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Kirby Smart updates latest on tight end Arik Gilbert ahead of SEC championship game against LSU

SystemSystem Posts: 7,416 admin
edited November 2022 in Article commenting
imageKirby Smart updates latest on tight end Arik Gilbert ahead of SEC championship game against LSU

ATHENS — Georgia may not have a former LSU Tiger available on Saturday, as Arik Gilbert has not dressed for Georgia in either of the last two games.

Read the full story here

Comments

  • budknox310budknox310 Posts: 812 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    Couldn't find today's podcast article yet, so I will put this here.

    What is all the talk about today on the podcast from the listeners about Burden and Hunter? Is there info or hints on them transferring to UGA? I have also seen that mentioned on other you tube videos. Truth or hype? Not wanted or wishful thinking?

    On this article, I just don't think Gilbert will play this year. If it's bad for him to play, then he shouldn't. He needs to get himself together. First and foremost.

  • vannvann Posts: 108 ✭✭✭ Junior

    Why don't you write about kids that actually will play this Saturday? We have a bunch of guys who bust their ass all week and really excel at what they do and are never mentioned in any of your articles.

  • EastmandawgEastmandawg Posts: 143 ✭✭✭ Junior

    It was a chance, a risk in making room for him….with his talent level, worth rolling the dice on.

    Pretty sure if nothing has improved after all of this time, he won’t be invited back. I wish him well…..

  • navydawgnavydawg Posts: 2,973 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    I’m Not a doctor or a professional counselor and would never hold myself out to be one. But I’ve got a pretty good idea from my own personal experience as to what’s wrong with Arik. If I’m right, and NO I won’t go into it here on a public site, it has Absolutely Nothing to do with being lazy or a lack of motivation. It is a situation that I would not wish on Anybody. And it simply Cannot be addressed with “OK you just need to snap out of it”. If it was That simple I am Totally convinced we’d have seen Arik active and going hard a long time ago. And it’s Most Certainly Not about him not being tough enough, or the “he just can’t take it” stuff. IF it’s the problem I think it Might be, it is Very, Very debilitating, and as I said I wouldn’t wish it on Anyone. I sincerely ask that those of you of Faith, Please Pray for him. IF it’s what I think it is it nearly cost me my Family, My job, My home, My reputation, Everything. I Salute Kirby Smart and the Dawgs Football program for sticking by him, Just Like they would if it were some horrendous Physical issue. Saban and Bama would have cut him long ago to redeem a scholarship slot. Lastly the Good News IF it’s what I think it is there is an Excellent probability that he can and will over come it and go on to Live and Enjoy life On and Off the football field. Even if it’s Not what I think it might be what ever it is must be Really Bad. I just can’t see a young man with the talent he has squandering away s potential slot in the NFL over nothing. If it were some Disciplinary type issue Kirby would have given him the boot by now. I also read right here on Dawg Nation that his teammates like him, so being accepted doesn’t seem to be the problem. We just celebrated Thanksgiving all across this great nation. So Please Be Thankful that You or someone you Love doesn’t have what ever Arik is dealing with. I have Both ( for a Long time) Physical and Mental health issues and I can Assure You that the mental health issues are every bit as bad if not worse than the physical issues. And the really bad thing one adversely affects the other. It’s a terrible catch 21 !! BUT there is Plenty of Hope !! FOR ME My Faith and Trust in Jesus Christ has been my Greatest Healer, Comfort, and Aid. But I am also Very grateful to my Doctors ( all four) and their staff for all They have done for me as well. I Believe that God works Through them to help me. I doubt that Arik reads these comments but if by some chance he does, I’m Praying for you Arik. Just Know that there are people who Love and Care about you, but Much More importantly, Jesus Loves You and is there for You.

