DEVELOPING: Did 2 UGA Athletes Get Improper Benefits...?

((HT: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer/Bitter))

Andy Bitter's work in the Ledger-Enquirer yields some important questions involving the eligibility of footballer Jarvis Jones and hoopster Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

The director, and the number two, of a Columbus-based, city-funded AAU basketball team that had both of the college athletes on their roster at one point is purported to have paid for travel of Jones to and from Los Angeles during his time when he was enrolled at USC.

Here's what USC thought they were getting before Jones got injured...
((HT: DawgPost))


Jones' mother gave power of attorney to a Parks and Rec Department employee, Shelley Stephens, who under questioning during an investigation into the department said that Adams used a Porter city-sanctioned credit card for the flights.

Georgia Blazers director Tony Adams and Herman Porter are also linked to the payment of a cellphone bill tied to the mother of Caldwell-Pope.

In July of 2009, Porter's card was allegedly used to square an account that was Rhonda Caldwell's. Four cell phone numbers were listed on the account itself, and one was linked to Kentavious.

From Bitter:

Porter’s attorney, Manny Arora, said, “I think the government investigated into every aspect and if there were other issues, I’m sure they would have come up, as contentious as the case was. But we really just want to put everything behind us. We’re on misdemeanor probation for a little while and we just want to get it over with and move on.”

The University of Georgia seems not to be aware of the allegations and investigation. Caldwell-Pope was contacted for an interview as part of the investigation, but he allegedly hung up when they investigators wanted to firm up a time for questioning.

Here's what Mark Fox thinks he's getting in Caldwell-Pope...
((HT: rtmcgruder))


Remember, the NCAA came down hard and quickly in other cases last year around the basketball and football communities. It will be interesting to see if the folks in Indianapolis drop the hammer quickly on two key pieces of Athens athletics that haven't even taken the field yet...

HQ's conventional wisdom and Magic 8-Ball says "Signs Point To Yes..."

More when we know more...

OSG High: Jeremy Williams Resigns

((HT: GPB Sports/DawgPost))

The HQ received a bit of sad news last night...

We have covered the story of Greenville ((GA)) High School head football coach/Athletics Director Jeremy Williams and his fight with ALS- Lou Gehrig's Disease. The amazing attitude of Jeremy, his high school sweetheart and wife Jennifer, and his kids Josie and Jacob has been well-documented here.

Jeremy has decided to resign from his post at Greenville High as he battles the disease and focus on what he termed in his text message to us "his new adventure."

What the Williams family has been able to show us is a great lesson of perseverance, love, understanding, and faith that is not being forgotten by everyone that they touch as we all move forward.

We just wanted to tip our hat to Jeremy, the Williams family, and to Greenville...
We're thinking about you...

Here's Dean Legge catching up with Jeremy after National Signing Day...


And here's a story Lisa Weiss did for GPB Sports "Prep Sports+" program on the Patriots and their program from a few seasons back...


And a slideshow from their time in and around "Extreme Makeover:Home Edition"
((HT: WTVM-TV Columbus/ABC))


Do your research on Jeremy and his story... it's worth your time...

Your Jeremy Williams Update: Season Of A Lifetime

((HT: Endorphin Entertainment/Youtube))

Endorphin Entertainment is in the process of putting together a documentary on FOSG Greenville High Schhol ((GA)) head football coach Jeremy Williams.

Some elements of the HQ were in Hogansville, Georgia for their last scrimmage of the season against Callaway High School a week ago...

They ran three whole plays in the second half and lost 27-14...
Big whoop... the real season starts tomorrow night...

Here's one of the trailers...


If you don't know the story, start following...
It's worth your time...

Williams Named HSFB Coach of the Year

((HT: AJC/Swartz))

The HQ has trumpeted Greenville ((GA)) High School Jeremy Williams and his family as those we should all look up to as they fight ALS ((Lou Gehrig's disease)) with dignity and grace.

Here's part of their special episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
((HT: ABC Television))


Rightfully so, Jeremy can now add another couple of lines to his resume: National High School Coaches Association "Coach of the Year" for the sport of football- the year after John McKissick from Summerville ((SC)) High School got the award.

Here's your press release quote:
“The coaches we honor are outstanding examples for successful high school coaches in their sports,” said Bob Ferraro Jr., NHSCA executive director. “They place a high value on the teamwork skills their players learn for success in the classroom and on the field and we are proud to be honoring them.”

The HQ knows it couldn't have been given to a more worthy person...
And, yes, we're being partial...

Williams Family "Move That Bus" Update...

The season finale of the ABC television series "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" aired Sunday night with Greenville ((GA)) High School Head Coach Jeremy Williams and his family as the focus...

The coverage from the network can be found here...

WTVM-TV and some of the local Columbus postgame coverage with Laura Ann Sills is below... the rest of it can be found here...


What did the HQ tell you...???
Appointment television... and we weren't kidding...

TBH's favorite moment was when the team got to destroy the old Williams house in their football uniforms... every kid's dream...

Break stuff... and not get in trouble over it...

By the way, spring practice kicks in this week down in Greenville.
Jeremy's back at it trying to get another region title...

