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
SECWasteManagement
November 2nd, 2010
4:13 pm
I just want to know why the AJC is allowing this blogging to continue. They should have just posted it but not allowed comments. What is being accomplished by 1,450 + comments of people bashing each other?
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
4:13 pm
I repeat look at the average SAT and entrance GPAs and get back to me.
Dawgpaw
November 2nd, 2010
4:14 pm
Are you really looking for something to write about. I don’t care if he told him his momma is choking. Get a real job or find something of note to write about. You must be as bored as the Athens police department. We are talking football here, not kindergarden. How bout some real storylines, like did Urban shave before the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tigerfan
November 2nd, 2010
4:15 pm
Dawgfan -
No true professional would equate athletics to academics. I graduated from AU and UGA (Law) and work for one of the major firms in Atlanta (the one in the Batman building). I can honestly say, some of the least prepared undergrads we interview are from UGA (note I have a degree from there). Best prepared we see are Clemson, Tech, Vanderbilt, UT, UF, and Alabama – that is a well known fact. Note also I didn’t include Auburn.
You are a complete twit. I doubt most UF grads wouldn’t want to work for a company that would let a short-sided moron make any sort of hiring decisions. (Which I doubt is really the case) You represent what is the problem with most UGA fans – completely delusional. You do realize UGA football hasn’t been relevant on the national scene in almost 30 years?
Sarah11
November 2nd, 2010
4:16 pm
I believe you. I think that UGA is an excellent school as well. I never said that it wasn’t. I just showed you the rankings that they are not “so much better” than UF as you claim.
Dawgfan
November 2nd, 2010
4:21 pm
UGA:
Admissions Data (2009)
GPA 3.80
•SAT Critical Reading: 560 / 660
•SAT Math: 570 / 660
•SAT Writing: 560 / 660
UF:
•GPA 3.62
•SAT Critical Reading: 560 / 670
•SAT Math: 580 / 690
Jessie
November 2nd, 2010
4:22 pm
What’s wrong with yelling for the other team to miss it?
Nothing.
SECWasteManagement
November 2nd, 2010
4:23 pm
When higher grades at UGA start meaning more wins for them, then I will care.
Tigerfan
November 2nd, 2010
4:26 pm
Dawgfan -
The state of Georgia allows state funded education to basically teach students how score the highest possible on the SAT from grade school on. I wouldn’t put to much stock into entrance requirements, they are artificially inflated due to our states education strategy. If you look at a certain state to the north who requires the ACT instead of SAT, Georgia students score on average 5 points lower than other out of state students. Published facts. You are probably to ignorant to understand any of this, if you were actually in HR you would probably already know this.
Father of 2 college students
November 2nd, 2010
4:29 pm
Let me see! By law a man becomes a man at 18. He no longer is the responsibility of his mother or his father. How many men in IRAQ or other military theaters are over concerned with someone holding there own throat and shouting some colorfull metaphor. Henry beleive it or not is out there making a living. He is being paid for his efforts. If he was attached it would be one thing but he was not. Maybe the football fans of today need to become some other fans. Or maybe it is not the left leaning media but the mental changes that have turned our young men from being able to know the difference between a phyical threat and some cheap verbal chant. Maybe you need to grow up.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 2nd, 2010
4:30 pm
GT football player courses of study from their Personal Bios:
42 Mgt, 2 Ind Eng, 2 Historty, Sci, Tech, 1 Biochem, 3 Biology, 1 Ele Eng, 1 Econ, 2 Sociology, 2 Arch, 5 Mech Eng, 2 Bio Tech, 6 Civil Eng, 2 Areo Space Eng, 3 Comp Sic, 1 Earth & Atmospherical Sci, 1 Build Const, 1 Physics
gatorsforcmr
November 2nd, 2010
4:32 pm
dawgfan…throw out the GPA’s. A GPA in GA, ranked at the bottom of the nation for public schools, does not necessarily compare to one in FL. And I live in GA.
