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)
♦
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.”)
♦
VIDEO No. 2: Here’s one view of Grantham going through his motions before the kick, via Sports by Brooks.)
♦
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.
♦
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC and Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,682 comments Add your comment
VOR
November 2nd, 2010
8:20 am
When did we become such a society of sensitive puds? Why don’t we just go ahead and take off the pads and put on the flags? And while we’re at it, we need to stop keeping score – we don’t want anybody feeling inferior, right?
I miss the days when men were men and women were women. It was a pretty darn good arrangement.
Roy Barnes
November 2nd, 2010
8:21 am
Vote for me and I promise UGA will never lose another game.
Remember, I put the goober in Gubernatorial !
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
8:21 am
I would never let georgia’s coaches get their hands on my kid…
atlvol55
November 2nd, 2010
8:23 am
much ado about nothing
Chihl Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:24 am
USC GAMECOCK. Take a deep breath and stop taking yourself so seriously. You only beat us twice this decade. Maybe that’s why you’re so angry.
Gator Mike
November 2nd, 2010
8:24 am
I do not see this as a big deal, and the Gator Nation needs to move on. We have more to worry about. The UGA coach may or may not have meant anything wrong. He is obviously a pasinate coach, and he is doing his best for UGA. All of this political correctnes is pure b.s. It was a very good game, and for the most part it was cleaner than in recent years. I am concerned with Vandy and the Game Chickens, and I am sure that the Dawgs are focused on ID and AU for the next 2 weeks.
Go Gators!
It's time...
November 2nd, 2010
8:25 am
Wound my heart with a monotonous languor.
swgaboy
November 2nd, 2010
8:25 am
Well Mr. Gamecock, its not like the University of South Carolina has been the great example of decency within its football program in the last 10 years……a running back thats allowed to play after damaging school property and stealing a laptop. A QB that keyed a professor’s car. And lets not forget your recent NCAA troubles. Just a few things to consider from your glass house…..
joe suggs
November 2nd, 2010
8:26 am
Who cares ?? Urban Meyer is a Jerk . Rainey threatens to kill his girlfriend and plays.Gator Nation is not owed any respect even if we never beat them.
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
8:26 am
It’s not about being a man or tough
It’s about honorable behavior and sportsmanship
Georgia has none so we don’t expect you to get it….your momma didn’t teach you and Richt doesn’t care…
granthem is a putz so dont look to him for any either…just look at that picture…pathetic
Buzz
November 2nd, 2010
8:27 am
First off, I’m a Tech man, second, You guys really need to toughen up. Come on. The coach is wishing, hoping and telling the Gator kicker he is going to choke. Big deal. We have a sorry president, a country at war, in the worst recession ever, people losing jobs everyday, China taking over this country and the world, kids on drugs, molesters in our schools and everyone makes a big hoopbla over a coach wanting the kicker to choke while expressing it. We as a country have lost it. GET A LIFE PEOPLE!
DOG GONE SOUR
November 2nd, 2010
8:28 am
Did Michael Vick play for THUGA, cause if he didn’t yall missed out on a great match !!!
Marky Mark
November 2nd, 2010
8:29 am
THIS IS SO SAD!!! I am embarassed to admit that I spent 10 minutes of my life reading these pathetic comments. Most of you clowns don’t even get it. First of all what Schultz is reporting is 100% accurate as I have watched the Sun Sports telecast of the game and Todd Grantham clearly grabs his throat multiple times and yells at Chas Henry (Florida’s kicker) – you are going to choke with some expletives thrown in. The point is for all of you that can’t comprehend the low rent behavior displayed by Grantham is that he is a COACH not a player. He is supposed to be a teacher of young men and should lead by example – that is why Damon Evans was fired as he did not lead the Georgia athletic department by setting a good example for the all the players at the school – you can’t admonish drinking and driving and then go out and do it your self – not really a good example for young people. An opposing COACH trying to intimidate or harrass a collegiate player on another team is just not acceptable ( this is not professional sports). I am sure there will be a formal apology issued by McGarity and the Georgia Athletic Department condeming this kind of sleazy behavior by one of it’s top coaches. If he coached his team to play better defense against an offense that could only muster 7 points against Miss St then he would have to resort to such outlandish antics to intimidate a kid trying to kick a field goal. I guess he is so desperate that he will do whatever it take to win. Again the really sad thing here is that most of you either condone, deflect or argue the issue. You all are a sorry bunch.
Chihl Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:29 am
I can’t believe the mod. on this board will let everybody trash UGA but won’t let me respond to them.3 posts deleted in 5 minutes. Agenda?