Here's an interview that updated everyone to Jacob's condition back during football season... FOSG Michael Carvell has the camera and the questions...
((HT: CarvellAJC))


And here's something that happened after football season was over...
The Patriots football team and Greenville high students painted with the Williams family in the main school commons. The school painted with the Foundation for Hospital Art. The large painting you'll see at the end stays on campus...
((HT: johnfeight))

Williams Family "Move That Bus" Update

The HQ rarely tells you to do something...
We tell you about something... and we tell you when things are really screwed up...

But we have appointment television for your Sunday...
We've chronicled the Jeremy Williams Story for you here through FOSG Lisa Weiss and WTVM-TV in Columbus, Georgia...

Sunday is the airing of their "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" episode...
It's their season finale... and the story is well worth your time...

Here's a preview of the episode where the Williams family is visited by Demi Lovato, thanks to our friends at ABC...


And here's Lisa's story as it aired on GPB's PrepSports+
((HT: MVP, Inc.))


Like we said, appointment television...

The HQ, by its own admission, has its causes... and we know you have your own...
If helping out Jeremy and fighting ALS is up your alley...
Go here... it's the ALS-Georgia website...
You can donate in honor of the Williams family and their fight- or any fight closer to you...
Or you can go here- the ALS-Georgia Facebook page...

The HQ can say first-hand that our lives have been changed for meeting the Williams family... and that's not one of those dime-store cliches...

Jeremy Williams "Move That Bus" Update: Donations Needed

((HT: WTVM-TV))

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" says this week the community has given so much to the Williams family, but more is still needed.

The Good News: The Williams family new home will be able to accommodate Jeremy's son, Jacob's, movements throughout the house in his wheelchair – the family still needs a wheelchair-accessible van.

The Better News ((Or the "Better Do It" News))

Extreme is asking each person in the community to give $1.00. To donate, go to www.extremephn.com and click on the Donate button.

The show hopes to have reached their goal by the time the family gets the keys to their new home on Saturday.

The money will also help the family pay off their current mortgage on their land.

Here's the latest update from the site...

Jeremy Williams "Move That Bus" : Day 3

((HT: WTVM-TV Columbus))

Not much of a lead-in here...

It's Day 3 of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and their venture into west Georgia to redo the home of Greenville High School ((GA)) head football coach Jeremy Williams.

Looks like the house is done on the outside and they're working on the inside and the reveals set for the weekend...

Here's your update and live shot from WTVM-TV in Columbus...

Jeremy Williams "Move That Bus" Update

We're going to post what we can get out of Columbus, Georgia this week as Greenville High School ((GA)) head football coach Jeremy Williams and his family get their house demolished and, then, rebuilt as a modular home by Saturday's big reveal...

The old, moldy house with the bad foundation is now gone and the new, modular house is on its way...

Here's the update from our friends at WTVM-TV...
Barbara Gauthier and Jason Dennis take the lead... with a wonky live shot...

Jeremy Williams: "Move That Bus!"

Those of us here at the HQ have chronicled one of the coolest guys we've ever come across in Greenville High School ((GA)) head football coach Jeremy Williams.

Williams and his wife, Jennifer, are battling ALS. They have two children, Josie and Jacob. Jacob, 6, is battling spina bifida and, probably, will never have life out of a wheelchair.

They just received word that as a part of the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" program, they will be getting a complete redo of their house. The foundation is currently cracking, there are mold issues, and it isn't as handicapped-accessible as the house may need to be as the Williams continue their fight.

This week, the Williams family are spending time at the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colorado. While they're in Colorado, the house gets its redo.

Here are two elements detailing the first days of the change...

One from the Ledger-Enquirer newspaper on the army of local supplies that are heading to the Williams home...


And one from our friends at WTVM-TV in Columbus...


Here's Sonya Sorich's story from the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer...

Couldn't happen to a better family...
The reveal is scheduled for Saturday

Georgia HS Football Coach Fights ALS

Those of us at OSG HQ have followed this story for a while this football season, but we figured with the playoffs starting tonight- we'd tell this one again.

It's worth it...

Jeremy Williams ((pictured, thanks Curtis Compton/AJC)) is the head coach at Greenville High School. Greenville is about an hour southwest of Atlanta and it's one of those small southern towns that may or may not have a stop light that you pass through on your way to somewhere.

Just not to Greenville...

Three years ago, Williams starting having pain in his thumb after breaking up a skirmish at practice. The pain never went away. He was initially diagnosed with Multifocal Motor Neuropathy and underwent a year's worth of chemotherapy.

Didn't help...

A trip to Johns Hopkins, later confirmed by physicians at Emory Hospital, gave a different diagnosis- ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease...

Williams has refused to let it stop him coaching for Greenville this year. The team ran through the regular season undefeated and starts the playoffs tonight.

Understandably, the kids on the team want to win a title for their coach and "second father."

They're five wins away...
Here's FOSG Buck Lanford's piece on Williams and Greenville...
((HT: WAGA-TV/MyFoxAtlanta))


Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is following the team this post-season. His first story is here...

Lisa Weiss' story from the "Prep Sports+" program on Georgia Public Broadcasting is here...