  • navydawgnavydawg Posts: 2,973 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Oh wanted to add this to my novel posted earlier. One of the trends that I’ve seen Numerous times with Kirby and Staff’s recruiting efforts is reading where parents will say “ I KNOW Kirby Smart and Georgia will Take Good Care of my Son no matter what”. This is being exemplified by the way Kirby is dealing with Arik. If it gets to where One scholarship give or take will make or break the football program at Georgia then something has gotten Bad Wrong. Georgia is an Elite National Title Winning Program on the brink of Hopefully having two consecutive Ntl. Titles. I don’t think that Arik Gilbert holding a scholarship will do even a tiny amount of damage to the program. And I certainly don’t think it will do any harm to the recruiting efforts. If Anything it will only serve to solidify the sentiment that Kirby Smart and UGA will take care of your Son if he comes here !! Go Dawgs !!

  • BrooksieBrooksie Posts: 447 ✭✭✭✭ Senior
    edited November 2022

    Kirby has done a great job of telling everyone “ it’s none of your business”. But people keep asking.

    regardless of the issue, our goal as fans should be focused on the field of play.

  • UGADad20UGADad20 Posts: 1,689 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
    edited November 2022

    In the end sacrificing 1 scholarship to support a player to recover and get back on his feet will be a small price to pay. And probably pay big dividends. Though I don't believe that's why CKS did/does it. Phony Dabo Swinney maybe but not CKS.

    What CKS has done will resonate with players and player PARENTS across the country. It will say, Come to Georgia, we will care for your young man and help him become a productive and solid citizen. Well worth 1 scholarship.

    I have not heard anything about Hunter or Burden. The good news is that SBIV has petitioned the NCAA, and been granted, another year of eligibility!

  • UGADad20UGADad20 Posts: 1,689 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
    edited November 2022

    The young man has missed 2 seasons of great opportunities to enhance his professional stock. He is very good at playing football. You would think, you know, actually playing football would be therapeutic and an easy way to have some positive structure in his life. Very puzzling.

    There is enough film from LSU days for some NFL team to take a chance on him day 2 of the NFL draft. If he somehow tests and interviews well after the season he could go late Rd 1. NFL GM's gamble on talent every draft. Would be surprised if he came back next season.

  • ItchyZItchyZ Posts: 178 ✭✭✭ Junior
  • ItchyZItchyZ Posts: 178 ✭✭✭ Junior

    I just want to see Arik realize his enormous potential. And it wouldn't do UGA any harm either.

  • navydawgnavydawg Posts: 2,973 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
  • navydawgnavydawg Posts: 2,973 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    If one of my grandsons were very blessed to be able to play at UGA ( I have four) I would Hope and Want Georgia to take good care of them Regardless as long as they were abiding by the rules laid down by the Coaches/Program and the University. Now if it were a Disciplinary thing you wouldn’t hear a single peep out of me if they got kicked off the team. That would be on Them. But what I would Hope fans can and will try to appreciate is a mental health issue is Just As debilitating and traumatic as a physical issue, in some cases maybe even worse. I don’t think ( Sure Hope not) we have any Dawgs fans that would want a player kicked off the team for a blown ACL or a torn meniscus or damaged spine. No I think your all better folks than that !! This is almost 2023, the stigma surrounding mental health Is or Should be gone now. It IS sad for Everyone concerned that things haven’t worked out with Arik playing more or being available to play more. He’s a competitor or he’d have never made it to the SEC ranks at all. So I’m sure it’s making Him more miserable than anybody. So Again I salute Kirby and UGA for sticking by Arik. Kirby and the University are doing the Right Thing in so doing, and it just stands To Show that UGA really is an Elite Program. There are other selfish programs that Would have kicked him out just to have that One scholarship open. And that’s Why I wouldn’t want to see any of my grandsons go to those other schools, I’d want and hope for them to be All Dawgs !! P.S. Three of them are still very young so it’s hard to tell, but all three Are playing football so who knows ?? Maybe ?? I hope I live to see that !! I’d be one more Happy Ole Man !!