Spoon
November 2nd, 2010
8:30 am
Who cares if he said choke?! You reporters are so pious when it comes to the realities of competitive sports that you believe that there is no intended nastiness between schools like UGA and Florida. Who cares that he was calling the kicker to choke, maybe you ought to look around at the fan base that was screaming even louder and more violently for him to choke. Seriously, do you not have a story and you have to find something to talk about, or do you normally pick up on stuff being shoveled out of Florida? I’ll say this, the game is meant to be rough and played with a fierceness that is designed to screw with someones head, lay off the guy for simply being the persona that needs to be there for a defensive cordinator.
poopdawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:30 am
That was obviously Richt’s hand telling Grantham his defense is crappy!GO DAWGS
DDF's
November 2nd, 2010
8:32 am
No real big deal, it didn’t work. A shame that $750,000 a year coach has to result to stupid hand gestures in an attempt to psyche out an opposing player. Pathetic. Leghumpers have gone from being the most delusional fan base to the most desperate. Congrats. Again, it did not work, the young man stroked the kick and Grantham is left to choke on it.
still a Dawgs fan
November 2nd, 2010
8:33 am
really, are you expecting him to not want the guy to choke?
Non-news…..boring!!!!
niceheadslap
November 2nd, 2010
8:34 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owg9kT5xTmU
Buzzhater
November 2nd, 2010
8:35 am
Schultz, ur an idiot, and ur just like your namesake, that fat guard on hogans hero’s. who cares if CTG gives a kid the choke sign, did it hurt his feelings? what did the kicker think CTG should have come out on the field and given him a few words of encouragement? what are you Schultz, a competition Liberal? “oh we should all be winners!” yea that’s just what we need in sports, and for those of you who say “it’s in bad taste” well it’s not intended to be in “good taste” when a 245lbs Linebacker slobber knocks a running back is it?
if there is a dumbArse award in life, Schultzie you don’t just deserve it, you OWN it.
RW
November 2nd, 2010
8:37 am
07 dancing on field 09 stupid uniform changes 2010 classless coach pathetic pathetic pathetic
Snake Doc
November 2nd, 2010
8:37 am
Who cares if he is or isn’t! Much ado about nothing. The mental midget Schultz has nothing else to write about so he decides to stir up a little controversy. The AJC is a fish wrapper and its writers should be working as fish mongers, lord knows they don’t have any actual talent for writing!
DOG GONE SOUR
November 2nd, 2010
8:39 am
I heard Lane Kiffin is ready to come back to the SEC !!! He would fit right in with yall !!! As UGA VIII would say thats embarrasing !!!
Charlottedawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:40 am
Schultz…..you need to be fired for even giving creedence to this crap. Meyer reinstates a charged felon to play in the game…..and all you can do is drum up some sketchy video of Grantham giving a choke sign to a kicker…..so what? Why is that supposed to be disconcerting? You know what’s probably being yelled on that field amongst the players? And please don’t say that a “Coach” shouldn’t display his emotions on the sideline……a “Coach” shouldn’t reinstate a charged felon…..that’s what needs to be discussed…..the worst part is that you write for the AJC….not SunSports….you prick.
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
8:40 am
Sportsmanship….Not at georgia
btw, that was a funny headslap
DDF's
November 2nd, 2010
8:40 am
Grantham was actually mimicking what the new ad did when he found out how much Grantham makes a year to run such a terrible defense. Last laugh is on Grantham, huge payday and he doesn’t even have to produce.
Savannah Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:42 am
Jeff, you remind me of the little girl in third grade who was always being the tattle tail. So what if Grantham was giving the UFAG kicker the choke sign. If you want to compare the morals and integrity of the two coaching staffs, go ahead. In one corner, we have Urban “selective discipline” Meyer who brings back Chris “TTDB” Rainey for the Georgia game because he knows his season is on the line. Then we have the “eye gougeing” line backer last year that Meyer was going to suspend for a whole two quarters against Vanderbilt until somebody convinced him to make it the whole game. Too bad you don’t work in Gainsville. You’d last about two weeks before Saint Urban would be banning you from practice while telling you you’re a “very bad person.”
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
8:43 am
Grantham will be publicly admonished by the new AD at georgia…he has to be…heck maybe the SEC will issue a suspension…that would be so right and georgia would be embarassed again…come on SEC office slap georgia for this outrageous behavior..
seriously????
November 2nd, 2010
8:45 am
Seroiusly…seriously???? Schultz, you liberal pansy….Who cares, there is nothing wrong with that….it happens all the time in the NFL and elsewhere…just stir up some more muck you bottom feeder….
Vince Vaughn while stuffing his face with crab cakes
November 2nd, 2010
8:45 am
Class, class, class!
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
November 2nd, 2010
8:45 am
And here is the reason Grantham can be fired and the new head coach can bring in his own staff just saying
GO DAWGS but
tired of waiting for next year
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
8:45 am
and you losers who are defending grantham…i hope you dont have kids
SEC Fan
November 2nd, 2010
8:46 am
Seriously, who wouldn’t tell the kid to choke, it wasn’t like he said to kill the kid. He did flip him the bird or anything. Anyone who makes a big deal of this has no passion for the game anyway. My wife doesn’t understand me yelling at the TV, but I love the game and UGA. As far as the posts downgrading UGA, please….GET A LIFE…every school has moments….at least he has passion for the game a desire to win.