Go to the stat that is comparable.
Avg combined UGA SAT – 1130-1320
Avg combined UF SAT – 1140-1360
So what exactly is the point you are trying to make…besides that you cannot add?
Both are excellent schools, you attended neither and are just a common tool.
Scott
November 2nd, 2010
4:34 pm
if a player does that, it’s a 15 yard penalty. the refs should have moved the ball up 15 yards.
Chomper
November 2nd, 2010
4:35 pm
Father of two college morons – maybe you should put down the crack pipe and type something that makes a smidgen of sense. Let me guess, those two college students are the first to go to college or for that matter complete 12th grade in your family.
Chomper
November 2nd, 2010
4:35 pm
Father of two college morons – maybe you should put down the crack pipe and type something that makes a smidgen of sense. Let me guess, those two college students are the first to go to college or for that matter complete 12th grade in your family.
The Muslim Hammer
November 2nd, 2010
4:35 pm
If you don’t want to be heckled go play golf, sissy.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 2nd, 2010
4:36 pm
Dawgfan
High scores on teast? Well, just look what being a 4 year drunk does to those scores. UGA the Party school. We want to be the TEACHERS of your CHILDREN after 4 years of being DRUNK and BRAIN DEAD for most of my classes. Mommy and Daddy please let me MENTOR your children. I am a great person when I can stand upright and not have a drunk Frat boy laying on top of me.
UGA Not Elite Program
November 2nd, 2010
4:40 pm
Who cares?
If UGA was an elite program like UF, Texas, Bama, or OSU then it would be a big story. Not sure why little brother is getting so much attention.
Chomper
November 2nd, 2010
4:41 pm
God there are some pathetic individuals on here. Academics? Let’s talk about something that really matters. Dawgfan – you haven’t had much poon have you? Tell the truth, you are poon-challenged like most of your UGA lovin tub bellied friends.
georgedawg
November 2nd, 2010
4:44 pm
Jeff the biggest pity is that we have you and bradley as our sports columnist. You are classless and talentless. The reason the AJC subscriptions are tanking is you, Bradley and Tucker. How do you spin the hemoraging that’s going on with the AJC?
Bad year for the dawgs- many close loses. Of course, we have a freshman as QB and a new defense.
Why not write about how many points it’s worth to Florida to play in Jacksonville and for them to have the week off before. That has happenned many times over the last 20 years. All the credit to Florida, it’s coaches and players for the outstanding teams they’re had. We may not have won anymore games but I feel we would have one a few more if we had fair scheduling. It is an unfair advantage for Florida the way it works now.
Captain
November 2nd, 2010
4:50 pm
As a University of Georgia alum, supporter, contributor and season ticket holder for over 30 years, I am disappointed that we would have a man in a position of responsibility acting like a punk. Classless, simply classless. No excuses from this Georgia supporter.
J
November 2nd, 2010
4:52 pm
Let us not forget that Meyer reinstated that stalker/criminal, Chris “You gonna die, b|tch” Rainey to the team for this game, just so UF could get the W.
Did Grantham threaten to kill anyone? No.
Meyer sold his soul to the devil.
ronald
November 2nd, 2010
4:54 pm
i did the choke sign 40 times before he kicked. WHAT SHOULD I HAVE DONE-ASKED THE GOOD LORD TO MAKE HIM MISS.?
Jessie
November 2nd, 2010
4:59 pm
I don’t see how a coach, trying to yell, so that the opposing team missed a field goal, is a BAD thing?
That’s what he should have been doing.
A dad
November 2nd, 2010
5:03 pm
What did you expect from UGA, something with class?
Glockmeister
November 2nd, 2010
5:06 pm
I tried to submit a response to this silly blog yesterday, but it probably did not pass the “sensitivity” standard for this writer. Instead of going away with the realization this is a “dud ” issue, this fool continues to try making something out of it. I have an idea. Jeff, why don’t you start a crusade with demonstrations, etc., to force the SEC to offer finger-food brunches after each game with both teams and coaches required to attend so that everyone will have warm and fuzzy feelings about each other. GET REAL and write about something relevant.