  • UGADad20UGADad20 Posts: 1,689 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    I saw you said it first but I missed your post until after I wrote mine.

  • navydawgnavydawg Posts: 2,973 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    No problem at all my friend !! You said it much more eloquently than I did !! And by the way I want to let you Know I agree with your posts the vast majority of times. Your posts are always reasonable and well thought out. As for me I tend to get To passionate and go To Far overboard at times. I honestly don’t mean any harm. And I’m working hard on toning it down some. On the subject of Arik I have a heart filled with compassion for the kid ( you obviously do to and I’m grateful to you and All our Dawgs fans that do) as I’ve fought and sometimes still do my own inner demons with mental health. I don’t mean to be a broken record but I really wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I can’t and won’t speculate in the specifics of what I think is wrong with Arik as it wouldn’t be fair to him and it’d just be my unqualified opinions and I don’t want to air anymore of my own dirty laundry as people don’t come here for that, and some people with less scruples will only weaponize it against me. All I can say in closing is IF his problem is what I think it Might be, he CANT defeat it by himself. It’s not a matter of the desire to or motivation. He needs help, Allot of it. You get that. But some people think it’s just a matter of him developing a tougher mental hide, or getting a grip, or snapping out of it. Lord, Lord if only it were That easy !! But I assure everyone that troubles to read It Ain’t !! And I from my heart sincerely Pray that They never have to endure such issues or see someone they love and care about endure such issues. And I will throw this one last tidbit out there IF it’s what I think and what I Suffered with it will Rob You of those things you Love to do !! Like in his case one of those things being playing football, in front of a crowd. Thank You and All the others here that have a compassionate heart !!

  • reddawg1reddawg1 Posts: 3,593 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    I beg to differ on some NFL team taking Arik above a 5th round pick, especially not the first 3 rounds. He certainly has the tools physically, but obviously at this point not psychologically.. Teams don't want to get egg on their faces with their top picks. Nothing but red flags at this point. If Arik can't handle college ball where eveyone is your friend and trying to lift you up, then he certainly couldn't make it in the NFL. It's brutal there. Coaches and team-mates don't get paid to prop you up. No RA's and people assigned to assist your every need there.

    HIs best bet is to find the right therapy and meds to help him cope and stay at UGA.

  • navydawgnavydawg Posts: 2,973 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Unfortunately for Arik your probably right. The NFL Is all about making $$ for their owners. It’s a business. They have little to no compassion for a player that can’t contribute to them making $$ for Any reason. So yes I’d agree with you his best option would be return to UGA. There IS Hope for Arik, and I’m Not just talking about football. I’m talking about LIFE. And wouldn’t it be absolutely Great for All ( regarding Arik and Dawg Nation) if he could recover and turn out to be one of the greatest TEs to ever play at UGA ??!!?? UGA has a reputation that goes Beyond the football field of helping people in our state. Kirby has enhanced that reputation with what he’s done for Arik. I didn’t attend UGA, I didn’t attend any college. But I’m proud to be a long time, devout fan of Dawgs football, Kirby has made me all the prouder by this awesome act of compassion. In life we reap what we sow, sow good seeds you will eventually reap a good harvest, sow bad seeds you will eventually reap a bad harvest. The good will eventually come to Kirby and UGA !! Go Dawgs !!

  • JBMDawg46JBMDawg46 Posts: 348 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    Kudos to Coach Smart and UGA for doing everything they can to help this young man. My question from a program management perspective is what was known about his situation, I’m assuming mental health issues here, when they decided to give him a scholarship to play football. Obviously, once the scholarship is given, doing everything possible to help the young man is absolutely the right thing, the only thing, the coach and university can and must do. It just might not have been the best choice in the first place. That was my position when he left LSU in the middle of the season. That was a huge red flag .

    I’m praying for Arik to get well and realize his potential as a man. I am also encouraged in knowing UGA is doing what is right.

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