DOG GONE SOUR
November 2nd, 2010
8:47 am
Chas Henry you DA Man !!! Way to go !!! Sorry you had to see a coach act like a 13 year old !!!
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
November 2nd, 2010
8:47 am
JUST FINDING SOMETHING ELSE TO CRITICIZE UGA WITH….WORTHLESS….
jtdawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:48 am
Gator Mike = Class
The rest of you? Why are you here? Oh yeah, to be classless – go spend time on your OWN teams blogs and have some dignity -oops, you have none…
JW
November 2nd, 2010
8:51 am
Fire them all – Bobo and Grantham first
Mr. Bulldawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:51 am
You want a spin on it. Here is a spin on it for you classless gator fans. I’m glad we finally got somebody on our sidelines with a little intensity and understands this rivalry. I guess you don’t remember your thug linebacker shoving his hand in our running backs facemask. If you want to cry about a guy getting a little intense then stay home in your trailor.
jbeggs
November 2nd, 2010
8:51 am
Non-story and surprised Pat is making a big deal of it. I’m as conservative as it gets but this is nothing. How about Meyer calling a timeout late in the 4th a year or two back with a 40 pt lead? Give me a break!!
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
November 2nd, 2010
8:52 am
USC GAMEC0CK:
THIS IS PROBABLY A FIRING SQUAD OFFENSE….SCULTZ WILL LET US KNOW WHEN THE FIRING SQUAD WILL BE PUT IN PLACE….AFTER LISTENING TO COACH SPURRIER MAKE HIS LITTLE COMMENTS THROUGH THE YEARS (HE ONLY MAKES THEM WHEN HE WINS ONE HE DIDN’T THINK HE WAS GONNA WIN), THIS IS A LOT TO DO ABOUT NOTHING….I AM SURE SCULTZIE WILL WORK THIS STORY UNTIL AT LEAST THURSDAY OR FRIDAY….SCULTZIE, HOW HAVE THE JAYHAWKS DONE SINCE THEIR PASTING OF TECH….HAVEN’T HEARD A LOT OF REPORTING ON THAT GAME……
NoAxeToGrind
November 2nd, 2010
8:53 am
What does anyone care? At least he’s in the game. More than you can say for the “so-called” head coach and his dumb a$$ offensive coordinator. I doubt Grantham will last long with Rev. Richt. Grantham probably wants to win too badly.
David
November 2nd, 2010
8:53 am
Who cares?? It’s not like he tried to gouge sombody’s eye out!
fan for life
November 2nd, 2010
8:55 am
this is not news…move on and get over it.
James
November 2nd, 2010
8:56 am
Such a class act in Athens.
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
November 2nd, 2010
8:57 am
JW:
450 YARDS OFFENSE, 31 POINTS…..CALLED A GREAT GAME AND YOU WANT HIM FIRED….YOU MUST REALLY BE A PIECE OF WORK….YOU ARE LIKE THE “FANS” THAT WANTED PATERNO FIRED AT PENN STATE, AND YES THERE WERE SOME ALABAMA FANS WHO WANTED TO GET RID OF COACH BRYANT, THE BEST WHO HAS EVER BEEN, AFTER BACK TO BACK 6-5 SEASONS….IF IT COULD HAPPEN TO COACH BRYANT, IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYBODY….
johnsonDAWG
November 2nd, 2010
8:57 am
If coach grantham did, do the choke sign to any player, he needs to be fired. Ga. has enough problems with ower players. We don’t need ower coaches setting that kind example……
Andy
November 2nd, 2010
8:58 am
Every non-UGA fan that runs into this thing just sits back and smiles, knowing that well over 1,000 UGA fans flooded to this blog in blind attack mode with no leg to stand on. Don’t worry guys, when your season is over later this month, there will still be AJC blogs to comment on.
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
8:59 am
and for you defenders of grantham…if you do have kids…HOME SCHOOL THEM…dont make us suffer their gross behavior
i bet you defenders of grantham are the same adults who curse at little league and threaten the coaches…that is not passion or desire to win…that is an out of control idiot who should be banned and grantham should be banned too
NCAA football
November 2nd, 2010
9:00 am
Such a sad display by Grantham. Slinging F bombs and the choke sign at an 18 year old kid. Classless jerk which adds to why UGa is called the Cesspool of the South. Now you’ve got the Head Coach lying on his show last night saying it was a play call. Seriouisly? You can’t make this stuff up. You people sticking up for Grantham get what you deserve. You are an embarrassment to College Football. Grantham is low rent. Time for McGarity to clean house.
Gators for Richt
November 2nd, 2010
9:01 am
Thanks for the bulletin board material, Grantham! Please keep it coming!!