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
azdawg
November 2nd, 2010
1:17 pm
If that ahole, dumb, sob Grantham put more pressure on FL’s O he wouldn’t be caught in that embarrassing choke sign.
Now Richt, you kicked what arguably may have been the best QB off the team for pinching some gal on the butt lets see what y’all do to your lousey DC for an unforgiveable act of bad sportsmanship.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 2nd, 2010
1:18 pm
Everyone does need to let this go, but coaches do need to show more class. Grantham’s action were an act of desperation, and were to no avail. The kicker nailed it, 18 of 21, move on.
Did Georgia coach give kicker “choke” sign? | ChuckOliver.Net
November 2nd, 2010
1:20 pm
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2010/11/01/did-grantham-give-florida-kicker-the-choke-sign/ [...]
Top Recruit
November 2nd, 2010
1:24 pm
Sort of like last year when the unnamed Florida player decided to reach thru the face mask and poke Ealey in the eyes. What was that about. That was on the field of play with the intent to injury a player. TG is on the sideline and who knows maybe a sandflea or gnat could have been annoying him. Go ahead UF and speculate. You won the game it might be best to let dawgs lay.
gatorsforcmr
November 2nd, 2010
1:27 pm
From John Kincaid at 680theFan…(btw, Kincaid supports Richt and blasts UGA fans who think he should be gone)
CHOKE SIGNS? From a Georgia Coach to a Florida player?
That probably is the most ironic part of this whole story. There is NO disputing the video that clearly shows Todd Grantham taunting the Florida kicker. Even if we could just ignore the childish and unprofessional nature of the action, it speaks to a bigger issue…discipline! How can the Georgia coaches demand the players to be disciplined when they don’t display those behaviors themselves? That is truly a low moment in what has been a year full of them. Could you ever imagine Mark Richt doing something like that? I would say confidently that it would never happen. So it begs the question as to whether he will choose to tolerate it from his top assistant? I would expect Coach to speak out against such bush league behavior. I would also think that it makes him wonder just how out of control the program has become?
http://www.680thefan.com/blogs/kincade.php
Bully Bully
November 2nd, 2010
1:28 pm
I can clearly see that he is saying, “I SAY!! EXCUSE ME , I SAY!! DOES ANYONE OVER THERE ON THE FLORIDA SIDELINE HAVE A THROAT LOZENGE?”
drew
November 2nd, 2010
1:35 pm
You people are a bunch of do gooders, who in actuality are no better than me or todd grantham. Wether or no he did the chocke sign towards florida is none of our business. I saw nothing wrong with any of that. As far as I’m concerned is he was calling a play to choke out the opposition. Find something else to complain about, don’t tare down a mans character about. He wasn’t ranting on the post game conference, he wasn’t doing drugs or beating his wife, and he was shooting a bird to urban myer. We are far more problems to deal with than that . Get off your high horses and get over it dawg nation.
Red-N-Black
November 2nd, 2010
1:35 pm
Schultz, I’m sure you caught it as I’m sure you have seen this from your editor many times.
woody hayes
November 2nd, 2010
1:39 pm
Total classless for a sideline coach to make this kind of gesture.
I would have gone on the field and slugged him.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
1:39 pm
Shults has lost a major number of readers w/ this blog post. You’re trash that needs to be shipped back to LA and write for the National Enquirer
GT Jake
November 2nd, 2010
1:40 pm
REAL CLASSY UGA!
NICE!
Billy Howard
November 2nd, 2010
1:40 pm
Enter your comments here
Mark "Crimson Crier" Ingram
November 2nd, 2010
1:41 pm
Who cares! What the hell do you think the purpose of calling a timeout before a field goal – to make the kicker choke.
I was just thankful the thugdawgs refrained from their eye-gouging and helmet ripping this year.
