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
guydog
November 2nd, 2010
10:55 am
Athens isn’t Tallahassee…we would have to actually beat UF once in a while to be Tallahassee…
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
10:55 am
Jeff Schultz is trash
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
10:56 am
Did you hear? Jeff Schultz is white trash.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
10:58 am
Jeff “White Trash” Schultz. Hey, that has a good ring to it.
atljad
November 2nd, 2010
10:58 am
This is such a non-issue. Move on. I’m betting it was a defensive call, but if not, who cares?
hangman
November 2nd, 2010
11:00 am
The man had his hand on his throat! What is everyone trying to read into this? Certainly the Fla kicker wasn’t looking for a sign from the GA side! If it was a sign for the D, I don’t think anyone would run up to the kicker in time to choke him before the kick? So what’s the big deal?????????
Did Grantham give Florida kicker the ‘choke’ sign? (VIDEO: Yes, he did: FOUR … – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) by Free Conference Call Services
November 2nd, 2010
11:01 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
11 Arrests 4 Wins
November 2nd, 2010
11:02 am
CPO
Try again, Chris Rainey charges dropped. No such thing for punk, hoodlum, over-rated running back King.
UGA rap sheet
November 2nd, 2010
11:04 am
I’m a Tech fan, but this is a non-issue. Sure it’s a little rude and unsportsman-like, but given the state of big-time college football (i.e., corrupt), it’s minor.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
11:05 am
Oh yeah. Jeff Schulltz is trash
hangman
November 2nd, 2010
11:05 am
AJC writers start more junk writings than necessary. They will do anything to sell newspapers or involve readers. They along with all the immature children out there need to spend more time playing their board games and leave all the rumor starting to the girls.
WTL: Did Grantham give choke sign to Florida kicker | From The Bench
November 2nd, 2010
11:06 am
[...] are some interesting comments on a blog entry as well as the video of the incident, audio of an interview with Henry and [...]
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
11:07 am
Erm, Schultz is trash
DILLIGAF
November 2nd, 2010
11:08 am
11 Arrests 4 Wins:
Charges dropped against Rainey, because the girlfriend didn’t want to press charges. Probably, because she was afrid that he might actually go through with his threat.
King had an unpaid ticket, Einstein.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
11:10 am
Shultz, you know this kinda crap pisses me off. What, you moron? You never seen coaches give signs to players? Who knows what it means. This is Natioinal Enquirer type reporting. This total BS on your part, you poor excuse for a “journalist.” Up till now you’ve written decent articles, but this has changed my perception of you. You are a piece of dirt.
Another Atlanta Gator
November 2nd, 2010
11:11 am
Very classy, Coach Grantham – way to set an example for your players. Isn’t this supposed to be a college football game? Shows how ineffective this defensive coordinator is, because he has to stoop this low and THIS didn’t even work! The back-up PUNTER (not even our starting kicker) was still successful, despite his antics. Go Gators!
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
11:12 am
Gators suck and oh yeah, Schultz is trash.
11 Arrests 4 Wins
November 2nd, 2010
11:14 am
DILLIGAF
That’s right, at THUG-U, everything’s OK if you’re a football playuh. You moron.
dan
November 2nd, 2010
11:14 am
Definitely a fireable offense. What message are you sending to the kids with this juvenile behavior??
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
11:15 am
The last article I ever read from Jeff Schultz, the trashiest reporter working in journalism
Mary
November 2nd, 2010
11:16 am
SO WHAT??????????????????
What a nothing topic-if this is as good as it gets, just don’t write anything!
Way to go, Coach Grantham!!!!!
Tech Engineer
November 2nd, 2010
11:17 am
Georgia should fire grantham on the spot for this embarrassing, low class behavior. He came from the nfl with all those thugs and attitudes and is bringing the same trash to uga. A new low point in athens.
Breakdown
November 2nd, 2010
11:17 am
Its obvious he is talking to the defense about their play all night!
Breakdown
November 2nd, 2010
11:17 am
or season.
Scooter
November 2nd, 2010
11:17 am
Who cares?
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
11:18 am
I am now dumber after having read your artilce, Schultz, you piece of trash
Sugg Id
November 2nd, 2010
11:21 am
It was a classless move. No other way to spin it. Grantham should know better and should apologize publically. The irony is Florida fans are probably the only fans with no right to complain. Their HEAD coach puts an entirely new definition on the term classless.
DILLIGAF
November 2nd, 2010
11:22 am
11 Arrests 4 Wins:
You’re obviously a GT putz, shouldn’t you be on the phone ordering your tickets for ComicCon rather than being on a football blog flapping your diarrhea hole about something that you have no clue about?
WJH
November 2nd, 2010
11:24 am
What did you expect? Civility, Sportsmanship, Maturity? We are talking about the University of Georgia, the one with all of the players that get arrested. The state that always voted for Bush, and Sonny Perdue. This not the State it use to be, and UGA is not what it use to be; when Hershal ran the ball and Erk ran the defense. When Jimmy Carter was our Govonor or when our school systems were rated higher.
This is Georgia – Redneck, tasteless and crass and getting worse!
