Georgia's Lee doesn't intend to attend brother's Tide game

Friday, January 1, 1904

photo Georgia starting guard Dallas Lee will be pulling for younger brother Dillion, a freshman outside linebacker at Alabama, in the BCS championship, but he does not want to attend the game.

SEC DEFERS DISCIPLINEThe Southeastern Conference announced Friday that any disciplinary action stemming from the league championship game has been left to Alabama and Georgia.Crimson Tide defensive lineman Quinton Dial had helmet-to-helmet contact on Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray late in the first half, but no penalty flag was thrown. SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw told the Birmingham News earlier this month that the crew should have called a personal foul.Georgia's Sheldon Dawson also eye-gouged Alabama's Dee Milliner on a special-teams play. Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said Friday that he has taken action on Dawson but that the freshman cornerback would not miss any playing time at the Capital One Bowl.

Imagine having access to a free ticket to college football's national championship game between Alabama and Notre Dame, as well as a free hotel room in Miami.

And declining it all.

Georgia redshirt junior offensive guard Dallas Lee can't stomach the thought of being in attendance after the heartbreaking 32-28 defeat against the Crimson Tide in the Southeastern Conference championship game. His younger brother, Dillon, is a true freshman outside linebacker for the Tide who has played in eight games and had an interception in their opening rout of Michigan.

The Bulldogs will face Nebraska at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on New Year's Day. The Crimson Tide and Irish square off six days later.

"My parents want me to go, but I'm not going to," said Georgia's Lee, who has started all 13 games this season. "I'm already going to be in Florida for a week, and I'll have already done all the roller-coasters and theme parks. Then we've got the game and the trip back, so I would only be home for like a day or two before I would have to fly back down there.

"I'm just not feeling it."

The Lee brothers embraced on the Georgia Dome floor following Alabama's riveting victory, and Dallas said he told his younger brother to enjoy the moment because SEC titles are hard to come by. The Bulldogs went to the SEC title game last season but were throttled by LSU 42-10.

Neither brother has been home to Buford, Ga., since the league championship, with Georgia set to conclude on-campus bowl practices Friday and Alabama breaking for Christmas next Saturday.

"I'm still a little upset that he's playing in that game and not me," Dallas said. "Alabama being there instead of us is a big reason why I don't want to go, and my mom doesn't understand that. She called me the other day to try and convince me again, but I'm pretty dead set.

"I'm sure she will give my ticket to somebody else here in the next couple of days."

Lee plans on watching the BCS championship in Buford, and he insists he will be pulling strongly for the Crimson Tide.

"It's my baby brother, and I want him to be successful," Lee said. "On top of that, I don't want Notre Dame to win."

Odds and ends

The Bulldogs worked out for 90 minutes Friday, and among those missing the practice due to commencement ceremonies were guard Chris Burnette, cornerback Sanders Commings, safety Bacarri Rambo, inside linebacker Christian Robinson and defensive end Cornelius Washington. ... Junior linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree and junior noseguard Kwame Geathers will wait until after the bowl before announcing their plans for the future. ... Ryne Rankin, a linebacker from Orlando who is enrolling early, is scheduled to practice with the Bulldogs for the first time today.