Grantham’s antics were over the line — it’s not even close
Todd Grantham appears to be giving "choke" sign before Florida lines up for field goal attempt.
(Tuesday, 8 p.m.: This blog has been updated throughout, now that Georgia coach Mark Richt has confirmed that defensive coordinator Todd Grantham gave the choke sign and shouted something well south of the King’s English at Florida kicker Chas Henry Saturday. Just added: Grantham quotes)
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This isn’t about football. This isn’t about how we’re just too politically correct, or about how some of us just aren’t tough enough, or how we’re all just picking on the poor Georgia Bulldogs because, you know, that’s just what the leftist, evil media does.
This is about right and wrong. A 44-year-old college coaching grabbing his throat multiple times and shouting, “You’re gonna [bleepin'] choke,” at the opponent’s 21-year-old kicker?
Folks, that’s wrong. It’s over the line. It’s not even a close call.
Todd Grantham shouting “Choke” at the opposing player doesn’t make him or his team any tougher or better. It just makes him look classless. The Georgia defensive coordinator owes everybody an apology, from the Bulldogs’ program to Florida kicker Chas Henry, the target of Grantham’s sideline antics in Jacksonville.
Dogs coach Mark Richt confirmed Tuesday what had become obvious Monday, when he was unavailable for comment. Grantham gave the choke sign to Henry multiple times and he was wrong for doing so. The picture above tells part of the story. The two videos below tell more of it. In short, Grantham — who can be a little on the excitable side, which in itself isn’t a bad thing — let his competitive spirit push him over the line of what’s right and wrong. He grabbed his throat four times while the Florida kicker lined up for a 37-yard field goal attempt in overtime.
Henry, a native of Dallas, Ga., acknowledged seeing and hearing Grantham but he made the kick anyway, giving the Gators a 34-31 win.
The above screen grab from the Florida sports cable network “Sun Sports” showed Grantham on the sideline. Below are two videos:
VIDEO No. 1: Here is Henry’s post-game interview with CBS when he references what he saw when he looked to the Georgia sideline during the timeout. Quote: “Some of their coaches on the sideline were giving me a little grief, saying I was gonna choke.”)
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VIDEO No. 2: Here’s one view of Grantham going through his motions before the kick, via Sports by Brooks.)
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It was at about 6:30 p.m. Monday night when Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun sent a note out on Twitter: “Just checked the CBS broadcast again. Todd Grantham grabs his neck and says ‘You’re gonna bleepin’ choke. You’re gonna choke’ to Henry.”
By then, it was clear that Richt had a mess to clean up, and for once it had nothing to do with his players and the Athens-Clarke County police department
As I wrote earlier, it would be understandable — even expected — that Grantham would think, “Choke!” or “Miss it!” in his head. It wouldn’t even be surprising if a Georgia player yelled, “Choke!” or grabbed his neck. But that’s not something a college coach should be doing, and Richt acknowledged that.
Grantham himself expressed regret about the incident, saying after Tuesday’s practice: “As a competitor, sometimes you get caught up in the heat of the moment. I wish the situation hadn’t happened.”
Earlier in the day, Richt also referenced that “emotions run high,” adding: “People do things they probably wish they didn’t do. I think that was what was being communicated. I don’t think he’s necessarily proud of it. We’re just going to learn from it and move on.”
Not the first thing this year the Dogs are trying to learn from.
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1,682 comments Add your comment
Lawrence Hollyfield
November 2nd, 2010
1:26 am
I’m a UF fan and I think he clearly is trying to taunt Henry but clearly way too much is being made of this. Henry is a man and took care of things the proper way – he made the kick. He doesn’t need an apology. If UGa/Richt/Grantham want to offer one, great. Shake hands and move on.
