The Grass Is Greener?

Originally Published: Sep 8, 2010 8:41 PM CDT

Georgia receiver A.J. Green has been suspended for three games by the NCAA, in addition to missing last Saturdays game with Louisiana-Lafayette, after selling his Independence Bowl jersey from last season to someone who qualifies as an agent.

Green received $1,000 for the jersey.  According to the school he has repaid the money to a charity.

The NCAA has 7 variations of Greens jersey for sale on its website.  They range in price from $59.95 to $150.00.  Green will see none of the money from sales of those jerseys, of course.

Last September, Green and OSUs Dez Bryant shared the same field for the Cowboys win over the Bulldogs at Boone Pickens Stadium.  It was billed as a battle between two future first-round NFL draft picks.  Bryant caught two touchdown passes.  Green caught 4 passes for 52 yards. 

Bryant missed the Cowboys final 10 games of 2009 as a result of lying to the NCAA about a meeting with Deion Sanders who is not an agent.  Green gets 4 games for taking money from someone who qualifies as an agent.  The numbers dont seem to add up.

The difference between the two stories is that the NCAA doesnt like being lied to.  And from what they know of the Green situation at this point, he told the truth. 

Now, there is also speculation that Green was involved in the NCAAs probe into improper benefits given by agents to athletes at several schools, including North Carolina.  Part of the probe was a party at Miami Beach.  A party Green insists he did not attend.  The NCAAs announcement on Wednesday indicates they are also looking at other benefits received by Green.

Green had better be telling the truth.  He need look no further than the receiver with whom he shared the Stillwater spotlight last September to find out what could happen if hes not.