Spurrier
November 2nd, 2010
11:25 am
Grantham is an assclown. The angrier he gets, the more you get burned. What a great year this has been. I get to watch clemmers and the arrogant jackasses from uga go into full meltdown mode. Good luck against Idaho St. Tech or whatever. You might need it.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
11:25 am
Nothing to see here, only Schultz’s white trash mug at the top of the page. Don’t read the article or risk loosing a few IQ points…
LHardingDawg
November 2nd, 2010
11:26 am
Who gives a damn!!!!!
Mary
November 2nd, 2010
11:28 am
WJH – That would be governor and Jimmy Carter was awful. Did you learn to spell in his wonder school system???
buck
November 2nd, 2010
11:32 am
I hope the emotions of the coach carries over to the players. Eric Russel would be a outcast in the news today because he coached with a firedup attitude. Urban is the biggest baby in coaching today no class never misses a chance to run up the score.
Jeff is a professional?
November 2nd, 2010
11:32 am
Jeff, why don’t you cover urban meyer doing the gator chomp towards the GA fans? Are you that biased against the Dawgs? Can’t wait to hear when you are added to the unemployment percentages.
11 Arrests 4 Wins
November 2nd, 2010
11:32 am
Dilli
Brainless wonder, you need to get YOUR facts straight loser…your boy Caleb was A-R-R-E-S-T-E-D for “Failure to Appear” in court. What did this brilliant GA punk think was going to happen to his ticket, just miraculously go away?
No wonder your school is such an embarrassement.
So put that, in your “diarrhea hole” and puff on it. LOL!
Grantham Rules
November 2nd, 2010
11:33 am
I heard Grantham’s wife wear’s red panties but his girlfriend wears black thong panties—is that acceptable?
WJH
November 2nd, 2010
11:33 am
No I made a key stroke error – I was educated in the School System when we were at least in the top 35 states. Jimmy Carter was honest, won a Nobel peace prize and still interacts on behalf of our citizens today. What are your Republican ex Presidents doing? Jimmy is enjoying a long productive happy life; blessed are the peacemakers.
Cosmo
November 2nd, 2010
11:35 am
He is just demonstrating how to pick up UGA.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
11:38 am
Don’t forget, Schultz is trash
Mary
November 2nd, 2010
11:39 am
WJH-Oh, brother…the Nobel Peace Prize means so much – not!
Top 35? Is that good?
And I am conservative. Thanks for noticing.
AMEN BUCK!
Bad Dog 2010
November 2nd, 2010
11:40 am
He was probably telling his defense that he was going to ring their necks if they didn’t block it. Not sure why uga doesn’t try and block field goals or punts anymore?
GADAWG88
November 2nd, 2010
11:40 am
I think this is great. About time some of our coaches show some serious emotion. I love it! I wish our OC had the same intensity as our DC.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 2nd, 2010
11:45 am
Jeff, first of all thanks for the truthful article and the fact you have confirmed that UGA is a trashy/classless program, with the defensive coordinator giving the choke size.
UGA epitomizes everything that can go wrong with a football program. Grantham knew he was going to get beat by Meyer, and made a classless and desperate move.
All these UGA homies are attempting to defend Grantham and this horrible staff, and he has admitted guilt by not answering any questions regarding his gesture. Again, thanks for being objective Jeff.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 2nd, 2010
11:46 am
Here is a wonderful article in ESPN today, a major and professional media outlet, who recognizes a professional and classy program. Everyone enjoy…
http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/16294/gators-pride-rises-to-the-top
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 2nd, 2010
11:48 am
Florida is a superior program.
Oregon is a superior program.
Texas is a superior program.
South Carolina is a superior program.
LSU is a superior program.
Alabama is a much is a superior program.
MSU is a superior program.
TCU is a superior program.
Boise is a superior program.
OU is a superior program.
Nebraska is a superior program.
TX Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
11:49 am
Get a life man! Who cares. If he was giving a choke sign – big deal. When I played football that would be considered very mild. Stop being obsessed with political correctness and be a man. Also, start focusing on real stories instead of gestures assistant coaches make on the sideline. Also, why would I listen to a man that wears EMO glasses in the first place?
Shannon
November 2nd, 2010
11:50 am
Who cares I would have been doing the same thing. Its part of the game, what is the difference in that and those stupid cow bells.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 2nd, 2010
11:50 am
Here is a quote from ESPN regarding Meyer and Florida, let me share:
“But the elite programs have a way of making a stand when they absolutely need one, and when conventional wisdom says they’re closer to being an average team than a great team.”
Here is another one:
Let’s face it. The Gators have recruited well enough the past few years that they were never going to be down for very long.
“But with a trip to Vanderbilt this week and the showdown with South Carolina looming on Nov. 13 in the Swamp, Florida has a chance to pull this season out of the flames.”
Let me translate for you UGA fans…Florida will only get better and better, then they will continue to dominate you.
Bigdawg8
November 2nd, 2010
11:50 am
Get a life Schultz! Looks like he’s calling a defensive set to me? If he wasn’t calling a play then how dare he taunt the other team and hurt their sensitive feelings.