JP
November 2nd, 2010
2:16 am
Inappropriate, but it happens. I cover high school football, and there have been a couple of times where I’ve been on the opposing sideline shooting photos when a player on the team I cover has run near that sideline only to get mocked/taunted by an opposing coach. It makes it far worse for it to be a 16-year-old high school kid getting harassed, but sports makes people do crazy things.
chickenman
November 2nd, 2010
2:38 am
who cares? I WAS PRAYING FOR GOD TO STRIKE HIM DOWN. Nothing wrong with that. he made the kick uga loses again and we are back to the back pages.
From Where I Sit
November 2nd, 2010
3:04 am
Just like what Spikes did last year, this was WRONG, especially from a coach for GOD’s sake. He did it and he knew what he was trying to do. Again, the classless, lackluster program rises it’s ugly head again. BTW, KICKER TREAT!!!!! LMAO!!!!! Gators win the EAST in 2010!
Jason
November 2nd, 2010
3:07 am
Jeff, maybe the sign was directed at you and your journalism career?
PHIL
November 2nd, 2010
3:49 am
If this is the best story line you can come up with why do they pay you to be a writer?
seriously
November 2nd, 2010
3:57 am
story out of nothing ??? hahahaha
StatesBurr
November 2nd, 2010
4:15 am
My GOSH Shultz…. Was there anything more noteworthy to write about??? My friends are 40-50 years old…. We were yelling for him to choke, swing and miss, start crying, jump off sides….SO WHAT if the Defensive Coordinator wanted him to CHOKE… If he had missed we would have been saying…HE CHOKED!!!
EmoryDawg
November 2nd, 2010
4:34 am
What prattle! If Sun Sports really want to talk about a Coach giving a bad signal they should show the comments Corch Meyers made when reinstating his wide receiver Chris Rainey who unequivocally threatened the life of his lady friend. Now that’s a bad signal.
good defense?
November 2nd, 2010
4:38 am
Georgias defense could be blamed for this Florida loss you know–they allowed 34 point to be scored. In my book that is too many. This guy they hired probably doesnt know what he is doing anyway.—-So what difference does it make? Georgia will be terribly lucky if they ever , ever, ever beat Florida again. Florida is like a God to the Georgia coaches and players. They are afraid of them in every respect. It is obvious every year that they play. Georgia is always timid and Florida always plays better and has the better coach.
good defense?
November 2nd, 2010
4:45 am
This is a hard realtiy but I think UGA has only won 2 national championships since they have been created. Maybe one or two more but——-they really have not ever been known as a national championship team or school. But it used to be known that if you played Georgia you knew that you were going to get your brains knocked out. Today you might not get hit and you may be allowed to beat them as well. It might be noted that the coaching and the players may not be to blame for this reality. It may be the politics of the University that controls UGAs playing and coaching. In other words there is some dirt that is not being talked about by the press or anyone else. Georgia has had many coaches but they all come up with the same results. Interesting fact I thought I would mention.
gtne80
November 2nd, 2010
4:45 am
Typical low class move from a no class coach in a no class program. It’s inexcusable and a program with ANY standards would not tolerate it. PERIOD.
Jeff Schultz Fan
November 2nd, 2010
4:52 am
Jeff: Do you keep records for the number of blog responses you get? Just wondering.
UGA= Trailer Park Trash
November 2nd, 2010
5:03 am
Had Urban done that, all you dumb Georgia rednecks be crying too. GATORS BEAT OVER RATED AGAIN.
southside dawg
November 2nd, 2010
5:11 am
D coaches are always doing things in the heat of a game. Erk used to bloody his head. Besides we owed those bastards one for calling timeouts at the end of last year’s blowout. Give em hell Coach Grantham.
All choked up « Totaluga.com
November 2nd, 2010
5:18 am
[...] you may have seen by now, a screen-shot of Grantham appearing to make the choke sign is making the rounds on the web. The Georgia defensive coordinator seems to be yelling at the field as he grabs his neck; many are [...]
Mike
November 2nd, 2010
6:02 am
Who freakin cares?