Steve "The King" Spurrier
November 2nd, 2010
5:11 pm
Completely representative of the current state of Georgia athletics.
Dan
November 2nd, 2010
5:14 pm
Wow the real sad thing is this generated over 1400 posts!!! Seriously for something this patently obvious. And I thought the political blogs were contentious.
Newnan Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
5:18 pm
Jeff you’re an idiot!! I don’t know how you are even allowed to write about sports when you probably never good at sports and all the kids made fun of you! Do us all a favor and leave the sports writing to guys who know about sports and played sports
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
5:21 pm
Shultz generally you are a smart-ass but you hit the nail on the head with this one…this thing has gone viral and even dawginlex has proabably seen it…
no matter what, please keep grantham as DC….I have never like the georgia defense better than when USC whipped the dawgs in Columbia this year.
SEC lunch links | SportsTalk South
November 2nd, 2010
5:24 pm
[...] Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham give Florida kicker Chas Henry the choke sign? Looking at the video, it appears he might have … four [...]
Richt downplays Grantham’s choke sign | SportsTalk South
November 2nd, 2010
5:24 pm
[...] as Florida’s Chas Henry was about to kick the game-winning 37-yard field goal in overtime was indeed a choke sign. Georgia coach Mark Richt acknowledged as much Tuesday during his weekly press conference, [...]
SoFLGator
November 2nd, 2010
5:26 pm
Dawgfan,
It’s unbelievable how unprofessional it is to remove a resume from consideration just because of the school they graduated from. I hope, for the sake of the company that you work for, you are just blowing smoke. Here’s an article from the Wall St Journal is which job recruiters ranked the quality of graduates from various schools…UF is ranked #9, Ga Tech is ranked #7, Georgia is not in the Top 25. The facts do not back up your claims.
SoFLGator
November 2nd, 2010
5:27 pm
Link:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704554104575435563989873060.html
Falcon228
November 2nd, 2010
5:28 pm
Jeff, who cares any more. This is the most embarassing game for the last three UGA coaches. It seems they need to get a coach that or for that matter a whole new staff that can win. Vince Dooleys’ teams beat UF year after year. It seems Michael Adams can’t find anyone that can put in the time and effort to find a winner. UGA deservers it.
scott brooker
November 2nd, 2010
6:00 pm
He was thinking about the gt yellow jackets in bowl games.
King Gator
November 2nd, 2010
6:02 pm
Stay classy Dawgs! funny, he’s the one that choked all day.. 34 pts to one of the most average Gator teams in the past 15 years. Stay Classy. Go Gators!
USC GAMEC0CK
November 2nd, 2010
6:08 pm
Richt probably told grantham to do a choke dance so people wont be bashing me for losing the game….
i guess it worked cuz we are all outraged over his punk behavior….but we at USC still like his defense regardless
College Professor
November 2nd, 2010
6:11 pm
Oh, so now you’re concerned about what 40 year old men say about 20 year old athletes. Jeff how old are you & Mark Bradley? You seem to be fine with calling some of these 20 yr. old athletes thugs & criminals in print . Is inappropriate behavior by 40 year old men just wrong on the field?
Fla Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
6:31 pm
Give me a break! So what?!? I could honestly give a rats azzz, it just shows me Grantham wanted this one really badly. Ok maybe he let his emotions get the best of him for a minute but I can assure you Richt wont let it happen again. This is blown way out of proportion. As for classless(King Gator)?!?! How dare any gator fan get on here and talk about this being classless. Where we’re those gator fans when Spikes tried to freaking blind Ealy last year and only served a half game suspension?!?!? Talk about classless….Point being, this is a very intense emotional game and sometimes emotions just get the best of us. Move on!
