A Word From Josh Brooks

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You know it was egregious when even the AD feels compelled to make a public statement.

Full text:

It is my privilege and duty to serve the University of Georgia and part of that responsibility is to stand up for my coaches, student-athletes, staff, and all of Dawg Nation.

As proud as I am of the resolve our team had, I am also equally disappointed and frustrated in some of the circumstances of our game Saturday night.

I don’t find it productive to publicly demean or embarrass officials or the conference office via social media. That would be no better than the physical action of throwing objects on the field.

However, I will challenge the conference office on what happened and how it happened in the manner it did. Thankfully this did not cost our young men a hard fought win.

Disagreeing with a singular call is natural and will happen several times in every football game. I can accept that. What I cannot accept is the manner in which this specific call was reversed. The official claimed he erred in the call. My question is when did he realize the error?

If it was before the delay that occurred due to fans throwing objects on the field, what stopped him before the head official made the announcement and spotted the ball?

I have faith we, as a conference, will learn from this and get better. We must, because in the SEC it just means more.

16 thoughts on “A Word From Josh Brooks”

  1. If this was always an option for the AD, I’m trying to resolve in my mind why this is the very first time we’ve seen it.

    • Cause McGarity was there for the “prestige” and golf games and dinners, and schmoozing with people from the Vince era. And before that Evans was just a freaking Peter principle hire.

  2. Josh Brooks = DGD! He gets it. Give him a raise. Saw on social media that Jere was in Sankey’s ear immediately afterwards as well. Let’s hope the discussion of getting professional paid, trained and accountable officiating crews evolves from this.

  3. I appreciate his comments and concern, but give him a raise???? He’s already squeezing us dry in not only football, but Gymnastics now and baseball……The money grab is oppressing.

    Absolutely great defense and Kudos to J. Thomas(#20) and Bolden for the next man up job well done.

  4. I shudder to think how McGoofity would have “handled” this. Probably would have offered to suspend Kirby preemptively to make up for Kirby reaming the refs.

    • McGoofy would have already suspended Kirby for the shoving incident last week.

  5. I couldn’t tell what Mirby was saying for all of his exchange with the official but I very clearly read his lips to read, “What? He can’t reverse that call? That’s not how the rule works! That’s bullshit!”

    • I don’t imagine Kirby as the chair of the rules committee (IIRC) is going to let this pass unchanged in the offseason rulemaking.

      The officials can confer on a call and pick up a flag. The problem was they didn’t start conferring until the bottles started flying. I still thought it defensive holding. The DB initiates the contact downfield.

    • David Hale, gents:

      ‘It is perhaps fitting that the most memorable moment from Saturday’s SEC chaos was a meeting of officials on the field in Austin, with fans tossing trash from the stands and both coaches apoplectic on the sidelines. None of this makes much sense, and we’re all struggling to sort out what just happened.

      Perhaps we should believe that Georgia is, in spite of that loss to the Tide last month, still the preeminent team in college football. The Bulldogs certainly looked the part Saturday behind a running game that, for the first time this season, flexed real muscle. Trevor Etienne carried 19 times for 87 yards and three touchdowns behind an O-line that looked dominant. And yet, there were still red flags, led by Carson Beck’s three interceptions, including the one that resulted in that scrum of officials.

      Initially, what looked like a pick by Jahdae Barron was overturned by a flag for defensive pass interference. The crowd erupted in a chorus of boos as replay seemed to show little evidence of a flagrant foul. Steve Sarkisian pleaded his case, Texas fans threw various condiments onto the field and the officials gathered to discuss their options.

      What was said in that huddle may never be known, but it’s entirely possible Matthew McConaughey wandered over from his place on the sideline, explained to the officials that the universe is filled with mystery and time is but a mirage and, in fact, that flag only truly existed in their minds.

      After the officials picked up the flag, Texas scored to pull within eight, but Georgia never flinched. Nothing — not questionable officiating, Beck’s struggles or even a brief appearance by Arch Manning in which the crowd squealed like teenagers seeing the Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show” could keep the Bulldogs from an emphatic win.

      It was a jarring setback for Texas, but what does that even mean in the SEC in 2024?

      Alabama was king three weeks ago, and now the Tide have the same conference record as Florida.

      And amid all of the zigs and zags of this SEC season, there’s still Vanderbilt, sailing along like a goalpost in the Cumberland River. Somehow the Commodores have a better shot at the SEC title game than the Tide or Ole Miss or Oklahoma because, in 2024, in this new SEC, there’s almost nothing that feels normal.

      Well, OK, Auburn stinks. At least that’s a proper through line.’

      https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/gamedayfinal101924/college-football-week-8-highlights-top-plays-games-takeaways-2024

      • I love how he ended that article.
        “This is a new era, and what we knew to be true for the past 20 years — even for the past few weeks — can evaporate quicker than a defensive pass interference call in Texas.”

  8. Whatever the fine is for storming the field, the fine for throwing debris should that results in play stoppage should be at least double that. And they have the technology to know exactly who threw items. They should be banned for a year minimum. Make an example of them or it’s going to continue.

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