'It's not fair'

Georgia students, players react to sudden end to season

Georgia/ Jim Harrick Timeline Feb. 27, 2003 Ex-player Cole accuses Georgia of fixing grades, paying bills Feb. 28, 2003 UGA suspends assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr. after allegations March 1, 2003 Cole: I used Harrick Sr.'s credit card to buy 28-inch TV March 3, 2003 More trouble? Rhode Island launches investigation into Harricks March 4, 2003 NCAA, Georgia question current Bulldog players Wright, Daniels March 4, 2003 Harrick denies all of Cole's heavy allegations in TV interview March 5, 2003 Georgia fires assistant Harrick Jr. March 5, 2003 Mandel: Party could end early for Harrick, Georgia March 7, 2003 Layden: UGA, others mire college hoops in hypocrisy March 8, 2003 Arrest warrant issued for Ex-Bulldog Cole for bad check March 8, 2003 Harrick accused of tampering with grades at Rhode Island March 10, 2003 UGA suspends Harrick, bans itself from postseason play March 10, 2003 Mandel: Harrick will always be remembered as a cheater March 12, 2003 Judge denies UGA players' restraining order request March 12, 2003 Mandel: No quick fix for college basketball's problems March 27, 2003 Harrick resigns from UGA job, retires from coaching

The Bulldogs finished the season with nine straight sellouts and set a record for total attendance for the second straight year. They also were a lock for their third straight trip to the NCAA tournament, the first time that's happened in school history.

All that has been put on hold.

Coach Jim Harrick was suspended Monday, and the school withdrew from the Southeastern Conference and NCAA tournaments after finding that three players -- including Cole -- committed academic fraud in a class taught by Harrick's son.

Current players Rashad Wright and Chris Daniels were declared ineligible.

"I don't think anyone thought there were current student-athletes involved," said Lona Panter, the managing editor of the school newspaper, The Red & Black.

"I feel really bad for the other guys. It's not fair for all of them to be punished for what a few people did."

Tuesday's edition of the paper devoted nearly three of its six pages to the controversy, including an editorial with the headline "We got no game."

"These players deserved a shot to showcase their talents in front of a national audience," the editorial read. "... But a joint decision between Athletics Director Vince Dooley and University President Michael Adams is denying them all of this."

UGA fans rally Select a link to launch a video clip Students and fans question why the Georgia basketball team is being punished. Jonas Hayes appreciates the support fans have shown during Georgia's troubled times. Video Plus Visit Video Plus for all the latest video and audio.

All three letters to the editor were against the decision to pull out of the tournaments, and a time line of the accusations by Cole ran at the bottom of the front page.

Star guard Jarvis Hayes announced Tuesday he was entering the NBA draft, but said he wouldn't sign with an agent so he could return to school if he's not projected to be selected with a lottery pick.

He admitted the scandal played a part in his decision.

"[Monday] was a very emotional day," Hayes said. "Not only for me, but for everybody. It influenced my decision. What happened in the past couple of days wasn't the bulk of it, but it was a factor."

The fast-moving case was sparked by Cole, kicked off the team last year. He accused assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr. of paying his bills, doing schoolwork and teaching a sham class on coaching. Cole also said he used the elder Harrick's credit card to buy a television and got money from a booster.

Cole said he never attended the coaching class, but received an A. Two other players -- Daniels and Wright -- were also in the class and got As.

"I think we did the right thing," Georgia student Hank Beaver said. "When you have academic fraud like this, people should, to a certain extent, punished, and that's what happened."

Beaver said he's not a basketball fan, but he still followed the coverage of the Cole allegations and the decision not to play in the postseason. He said Georgia might have a reputation now of being a school easy on jocks.

"But I hope this decision ends that," he said.