Dean Tate
November 2nd, 2010
6:04 am
Who cares? I just wish it had worked.
MaconSportsFan
November 2nd, 2010
6:18 am
Jeff, this just shows to me that your a Tech Fan in disguise……………Was it professional of Grantham?? Noooo but it was not criminal and it happens from coaches all the way down to High School and in the Pros….it has just been a bad season for the Dawgs!!
Quit piling on Jeff……………I see you have no problem with Urban Meyer playing Rainey the guy who probaly wanted to put his Girlfriend in a real choke hold…when he text her Die you B*************
Will
November 2nd, 2010
6:21 am
The consensus from UGA fans appears to be, “who cares, we will never know the exact truth of the gesture”.
I guess that UGA fans assume that we will never know because both Coach Richt and the thug coach that made the gesture will not tell the truth about the gesture.
When you have thug coaches, you get thug players. Kind of explains all the arrests and all the non-arrests but under-report other misbehavior that occurs only a weekly basis.
Choke, Jeff, Choke
November 2nd, 2010
6:22 am
Jeff, what’s the big deal? Urban Cryer allows his criminal element back and all you care about is whether one of our coaches wanted the kicker to choke and miss? Well, let me enlighten you. EVERY time an opposing team attempts a game winning kick against ANY team in the Nation, the coaches, players and fans ALL want the kicker to choke and miss. As a sports writer, you probably should have already known that, but since you don’t, I’m happy to educate you.
dd
November 2nd, 2010
6:26 am
Must be a slow news day.
DOG GONE
November 2nd, 2010
6:26 am
Richt will probably suspend him for the first game next year !!! LOL
THUGA is a JOKE !!! How many players is THUGA recruiting this year that have been kicked off their high school team ???
SEC defensive coordinator gives kicker “choke” sign | Ben Maller
November 2nd, 2010
6:32 am
[...] Grantham, Georgia’s defensive coordinator, was shown seemingly giving the “choke” sign before Florida’s Chas Henry lined up to attempt a winning field goal in Saturday’s game in Jacksonville. Attempts to reach [...]
Tman
November 2nd, 2010
6:39 am
What I want to know is…. Why is UGA’s DC wearing a pink shirt?
UGA Fan with class and no patience left
November 2nd, 2010
6:40 am
If this is truly what it looks like, then if I am Richt, I fire Grantham immediately for “conduct unbecoming” of a UGA coach. No contract buy-out, no severance, nothing. These men are here to lead young men and set good examples. I am sick for how this season has gone, but if we tolerate this, then we are not fit to wear the red and black.
Eighteen of Twenty-One
November 2nd, 2010
6:40 am
Scoreboard, Coach Grantham.
bye richt
November 2nd, 2010
6:45 am
poor fellow was choking on UGA’s dog bone and no one even noticed
You can't WIN every year DANG
November 2nd, 2010
6:48 am
As much as I don’t like UGA AT ALL, but you can’t win every year.
Browncoat
November 2nd, 2010
6:52 am
Typical uga behavior, why is this a story? Cesspool.
FSU-Nole
November 2nd, 2010
7:07 am
UGA going into the toilet while we take over the state of ga in recruiting…:)
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
7:10 am
This so called Defensive Coordinator is one big LOSER…his defense sucks and now he shows the world that he sucks…perfect fit for the georgia program but embarssing for the State of Georgia…where i live.
Pete
November 2nd, 2010
7:17 am
All Dawg fans Don’t sweat this idiot or the Florida losers. We will get through this year and Grantham is doing a stellar job with players he didn’t recruit and a new scheme. Real Florida football fans who know anything about the sport-maybe 2-3% of them are scared to death of when we right the ship. We had the better team and they got lucky as hel* like usual.I am not a huge Richt fan as I think he is to nice, but the arrests and poor execution have to stop. We will win at least 2 of the 3 remaining games and be bowl eligible.
