UPDATED: Here's the statement from UGA:
University of Georgia freshman defensive end Montez Robinson of Avon, Ind., has been suspended indefinitely from the Bulldog team following his arrest Thursday in Athens.
“I’m certainly disappointed in the situation with Montez (Robinson),” said UGA head coach Mark Richt. “We have expectations and standards for our student-athletes and his actions are not in line with those. We are suspending him indefinitely from all team activities.”
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For the second time this week, Georgia freshman defensive end Montez Robinson was arrested by the university police Thursday and charged with one count of misdemeanor simple assault and one count of second-degree criminal damage, a felony.
Robinson was arrested early Monday morning on a charge of underage possession of alcohol after a parking attendant reported broken glass and found a Lexus with both rear taillights broken in a parking deck on campus.
After police determined the owner of the vehicle, Armita Meghan Didehvar, they found her speaking with Robinson, who police said exhibited signs of alcohol consumption.
Since Robinson was underage, police placed him under arrest, at which point, he “became very agitated while being placed into double locked handcuffs,” according to the police report filed by officer Freddie Evans of the university police. “He started to yell and scream while being placed in the rear of a caged unit.”
At the time, Robinson was charged only with underage possession of alcohol, but the follow-up investigation resulted in the battery charges, which necessitated Robinson’s arrest Thursday.
Robinson was also charged with simple assault and battery surrounding an altercation between he and Didehvar on Oct. 20 in which Robinson was reported to have thrown Didehvar to the ground, causing minor injuries, including cuts on her knee. The police report also states that a witness, Alesha Asijie, attempted to intervene in the incident and was threatened with physical harm by Robinson.
Didehvar told the Red and Black on Thursday that the accounts of the October incident were untrue, stating that she and Robinson, “just had an argument.”
Robinson was being held without bond as of Friday afternoon, according to the Athens Clarke County jail booking report.
The freshman defensive end has played sparingly this season, but earned SEC defensive lineman of the week honors following Georgia’s win over Tennessee Tech last month.
Robinson played in high school in both Alabama and Indiana and was originally an Auburn commitment, who changed his mind after former Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville resigned following the 2008 season.
Robinson spent much of his youth as a ward of the state of Alabama, and Georgia recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner had expressed hope that his career with the Bulldogs might help turn Robinson’s life around.
“I see him maturing, but I still see the mistrust he has in people,” Garner said of Robinson last month. “I guess that’s sort of understandable based on what he’s been through. It’s still hard to get him to trust people because he’s been let down so much in life, but we’re trying to get him to understand that there are people here who really care about him.”
Georgia and head coach Mark Richt have yet to release a statement regarding either of Robinson’s arrests.
ADDENDUM: I'm supposed to remain in an objective role here, and I in no way deem Robinson's actions to be acceptable, but I've spent a good bit of time talking to him in recent weeks as well as several other people close to him, and I feel like a little context should be provided.
What the arrest reports and statements from UGA and most stories won't mention is a particularly difficult upbringing for Robinson. It won't mention that he spent the majority of his youth in and out of foster care and group homes. It won't mention how he lived in nine different places between the ages of eight and 18. It won't mention how his father was murdered when he was too young to even remember it happening or how he spent countless hours caring for his younger brothers and sisters -- more than a dozen of them. It won't mention how he went from an awful school situation in Alabama to one of the best schools in Indiana and worked to get his grades up enough in a two-year span to qualify for admission to Georgia.
Again, I'm not trying to build a case for Robinson here and none of that background excuses his actions, but just keep in mind that there is always a lot more context to these stories than you're likely to hear in the news reports.
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10 comments:
I don't give a rats hiney about his upbringing. I have a daughter on campus and I don't want him there. He needs to be gone. Bobby Lankford has a character education program going on for the program, but apparently Montez has not benefitted.
Who's Lexus was it? Sounds like my kind of rough upbringing. Nothing like growing up in the hood.
It was his girlfriend's car, Einsteinymous 2.52.
It said so in the article.
Horribly difficult situation but I would doubt he plays for UGA next year. www.wedgeorgia.com
Anon 2:39 is being short-sighted.
I'm not excusing the guy's behavior either, but I'm hoping the best for him. I trust Richt will make the right decision in this situation. If he decides to dismiss him, I hope he helps him find another situation where Robinson can redeem himself and improve as a man (a la Michael Lemon). If not, then I hope he takes stern disciplinary action and helps him to overcome whatever demons his rough upbringing has left him with.
This is not a black and white issue, folks (no pun intended).
And David, thanks again for the great job that you do. You're going to get a better gig because your work is too good not to, but we appreciate the coverage you provide for us. You sure as hell kick the shit out of whatever the AJC is doing.
- Navid
Scott Summers, you're way out of line, man. And you clearly don't have kids, much less a daughter. Grow up and show some class or stop posting on UGA boards. You make us all look bad.
Scott -- I understand your larger point but let's keep it relatively civil, OK?
Anon 4:38 -- the Lemon comparison is very apt here. I got a chance to spend some time with Lemon at GMC last year and he had really learned some valuable lessons. That might be the path for Montez, too, depending on how things shake out. I hate seeing kids who rarely get any opportunities waste such good ones, but at the same time, Richt has a commitment to the school and the rest of the team.
In fact, I think it's fair to say this has been a rough week for Richt. I wouldn't have wanted to be in his shoes, but he's done a remarkable job throughout his life of handling things like this well.
Well said Anon 4:38. With David's context at the end of the article, it really changed my stance. I learned a bit about Foster kids this past summer, and what happens to them as they age out of Foster care. They need a lot of positive guidance and support. Moreso than just an undisciplined kid. By no means do I think David is saying give the kid a pass, and I agree wholeheartedly that he should be punished pretty severely. I think he should be punished to the maximum extent without removing him from the team. I think how he reacts to his punishment will show how willing he is to try and correct mistakes he has made, if he's willing to pay his dues. I do not support any punishment that gives him playing time without reaching some demonstration to Richt that he has progressed past this substantially. I'd hate to see the University just cast this guy aside over some bad PR.. that would be the easy way out for both. He needs to make retribution to this young lady, his teammates, the University and himself.
With respect to Anon 2:39, I can't fault you for that feeling either.
I doubt any charges stick other than the MIP
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