Posted May 9th 2007 2:36PM by Brian Cook
Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, Featured Stories
Jesus! This is probably the first and only time I'll complain about a football player's punishment being too severe. Here goes: Georgia linebacker Akeem Hebron's made some unwise decisions in the past couple months, picking up two minor in possession tickets. But isn't this an enormous overreaction?
The 18-year-old was arrested for underage possession twice in a two-month period this spring. The first called for university probation, the second a university-imposed suspension. ... Hebron, who was expected to compete for a top backup role after redshirting last season, said he now plans to enroll at Georgia Military Academy, play football in the fall and try to return to UGA in 2008.
Before he makes it back, Hebron would have to complete the Alcohol and Other Drug Advanced program offered at the university health center and meet with Brandon Frye, the assistant dean of students. Furthermore, he'd be on probation until Dec. 15, 2009. Any breach of that probation could mean an expulsion from the university.
So you have a couple run-ins with the law because you've had some beer before you're 21 (though, remember, at this point in your life you're permitted to vote, buy guns, and watch Steven Seagal movies unaccompanied) and you get suspended from the university and the football team for an entire year and threatened with expulsion if you do it again? Send in the riot police. Note that Hebron didn't get a DUI. He was just ticketed for being underage.
Maybe there are some authority issues here, but what percentage of students on Georgia's campus go drinking before they're 21? Like... 90%? Are they going to suspend all those kids, too? And what about Matt "Keggy" Stafford? He skated. Hebron got hammered. This is stupid.