AJC SPORTS EDITOR
November 2nd, 2010
1:42 pm
Enter your comments here
AJC SPORTS EDITOR
November 2nd, 2010
1:43 pm
Congratulations Shultzie, I think you have set a
new record for blogs. Come by my office and
let’s discuss your bonus.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
1:43 pm
Yeah they’re called defensive hand signals. We can only hope that he was gesturing to choke the kicker. If he was, which I don’t think he was, but if he did, I say make him head coach. Still doesn’t take away from the fact that this article is a stretch, and Shults is trash.
Bud Weiser
November 2nd, 2010
1:45 pm
He wasn’t directing anything towards the Florida kicker, he was trying to stop the regurgitation from spewing all over Richt and the UGA players who were on the sidelines. After watching this sad lot of players all day, he could not hold it back any longer.
shankit
November 2nd, 2010
1:46 pm
Heck, we tied the Gators.
They just got lucky on the coin toss.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 2nd, 2010
1:46 pm
Dawginlex….any comments? Fries burning again?
PhillyDawg
November 2nd, 2010
1:47 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzg0Ac11gus&feature=player_embedded
If we’re talking class, keep an eye on Tavaris King around 00:27 and watch how the classy gators treat him. Stop whining.
gordonguy
November 2nd, 2010
1:47 pm
At this point, I think the thing to do is just dissolve college football at UGA. Hey, maybe everywhere. I mean, there are tens of thousands of fans yelling “choke,” “you’re no good,” and much, much worse at these 21 year old kids all through the game. I wonder how many of you “fans” on this blog would feel if some of the things you say about the Georgia players (and coaches, by the way) were said about your kids or you…with the same venomous attitude you use. Was it wrong for Grantham to do this? No. Was it over the top? Sure! Was it spur of the moment? Definitely! Was is a “fireable” offense? Give me a stinkin’ break!
dawgdawgdawg
November 2nd, 2010
1:50 pm
For all of you Gator and Tech fans calling this “classless”, let’s not forget that Meyer isn’t exactly an angel. You guys act like he has been king of class in this rivalry.
Speaking of class – how about the 1 Florida fan sitting in my section at the game. During team introductions, he proceeded to tell the elderly UGA fan in front of him that he would let him clap once, but if he did it again, he would beat his @#$%@, and he was not joking. After verbally assaulting the man and his 2 daughters, we had to watch the game with 3 security guards sitting in our section.
Let’s not lecture on class, Florida fans…
SoFLGator
November 2nd, 2010
1:53 pm
Richt admitted that Grantham gave the choke signal today…what’s is the big controversy about? Defensive signals? HAHAHAHAHAHA!
SoFLGator
November 2nd, 2010
1:57 pm
Chins up…hahaha! Good stuff here in the comments section!
College Football Fan
November 2nd, 2010
2:00 pm
If this is all that big a deal then the game itself, any game, becomes truly meaningless. Yeah, that’s it, let’s accentuate, hell let’s worship, the trivial. It’s a freakin’ football game, no more, no less.
BuzztheKiller
November 2nd, 2010
2:00 pm
This is what you get doggie fans when you have a losing program…loser coaches who have no class or restraint.
gatorsforcmr
November 2nd, 2010
2:08 pm
dawgdawgdawg…you’re a liar. If that had happened, the douche you are talking about would have been kicked out of the stadium. There’s enough going on without dumbazzes like yourself making up BS.
GIVE ME A BREAK
November 2nd, 2010
2:10 pm
Great article, Jeff. Can UGA possibly look any dumber?
Yepper
November 2nd, 2010
2:13 pm
You can’t be serious… This can’t be a real NEWS story. Why is the media blowing this up????????
College Dude
November 2nd, 2010
2:14 pm
Really? I mean really???? You want to complain about this?
Why not complain about coaches calling time out to ice the kicker? They are trying to get into the guys head when they call time out, just like they are trying to get in his head by suggesting that he’s going to choke when he looks over to their sideline.