Burma Shave
November 2nd, 2010
7:20 am
The game is over
It will pass
But Grantham is
Just an ass.
Burma Shave
Atrocity
November 2nd, 2010
7:23 am
This is an atrocity of the first order and someone needs to pay with a lengthy prison sentence. This is a hate crime, pure and simple. Grantham, Richt and really, the entire Georgia team and administration should stand before a tribunal to speak for their crime. This is disgusting, immoral and downright evil. We haven’t seen activity like this since Khmer Rouge.
Big Bucks
November 2nd, 2010
7:25 am
If this is truly what it looks like, then if I am Richt, I fire Grantham immediately for “conduct unbecoming” of a UGA coach. No contract buy-out, no severance, nothing. These men are here to lead young men and set good examples. I am sick for how this season has gone, but if we tolerate this, then we are not fit to wear the red and black.
Good thoughts, but nothing will come of it. Richt and Grantham are both just in it for the big bucks, and they don’t care about anything else.
FLDAWG
November 2nd, 2010
7:25 am
It’s a play call. Saw him do this in the 1st game and the Arky game.
SuperB
November 2nd, 2010
7:27 am
Same of bull from the writer. Can’t you find anything noteworthy to write one of your Enquirer moments about?
You ought to be the writer assigned to cover Lindsay Lohan– or some otehr “real news.”
greattobeadawghater
November 2nd, 2010
7:29 am
Pete, you are pretty funny. 2-3% of Gators know anything about the sport? That’s probably right and same as just about every other fanbase. Except UGA where y’all think the Herschel years are the norm for UGA football instead of a wild exception.
Keep thinking that way. By the way. It’s been 21 years. How long do you think it will take to “right the ship”? We are skeered!
11 Arrests 4 Wins
November 2nd, 2010
7:30 am
Grantham’s an idiot, and his defense proves it.
minnesotadawg
November 2nd, 2010
7:31 am
Next thing we are going to hear from you is what he was actually thinking!! Amazing!
THIRTY FOUR POINTS to your thirty one points
November 2nd, 2010
7:31 am
and FORTY ONE POINTS to your seventeen points, FORTY NINE POINTS to your ten points….
18 our of 21
8 out of 10
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA11111
S Spurrier
November 2nd, 2010
7:33 am
All those recruits…same ol GA.
Uhoh
November 2nd, 2010
7:34 am
I hope Meyer doesn’t have the nerve to complain (same guy that called timout just about in mid-snap on Auburn a few years back)- didn’t work that time either.
B
The Truth
November 2nd, 2010
7:34 am
Isn’t it about time for an arrest or two, for THUG-U?
scentdawg
November 2nd, 2010
7:36 am
As Josh Smildress said, quit making something out of nothing and stop trying to kick a dawg when he is down. He might just turn around and …….. Just remember what goes around comes around.
KEN
November 2nd, 2010
7:37 am
…you don’t grab your THROAT to say “chins-up”, you use the back of your hand and push your chin up…. “Pathetic attempt to spin.”
Red Panties
November 2nd, 2010
7:38 am
Pete
Are you a fu#$@! idiot, Florida losers????????????????? can’t you read the scoreboard 34-31———you are the loser pal and will be for years to come. This was Georgia’s best chance at beating Florida and the Dawgs CHOCKED, not the Florida PUNTER. This is a new one, Georgia getting beat by a punter.
THIRTY FOUR POINTS to your thirty one points
November 2nd, 2010
7:39 am
(((((((((((((((((((((((34-31))))))))))))))))))
and the kick iiiiiiiiisssssss GOOD!!!!!!!!
does it hurt? I hope so!
Zitadelle
November 2nd, 2010
7:40 am
Grantham’s behavior is completely unacceptable. UGA is already a huge embarrassment to the state of Georgia. We don’t need another jerkoff like Grantham in Athens.
There’s a reason why UGA is known far and wide as The Cesspool of the South.