True To The Game!

Georgia's Mark Richt, "I got u bruh!"

Loyalty is probably the most important aspect of any relationship. Knowing that someone has your back means everything. You’re willing to do anything for people that have proven their loyalty to you. Well…Georgia head football coach Mark Richt is as real as they come. However, the NCAA doesn't give him that same stamp of approval. The university was hit with minor rules violations because Richt was overly loyal to his staff. What? You read that right. Richt’s loyalty to his staff got him into trouble with the NCAA.

He felt like his staff wasn't being compensated properly so like a real "G" he paid more than $57,000 to them out of his own pocket. Now that's a power move right there. "You won't pay my boyz! Don't trip! I'll take care of them myself!"

According to an investigation by the Atlanta Journal Constitution Richt made payments to former recruiting assistant Charlie Cantor, $10,842 over an 11-month period through March 2011. As well as to former linebackers coach John Jancek, $10,000 in 2009 after the previous university administration declined to give Jancek a raise when he turned down a coaching opportunity elsewhere.

Richt didn't stop there. He paid director of player development John Eason, $6,150 in 2010 when his new administrative position called for a salary reduction after he stepped down from an assistant coaching position on Richt's staff.

He then went deep on boyz and paid a total of $15,227 when the school -- citing "difficult economic conditions being experienced by the University" -- refused bowl bonuses to 10 non-coach staff members: director of sports medicine Ron Courson, video coordinator Joe Tereshinski, strength coaches Keith Gray and Clay Walker, football operations manager Josh Brooks, high school liaison Ray Lamb and four administrative assistants.

Lastly, he paid a five-year longevity bonus of $15,337.50 due to tight ends coach Dave Johnson when he took a job at West Virginia in 2008 just short of his fifth anniversary coaching at UGA and $6,000 to fired defensive ends coach Jon Fabris in 2010 when Fabris was unable to find a job after his UGA severance package expired.

Call it what you want but I call that being true to the game! He didn't have to pay any of those guys a dime. Especially the last two because they were no longer on his staff. I see why people in Georgia love this guy. He's a man's man and a players coach. You know his staff and players are willing to do anything for him at this point. Don’t talk bad about Mark Richt anywhere in Georgia or you’ll have to fight in somebody’s parking lot.

What I can't understand is why the NCAA cares what he does with his own money. Talk about having too much control! They’ve got way too many rules and it's getting to be down right ridiculous. They don't want to see anybody getting paid but themselves.

This man paid his people out of his own pocket and they’ve got a problem with that? That’s ignorant on all levels but I say Go Dawgs! I’ve suddenly become a Georgia Bulldog fan or should I say a Mark Richt fan! I’m pulling for whatever sideline he’s on from now on.

Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Twitter: @jaygravesreport
Information from David Ching that covers the University of Georgia for DawgNation was used in this report.