You must be extremely naive to think that no other college coach has tried to get into the head of another teams kicker with the game on the line.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 2nd, 2010
2:16 pm
Jeff, keep’em coming and great reporting integrity. Plenty of cross-reference and backup to confirm Grantham’s actions. He is now the Woody Hayes of College Football.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 2nd, 2010
2:19 pm
PhillyDawg
Tend to agree with you on your comment on Tavares King, that was tacky by Florida and hats off to Tavares King for not quitting. What Tavares did could have been a game changer and I admire his determination. However, coaches need to take a higher road.
Brodie13
November 2nd, 2010
2:23 pm
LMAO @ all the UGA-LY fans whining this year… your school and team are a cesspool. “Classy” could never be used to describe a “dawg”. Just accept it.
College Dude
November 2nd, 2010
2:30 pm
Sounds to me like the writers at AJC are getting nervous that the Dawgs might just be a lot better defensively under Grantham, especially after they get to recruit players who actually fit the system rather than just trying to make the ones already there adjust. They see that the quality of D coaching is much improved and they had better nip it in the bud before it’s too late to stop UGA’s improvements.
shankit
November 2nd, 2010
2:34 pm
Chas Henry should have taken up golf.
reebok
November 2nd, 2010
2:36 pm
grantham is pathetic.
shankit
November 2nd, 2010
2:36 pm
No more choke signs.
No more cow bells.
No more waves by the spectators
No more slugging players on the sideline by the coaches.
No more waving towels during free throws, at pitchers, etc.
No more chastising officials.
Can’t wait for the Masters so I can see Tiger do his fist
pump at an opponent.
bye richt
November 2nd, 2010
2:37 pm
just showing the emotion richt is lacking
gatorsforcmr
November 2nd, 2010
2:38 pm
Phillydawg
What was in that video was outrageous. We have two #58’s and I can’t tell which it was. I am not 100% sure, but it sure as hell looks like an intentional cheap shot on King and, if so, he’s a POS and I hope the son of a b1tch has to run every bleacher seat in BHG stadium this week.
priorities
November 2nd, 2010
2:40 pm
Too bad this many people can’t get fired up about something meaningful in life.
GaDawgs7
November 2nd, 2010
2:41 pm
LOL, Jeff, you choke four times a column, so what are you saying? Oh, ok, the kicker saw a big ole bad coach signaling a choke. Guess if he had missed it, he would have had years of therapy and probably would have never gotten over it! It could have just been his impersonation of Chris Rainey.
Gatorman
November 2nd, 2010
2:46 pm
Gators… win #18 out of last 21 vs. UGA!
Hey Jaw-ja what have you done for your fans lately?
HAPPYDOG
November 2nd, 2010
2:49 pm
it’s a hand signal for play calling… he does it all game long…
Darth Gator
November 2nd, 2010
2:50 pm
IMHO, UGA’s never gonna beat Florida until they dance again. Be happy with your mediocrity. Not angry like this idiot. This instance is just another reason why UGA can never make it to the top this century. High talent on the field. Low class on the sidelines. Florida reloads. UGA retreads. Go Gators!
18-3
November 2nd, 2010
2:55 pm
More low class stuff from the university of football! They just never learn. In 2011—it will be some new kind of taunt.
Jonah2285
November 2nd, 2010
2:55 pm
Todd Grantham just moved up FOUR notches in my book!
pat
November 2nd, 2010
2:57 pm
What do you expect from a mark richt run program. Didn’t he get his start at FSU? and now he is bringing that to Georgia, maybe it is time to bring some class back to UGA.
Georgia Was the Better Team
November 2nd, 2010
2:58 pm
Florida just got lucky in that game when murray thew the bad passes. UGA was much better. Florida will lose to usc and fsu and go to worse bowl than Georgia—book it.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
2:59 pm
Well there’s no love lost. I can honestly say that UF is the only SEC school that I refuse to pull for, and I don’t care if they’re playing Biose State for the National Championship. And further, I drop those Gator resumes in the trash as a matter of routine. Gators, I truly hate them, and I don’t want any around me.
helmet head
November 2nd, 2010
3:00 pm
Jeff you usually have good insight and judgement but it’s time to move on.