Report: 3 Gators (including Calloway) facing felony grand theft charges

Submitted by Blue in Paradise on

What an odd and sad situation in Gainesville... this is what happens when you let a cancer like Calloway stick around the team.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/report-3-gators-facing-felony-gr…

The Florida Gators suspended seven players, including Antonio Callaway and Jordan Smith, indefinitely before the season ever began for allegedly misusing school credit cards. At this point nine football players are facing allegations of having done so, and three are reportedly facing felony grand theft charges as the investigation wraps up, per Trey Wallace and Oliver Connolly of The Read Optional.

“Antonio Callaway, Jordan Smith, and one other player are to be charged with felony grand theft, with the possibility of further misdemeanour charges being tagged on, according to a lawyer representing one of the players. It’s anticipated that the other six players will also be charged, but only three players have hired legal counsel thus far,” reads the report.

Callaway was Florida’s leading returning receiver from last year before being suspended. Head coach Jim McElwain reportedly lamented how much these suspensions have hurt his team’s locker room, CBS Sports’ Brad Nessler conveyed during Saturday’s game.

Back in mid-August when the suspensions occurred, he expressed disappointment in the choices that led to them but would not elaborate on what they were being suspended for.

“We have a small group of players that have made some choices that are extremely disappointing,” McElwain said in a statement. “Action has been taken — they have missed some practice and will miss the Michigan game. We will use this as a learning opportunity and we will have some players step up as we move forward.”

Now we obviously know why these players were suspended, and that their actions could have some severe legal ramifications. Wallace and Connolly are also reporting there are “several players” being investigated for a separate credit card fraud case.

Charges are expected to be filed in the first case as early as the end of this week, per the report.

 

 

MgoFunk

September 19th, 2017 at 12:04 AM ^

Had this happened in Louisiana they would have been released with a pat on their back because they "Spent their teenage years working and sweating, while we were all in the air conditioning."

Boom Goes the …

September 19th, 2017 at 12:58 AM ^

Obviously they never counted on it coming to this point. Quite a few promising careers down the drain over nothing

bacon

September 19th, 2017 at 5:06 AM ^

TBH, as a football player in hte state of Florida you have to really mess up to have them charge you with something like this.  Jameis Winston committed grand crab-leg-theft larceny (on video!!) and they didn't bat an eye. Also, see pretty much the all of the years that Urban Meyer was at Florida.  Actually, I suspect that Urban Meyer has an ugly picture hidden in his attic, Dorian Gray-style.

Everyone Murders

September 19th, 2017 at 8:00 AM ^

  • Winston didn't really lie when he said he stole them.  Just because you have an insider assisting you in boosting a store's merchandise doesn't mean that you're not stealing. 

     
  • Winston covering for his insider in the near-term is one of the few decent things that I saw him (or heard of him) do while in Tallahassee.  Winston was screwed either way when the security guard decided to do his job.

     
  • In my mind, Winston's real sin was not boosting king crab legs.  Why take that risk for snow crab?

Perkis-Size Me

September 19th, 2017 at 7:00 AM ^

It helps more when you're winning. What did Jameis Winston and Urban Meyer have in common? They won. So it was a little bit easier for the fans and alums to forgive their actions. It was just Jameis being Jameis.



McElwain does not have that luxury. It's another bullet in the chamber for those who want to can him should this season go further south.

lhglrkwg

September 19th, 2017 at 6:20 AM ^

Didn't McElwain get pissed the credit card stuff went public because he was basically planning to sweep it under the rug? Seems bold for him to lament about how it hurt his lockerroom when that doof was the one letting them stay around

1VaBlue1

September 19th, 2017 at 7:58 AM ^

Both Fleck and Brohm will be in hot demand should thier teams continue to play well.  But I don't see either going anywhere for at least another year.  In the case of both ND and UF, I think thier timing is just off for coaching hires - because I think this will be the last year for both Kelly and McElwain, yet neither Fleck nor Brohm will be available.  I don't know any other coach at that level that could step in and appease a sour fanbase at blue blood schools.

Not that I feel bad for either team...

Steve in PA

September 19th, 2017 at 9:14 AM ^

It worked out OK for Doug Gottlieb. Those players will just transfer to another school with even lower personal responsibility standards.

With the SEC rule changes is Mississippi an option?

Year of Revenge II

September 19th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^

As one who has made more than his fair share of mistakes when I was younger, I feel bad for these young men.  Hopefully they get it together and get another chance.  What an opportunity they might flush down the toilet!

Plus, we need Florida to get some wins...both McElwain and Jones tried to lose that last game.  McElwain won despite his stupidity.  He and Orgeron are vying for the SEC's "new Hoke".

Perkis-Size Me

September 19th, 2017 at 9:25 AM ^

Just keeps getting worse and worse. At this point, you have to wonder if McElwain has no choice but to cut ties with Callaway. 

Callaway's got talent, but he's a toxic presence to your locker room. Sometimes, you have to cut ties to someone that will only drag your program down, and make due with the men you have left. If McElwain does that, and even if he's canned this year, no one could accuse him of not doing the right thing.