Georgia’s A.J. Green Speaks Out On Recent Suspension

Green said he was told the investigation started when the NCAA heard a rumor that he might have attended a Miami party sponsored by an agent (not Hawkins).

“I didn’t know anything about it,” Green said of the party. “When the NCAA told me about it, they said they heard it from [website] TMZ. [The NCAA] just heard it was a rumor, so they came down here and asked me.”

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“I guess when they couldn’t find [anything] on that trip, they went back and found this,” Green said.

If ever aliens were to land in America and demand to know why this fair nation should be saved from obliteration, TMZ and its ilk would be a strong argument for telling them to just torch the place. That said, Green did cop to being aware of what he was doing, so argue against the rule itself all you want, but don’t think he didn’t understand what was at stake:

The star receiver did not deny knowing that selling the jersey was against NCAA rules, saying he “didn’t really think it through” and “everybody makes mistakes in life.”

Of the four-game suspension, he said: “I did something wrong. I deserve it, a penalty for what I’d done.”

Green returns to action Saturday for a crucial road trip to Colorado, as the Dawgs try to avert a gruesome early-season slide.

Georgia star A.J. Green’s appeal to shorten his four-game suspension has been denied by something called the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee.

Green was suspended for selling his jersey to an agent-like substance and will miss the Dawgs’ crucial home stand against Arkansas and a potential trap game at Mississippi. He’ll return to the team for the road trip to Colorado Oct. 2.

The discussion continues over at SB Nation’s DawgSports, where they are just THRILLED TO DEATH with this turn of events.

Mark Schlabach, who is generally reliable about these sorts of things, is reporting that, contrary to previous speculation, the NCAA hasn’t heard A.J. Green’s appeal today to shorten his four-game suspension.

And speaking of Georgia fans, drop in on SB Nation’s DawgSports for more on this and all your Bulldog-related news needs.

According to sources familiar with the ongoing NCAA investigation and appeal of Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green, former North Carolina defensive back Chris Hawkins met Green through his facebook page and claimed that he was a financial advisor and memorabilia collector. Green eventually ended up selling Hawkins his used Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000.

Hawkins also is being investigated for his role with alleged rules violations involving current Tar Heels:

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach provides some insight into the Great A.J. Green Jersey Sale of 2010.

A person familiar with the NCAA investigation told ESPN.com that Green did not sell his jersey on e-Bay and received less than $1,000 for it. The source said Green has been forthcoming and honest with NCAA investigators, but added there were “some twists and turns” involved with the case.Now that we can eliminate two of the thousands of possible marketplaces for and prices of Green’s jersey, I suppose we ... have learned absolutely nothing about whether or not Green will be eligible to play for Georgia against South Carolina.

Georgia had a successful season opener last Saturday, as the Bulldogs dispatched Louisiana-Lafayette. Now, before their SEC opener against South Carolina, it seems the Bulldogs will get their best player back.

Oliver’s report hasn’t been borne out yet, and Georgia officials haven’t heard from the NCAA, but all indications are that Green’s eligibility is being questioned not because of any involvement in the South Beach party hosted by Frank Gore that has landed a handful of top college players in hot water with the NCAA. Instead, Green’s issue deals with the sale of a game jersey (for $1,000).