As for the GAME, this was one of the more heartbreaking losses that I can remember for bulldawg nation. With that being said I did see a lot of good out there. Aaron Murray is special and will be a big time SEC quarterback, Chris Durham is a warrior he played his heart out and I am darn proud to have him represent bulldawg nation, defense still has some kinks to work out but over all I thought they played good enough for us to win. I felt as if turnovers and a few special team mistakes put the defense is bad situations. We can’t win the SEC but we can still make a bowl and that is absolutely crucial for this program. Despite the bad year I will always bleed red and black.
LFG Dawgs!!!!
EB
November 2nd, 2010
6:32 pm
Let me get this straight, our not so solid coach is now getting grief for using the choke sign on television but the kicker he does it to, goes out on the middle of the field after he makes said kick and simulates a sexual gesture by thrusting his pelvic area towards the bulldawg fans (also while the camera’s were rolling) and he get’s absolutely no grief for that!! That is why this series is such a joke at this point. The Florida team seems to get all the calls and all the breaks, while the the Georgia boys are treated like jack-holes and they wondered why we celebrated so wildly in the endzone that one year. I’m sick of it all, at this point.
hank childers
November 2nd, 2010
6:34 pm
one of the dumbest articles i’ve ever seen. must be a slow news day. not offensive at all. i’m a bama fan, and I’d rather have my coach do something like this (that harms no one) than have him teach his players to chop block, and body slam opponents on their head, and make vicious head to head hits (no, of course i’m not talking about you – auburn). just dumb. paul finebaum is on his radio show over here in b’ham acting like this guy is the second coming of hitler. what a joke. you people need to get a life. all the guy did was show that he wanted the kicker to choke and miss the kick. just like what every other georgia fan (and usc fan) was thinking at the same time. so is it just as bad to think it too? let’s crucify all georgia fans then.
Fla Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
6:40 pm
HAHA and USC “Gamecock” wants to talk about choking? South Carolina is the ultimate choke artist of the SEC! Yea yea USC got the best of us this year but that doesn’t hide that fact the UGA owns USC and as a matter of fact Mark Richt has domiated USC in his tenure with UGA. So you pretty much lose all creditability there with your smirky smart azzz comment….just saying
Lance
November 2nd, 2010
6:40 pm
Are you kidding me? Why is anybody even talking about this? Are you folks that are complaining about this so freakin delusional that you think this stuff doesn’t go on every single game?
Lefty
November 2nd, 2010
6:53 pm
Where did Dawgfan go now that his/her argument about admissions was shown to be garbage? Let’s see, Gators win the game, Gators have higher SAT scores, AND Gators have fewer morons arguing about irrelevant garbage on Shultz’s blog. Maybe UGA needs to hire Junior Harrick back to teach some more rigorous classes and uphold the academic integrity of the university.
Chris
November 2nd, 2010
6:55 pm
Jeff, you’re one of the most classless writers out there and you’re going to preach about class and taste?
Dawg 66
November 2nd, 2010
6:59 pm
Jeff,
I never thought much of you as a sports writter anyway, but to make something out of nothing like this shows how trivial you are. I don’t think he owes an apology to anyone.
So What?
November 2nd, 2010
7:02 pm
Coach Grantham is a man of balls. Deal with it.
hanna
November 2nd, 2010
7:02 pm
hey #6 comment. ray before you get on here with your knat sized brain please go finish the crack pipe you were smoking.We all know things like this don’t happen up north (does bobby and a chair ring a bell in that fried out brain of yours)
BottomFeeders
November 2nd, 2010
7:07 pm
Yet another in a long list of embarrassments for pathetic UGA. Your school is a joke (#1 Party School). Your team is a joke (#1 player arrests). Your Athletic Director was a joke (DUI). And now your coaching staff is a joke.
You have been the laughing stocks of college football all season and you continue to add fuel to the fire. Go dawgs…just…go.