Georgia, we have a problem. It has nothing to do with the play on the field. Kirby Smart has that part figured out. Two SEC Championships. Routinely among the elite of high school recruiting rankings. Three national championship appearances. Back-to-back National Championships. Multiple high-end NFL Draft Picks. Smart has demonstrated that he has domain when his teams steps onto most football fields. 2024 should be no different. They have plenty of talent and are the media favorites to win another SEC and national championship. Yet, we are not here to talk about that today. No, we must again highlight what happens with the Georgia football players once they leave Sanford Stadium and Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. It’s turned into another bad Netflix documentary: Dawg Kings. Let’s hope it’s not that, but it’s pretty close.
Swamp Kings Connection
Last year, a docuseries on the 2000s Florida Gators was released, showcasing how Coach Urban Meyer transformed the team into a winning machine. The series highlights their time at The Swamp with insights from Meyer, quarterback Tim Tebow, and others. However, many fans were disappointed by the omission of tight end Aaron Hernandez, which is only mentioned in Tebow’s account of their 2007 bar altercation. Hernandez went to jail for the murder of Odin Lloyd in 2013, for which he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Florida Gators won two national championships in three years during the 2006 and 2008 seasons, boasting an impressive roster of NFL talent. However, the team’s success had a darker side, with 31 player arrests under Meyer’s tenure.
Dawg Kings: Georgia, We Have a Problem
RaRa Thomas’ Arrest
Georgia wide receiver Rodarius “Rara” Thomas has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest on charges of cruelty to children and battery early Friday, compounding the team’s recent legal issues. According to Athens-Clarke County jail records, Thomas was booked at 3:20 a.m. on felony charges of cruelty to children and misdemeanor battery charges, with bail not yet set as of Friday afternoon. According to Georgia law, second-degree cruelty to children involves causing a child under 18 cruel or excessive physical or mental pain through criminal negligence. If convicted, Thomas could face imprisonment for one to ten years.
This marks Thomas’s second arrest in two years. On January 23, 2023, he was arrested by University of Georgia police on a felony charge of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor count of family violence battery; however, those charges were later dropped. Thomas, a transfer from Mississippi State, adds to the legal troubles surrounding the Georgia football program.
Fast Cars
Since January 2023, there have been 24 incidents involving individuals associated with Georgia football being apprehended by police for speeding, reckless driving, or DUI, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This troubling pattern emerged following a high-speed, alcohol-related crash that killed recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy, 24, and UGA offensive lineman Devin Willock, 20, just hours after celebrating the team’s back-to-back College Football Playoff National Championships with a parade. The recurring incidents highlight an ongoing issue within the program, raising concerns about the culture and behavior of those associated with Georgia football, despite their on-field success.
Get Smart
Enough. That must be Smart’s message to his players, the university, the community, and the entire college football world. Two young lives were tragically cut short just as they were beginning. Despite “talks,” workshops, extra workouts, and fines from the NIL Collective, the message isn’t resonating with the players. Georgia’s executive associate athletic director for strategic communications, Steven Drummond, told The Associated Press, “This is a pending legal matter. We will have no further comment at this point.” That’s not it.
It’s time for swift and decisive action. Thomas is a good player and is expected to be a top target for the offense in 2024. That doesn’t matter right now. Those charges are serious, not to mention sickening. There can be no excuses. There is no letting the legal process play out. Cut ties and move on. Send a message to the players and the team. It is only those types of actions that will make a difference.
Smart has a golden opportunity to cement his legacy at Georiga and in college football. Meyer had the same high praise when he was in Gainesville and Columbus. Now, his image is tarnished. It’s time to make the right move and save Netflix and the docuseries for somebody else.
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