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Georgia, national college football champ, turns down White House invite
May 10, 2023 / 5:41 AM EDT / CBS/AP
Athens, Ga. — Georgia's national championship football team is declining an invitation to visit the White House.
According to a statement released by the Georgia athletic association on Tuesday, the Bulldogs won't be able to attend a June 12 event with other college teams at the White House. The event is described by President Biden and first lady Jill Biden as "College Athlete Day."
The statement from Georgia says the team's schedule interferes with the suggested date in an invitation received earlier this month.
"The University of Georgia first received on May 3 an invitation for the Bulldog football team to visit the White House on June 12," the statement from the athletic association said. "Unfortunately, the date suggested is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year. However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams moving forward."
Georgia didn't provide more specifics of the schedule conflict.
Coach Kirby Smart and quarterback Stetson Bennett led Georgia to its second consecutive national championship with a 65-7 runaway win over TCU.
Some professional championship teams, including the 2021 Atlanta Braves, have made White House visits during the Biden administration. This year's NCAA men's and women's championship basketball teams from Connecticut and Louisiana State, respectively, are scheduled to visit the White House on May 26.
CBSSports.com's Shehan Jeyarajah notes that June 12 "comes at a time when athletes are in the midst of June workouts with eight new high school recruits expected to be enrolled. Additionally, 25 players have left via either graduation, transfer portal or the NFL Draft since the Bulldogs won the 2022 national championship. Historically, college football teams tend to visit the White House within months of winning a championship to lessen the amount of turnover expected on a title roster."
Jeyarajah points out that, "No college football team has visited the White House since LSU in January 2019, months before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Both 2020 Alabama and 2021 Georgia did not receive invitations due to pandemic precautions."
- University of Georgia
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Champion Georgia declines White House visit, cites scheduling conflict
Check out some of the best plays that contributed to the Georgia Bulldogs' perfect 2022 football season. (2:47)
- Associated Press
ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia 's national championship football team is declining an invitation to visit the White House.
According to a statement released by the Georgia athletic association on Tuesday, the Bulldogs will not be able to attend a June 12 event with other college teams at the White House. The event is described by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden as "College Athlete Day."
The statement from Georgia says the team's schedule interferes with the suggested date that was provided in an invitation received earlier this month.
"The University of Georgia first received on May 3 an invitation for the Bulldog football team to visit the White House on June 12," the statement from the athletic association said. "Unfortunately, the date suggested is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year. However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams moving forward."
Georgia did not provide more specifics of the schedule conflict.
Some professional championship teams, including the 2021 Atlanta Braves , have made White House visits during the Biden administration. This year's NCAA men's and women's championship basketball teams from UConn and LSU, respectively, are scheduled to visit the White House on May 26.
Coach Kirby Smart and quarterback Stetson Bennett led Georgia to its second consecutive national championship with a 65-7 runaway win over TCU.
Georgia’s national championship team declines White House invitation
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia’s national championship football team is declining an invitation to visit the White House.
According to a statement released by the Georgia athletic association on Tuesday, the Bulldogs will not be able to attend a June 12 event with other college teams at the White House. The event is described by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden as “College Athlete Day.”
The statement from Georgia says the team’s schedule interferes with the suggested date which was provided in an invitation received earlier this month.
“The University of Georgia first received on May 3 an invitation for the Bulldog football team to visit the White House on June 12,” the statement from the athletic association said. “Unfortunately, the date suggested is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year. However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams moving forward.”
Georgia did not provide more specifics of the schedule conflict.
Some professional championship teams, including the 2021 Atlanta Braves, have made White House visits during the Biden administration. This year’s NCAA men’s and women’s championship basketball teams from Connecticut and Louisiana State, respectively, are scheduled to visit the White House on May 26.
Coach Kirby Smart and quarterback Stetson Bennett led Georgia to its second consecutive national championship with a 65-7 runaway win over TCU.
The Associated Press
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Georgia football declines White House invitation to be honored for national title citing scheduling concerns
No college football national championship team has visited the white house since lsu in 2019.
Georgia football has declined an invitation to visit the White House in celebration of its second-consecutive national championship. The White House extended an invite to the program for June 12, but the Bulldogs opted to pass, citing scheduling concerns.
"Unfortunately, the date suggested is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year," a Georgia spokesman told The Athletic . "However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams moving forward."
The specific date comes at a time when athletes are in the midst of June workouts with eight new high school recruits expected to be enrolled. Additionally, 25 players have left via either graduation, transfer portal or the NFL Draft since the Bulldogs won the 2022 national championship. Historically, college football teams tend to visit the White House within months of winning a championship to lessen the amount of turnover expected on a title roster.
Both of this season's NCAA basketball championship teams -- UConn in men's basketball and LSU in women's basketball -- are heading to the White House on May 26. However, Georgia was invited to attend with a bigger group for College Athlete Day, which is expected to bring together dozens of championship teams across different divisions, according to Sports Illustrated .
No college football team has visited the White House since LSU in January 2019, months before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Both 2020 Alabama and 2021 Georgia did not receive invitations due to pandemic precautions.
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The University of Alabama football team is scheduled to visit the White House on Wednesday, marking its fourth trip to Washington in seven years.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia’s national championship football team is declining an invitation to visit the White House. According to a statement released by the Georgia athletic association on Tuesday, the Bulldogs will not be able to attend a June 12 event with other college teams at the White House.
More than a thousand U.S. college athletes from championship teams gathered Monday at the White House and were celebrated by Vice President Kamala Harris.
CNN — The Georgia Bulldogs football team declined an invitation to visit the White House next month to celebrate their second consecutive national championship, according to a statement...
Athens, Ga. — Georgia's national championship football team is declining an invitation to visit the White House. According to a statement released by the Georgia athletic association on...
According to a statement released by the Georgia athletic association on Tuesday, the Bulldogs will not be able to attend a June 12 event with other college teams at the White House.
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia’s national championship football team is declining an invitation to visit the White House. According to a statement released by the Georgia athletic association on Tuesday,...
Georgia football has declined an invitation to visit the White House in celebration of its second-consecutive national championship. The White House extended an invite to the program for...
The Dawgs were unable to make the journey to Washington following their 2021 ascension to the college football throne, with the White House citing COVID-19 concerns as the reason for...
The Georgia football team will not be going to the White House after declining an invitation, saying the date offered was “not feasible.”