By: Danny Jacobs

I’ll be speaking with some college journalists at my alma mater tonight and next week about social media, but I’m also going to offer this pearl of wisdom: Don’t drink – even a sip – if you’re scheduled to see the university president and governor at a football game.

Just ask Daniel Burnett, editor-in-chief of the University of Georgia’s student newspaper. He was asked to leave the president’s box during Saturday night’s game against Georgia Tech and resigned Monday from his post at The Red And Black.

An assistant to Georgia’s president said Burnett’s behavior was “disruptive enough to the point” he was escorted out. Guests in the box included the governor and governor-elect of Georgia.

Burnett, 22, said he had been drinking at a tailgate prior to entering the president’s box. He said he did not think he was being disruptive but university officials also had the right to remove him.

“I think someone smelled alcohol on my breath and thought, ‘He’s a student. He shouldn’t be here,’” Burnett told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Red And Black said Burnett violated a stadium alcohol policy, but the only rule I could find was one prohibiting a person from bringing alcohol into the stadium.

Regardless, it seems Burnett left the box without incident. He apologized in both newspapers but said the issue has been “blown up into something much larger.” I don’t mean to pile on – I’ll wager he wasn’t the only student to drink before the game and that others drank more than he did – but it serves as a good lesson to all of the aspiring reporters out there.

The Bulldogs, incidentally, defeated the Yellow Jackets, 42-34.