In this Sept. 7, 2013, file photo, Georgia running back Todd Gurley is shown in an NCAA college football game against South Carolina in Athens, Ga. Gurley has been suspended indefinitely while the school investigates an alleged violation of NCAA rules, the school announced Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014.The brilliant college career of Todd Gurley looks to be done.
The Georgia tailback finally came across someone who not only slowed him down but stopped him in his tracks. And, as has become the case far too often in a sports landscape peppered with pampered players who personify prime-time prima donnas, the star imploded.
Gurley's rise to the top of the college football world -- he led the SEC in rushing, was viewed as the Heisman Trophy favorite by oddsmakers and had accounted for roughly a third of Georgia's rushing yards -- eventually was the precursor to his potential collegiate end.
It has dominated the 24/7 sports news cycle that Gurley reportedly has sold his signature on merchandise. It's a violation of arguably the foremost rule of college athletics, and even to hint that anyone involved was not aware that it was a violation is preposterous.
So that leaves the future of this Bulldogs team in a wait-and-see -- or should we say sign-and-sigh -- position. Without its best player and two of its top three reserves at tailback, Georgia now faces the real possibility of (a) reshaping its entire offensive philosophy and (b) reshaping it around Hutson Mason.
Each of those notions is frightening and season-altering for a team that on Tuesday was still in the chase for the college football playoff and now could be an underdog in half its remaining games.
And that's because of Gurley. Yes, the high hopes of getting in the postseason field of four was hinged to Gurley, and for some that dichotomy is the crux of the state of college athletics.
While you can debate the "full cost of attendance" debate or whether players should get paid -- we think they already get paid (scholarships are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars), but that's a separate discussion -- there's no way every player in major college sports does not know this is against the rules.
Hate the rule. Discuss the rule. Change the rule. OK, but while it's a rule, if you break the rule, you pay the price.
Todd Gurley should be smarter than this and certainly less selfish. He knew it was wrong -- this is not like it is subtle 2.05(f) of the appendix H in the addendum added last March.
This is as basic as the toss sweep and as commonly recognized as the G on his helmet. We also should have blame for the merchandise broker.
Heck, we hold drug dealers accountable for some of this, and while this is not a crime and it's nowhere near as serious as drugs and those aftershocks, all involved bear responsibility for the anguish it causes. Maybe the NCAA can rework its licensing rules to the point that anyone who pays college athletes for merchandise or signatures or what have you forfeits the right to sell those products.
The NCAA's decision to allow the Big Five more ability to govern and legislate themselves will mean "full cost of attendance" (i.e. -- a stipend) for the athletes.
That will not open the spigot for athletes to get money from boosters or merchandise guys. Will it still happen? Oh, yes, no matter how much the schools give the athletes, there still will be fringe people looking to give the players money because either (a) they think they are helping the program or (b) they are trying to exploit the athletes.
It's one of the biggest problems with the whole "paying players" argument. For those who support paying of college athletes, the argument generally starts with fairness and the issue that schools and TV networks and merchandise companies and everyone else other than the players are making coin.
OK, we get that. But we also say the athletes get a chance at a college education (well into six figures at most places, and the average debt of a college graduate in the United States is $33,000). Plus for the guys like Gurley, you get the premium platform to refine your craft and show your skills for an NFL job interview that could mean an eight-figure payday.
Still, if fairness is what you are after, which is more fair ethically, paying the athletes nothing across the board or paying the athletes at the Big Five schools what would equate to maybe $3-4 an hour when you break it down?
There are no easy answers, but there are still a few simple, clear-cut rules.
Todd Gurley choose to ignore them. And after Gurley collected the cash for signing his name, his teammates, his school and his fans are left paying the price.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.