auburn’s next game is against Alabama, the 75th Iron Bowl.

During the events of fisticuffs, the entire Georgia team came OFF the sidelines – led by their coach – and it appeared a melee was about to ensue. It was clear that the SEC officials had lost control of the game.

In true sportsman like conduct and genuinely classy style, the Auburn Tigers stayed on their sideline. Later, Auburn Head coach Gene Chizik took the responsible mea culpa approach, and apologized for his players’ behavior saying he was “just really disappointed in that. That’s a lot of reflection on us as coaches, and I’m embarrassed by it. That’s not who we are. That’s not the way we carry ourselves, and we will address it tomorrow. I am not happy about it at all.”

UGA Head Coach Mark Richt had nothing to say.

At the point in which the entire Georgia team charged onto the field, led by Head Coach Mark Richt, the SEC Referees should have immediately called the game by default for Auburn, and suspended the entire Georgia team from play. To have done so, of course, would also have meant that UGA would have lost by default to Georgia Tech, which is their final game of the season, and a long-standing intrastate rivalry.

With 11 UGA players arrested, whom have also lied to him, it appears quite sadly that Richt has also lost control of the team.

The team’s poor attitude and criminal behavior reflect poorly upon University of Georgia, and the state in general.

But then, dogs will be dogs.