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
Skitty Fritty
November 1st, 2010
4:40 pm
Are you kidding me? I hope he was giving the “choke” sign. I am a 44 year old graduate of UGA and I find no problem with this. I do find a major problem with a LB trying to blind an opposing player in a pile and reinstating Rainey for the UGA game. Where is the condemnation of Urban Meyer? Also, referring to the UF kicker as a 21 year old “Kid”? If you are old enough to serve in our military then you are no “Kid”. These athletes are men, not “Kids”.
George Roberts
November 1st, 2010
4:41 pm
It’s great to see UGA coaches get fired up. Todd probably hates losing, and it wouldn’t hurt for the other coaches to show some fire. Also, please drop the PC attitude that a coach can’t hope, wish, yell or demonstrate for an opposing player to choke. Was it not CMR who signaled for a timeout to ICE the kicker. The PC movement has strangled our society. Is sports the next target?
Chas Henry
November 1st, 2010
4:41 pm
Any truth that Todd was the fourth choice for the dc job? I guess if he can’t coach a defense, he can at least make useless hand gestures. I guess that sorta makes him a cheerleader.
LakeDawg
November 1st, 2010
4:43 pm
Actually, he just took a sip of water and is yelling at the UGA players to block the kick and started choking on the water that went down the wrong pipe.
Father of 2 college students
November 1st, 2010
4:43 pm
Find something else to talk about. No mater what he had in mind here, it had not effect on anyone except people who have nothing else to do but look for meaningless stuff.
larry
November 1st, 2010
4:43 pm
jeff if this is all you can find to write about you need to get a real job,preferably in another state
59bulldawg
November 1st, 2010
4:43 pm
This is a total “non-story”! It’s the journalistic equivalent of piling on. So what if he did? You can debate all day whether or not the man breached some PC sports etiquette rule, but if this is all you have, it’s pretty weak when there is much more that can be legitmately criticized on our defense. It’s a competitive game for pete sake! And even though we have a long way to go before we have a championship caliber “D” I for one like seeing a little bit of spirit on the part of our coaches. If you’re going to write about Georgia football, at least find a real story and don’t simply regurgitate what the Florida media passes around for news. Weak man weak!
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2010
4:44 pm
The feed must have stopped just before he finished and motioned for the “eye gouging” move. I guess he should have texted it to the kicker, what was it, “time to miss your kick b—h”, then it would have been forgivable. This nonsense will stop if and when the Dawgs ever grow up and can play “man to man” football again.
Another Steve
November 1st, 2010
4:44 pm
LOL Way to go Jeff. That picture has the same effect as the full moon on our local mutts. Just listen to them howl and bray. Scratch those fleas leg-humpers. LOL
Oh yea. 34-31 and red panties too.
godawg
November 1st, 2010
4:44 pm
OH PUHLEEZE….get a life…this is all you have to worry about?
Chas Henry
November 1st, 2010
4:44 pm
Who cares? Just like his defense, it didn’t work.
Football Fan
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
The story that should have been written is that Chas Henry, after the kick, ran to the Georgia sideline and did the Gator chop in front of the Ga players. Talk about a classless lack of sportsmanship…someone should have decked him. Where is your article on that, Jeff?
Urban Crier
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
I expect a full apology and a complimentary steak dinner from Steak and Ale.
Let It Go
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
Maybe he was trying to say “Time to die!!”
Chas Henry, the d-bag
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
If this did happen it was after Richt called the TO & Henry raised his helmet & yelled at Richt. That was even caught on the Jumbotron at the game. Not to mention before the game even started Henry ran down the UGA sidelines doing the Chomp. Then after their first TD he ran all the way over in front of the UGA bench doing the chomp. He is a complete douchebag & I’m sure the coaches were tired of his crap by that point. I know was from the upper deck!
htowngtr
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
Wow if UGA has a defensive play call in a FG block scenario that uses a throat choke symbol.
So you’re either incompetent or classless, right?
JB
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
If we lose to Aubrn, Schultz and Bradley will write 40 stories between that game and Tech about everything wrong with Georgia…..Yet here we have our own proud Yellow Jackets, Defending ACC champs and all, fresh off a BCs bowl appreance ( that’s all it was LOL)
and crumbling before our eyes…..and all we hear…………..Crickets !!!!!!
UGA = Irrelevant
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
University of Georgia – 2010 Fulmer Cup Champions
Save the high and mighty BS for UGA keeps its own players out of trouble….
LC
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
You guys need something better to write about. Who cares if he gave the choke sign? Maybe he was telling his D players that he would choke because he had been on a missed FG spree leading up to that one. If he was directing it at the kicker, who cares? You want another choir boy roaming our sidelines?
Mountains out of molehills.
college football fan
November 1st, 2010
4:45 pm
really? there is an outrage over a coach wanting to win and making the choke sign? did he make the gesture of slitting his throat? No. i’m going to go out on a limb and say that everyone on here, at one point or another, has done the exact same thing for a much more meaningless event. hell i made the gesture friday night while playing pool. its harmless. I could care less what anyone does on the filed of play as long as it doesn’t cause any physical harm to anyone. Have we come to this point in society that during a game winning field goal attempt in overtime, the opposing team should just sit there in absolute silence and just watch and wait for the punter to kick the game winning field goal? give me a break Jeff and go back to writing the other crap that you write with your Georgia bashing bias. I think its about time for another vacation of yours.
Ravon
November 1st, 2010
4:46 pm
You idiot Dawg fans. You have a problem with Meyer reinstating Rainey but you don’t see any issue with how Saint Richt deals with his own off the field issues…of which there have been TONS!
It’s ok to drive without a license, hit a car and leave the scene….boy give a kid a game or two for that…as long as he’s a starter. Obviously Richt shows favortism too….he kicked off the one kid in trouble that was a bench player…..HA HA HA HA
Look in the mirror you redneck trash nation
JacksonvilleDawg
November 1st, 2010
4:46 pm
Hey Al, you are a piece of chicken manure.. I actually love Grantham 10 times more after I saw the picture..
UGA fan for life
November 1st, 2010
4:47 pm
Get a life people this is football!! Who cares????
TheAntiMe
November 1st, 2010
4:47 pm
I just spoke with UGA Head Coach Mark Richt and he offered this explanation for the aforementioned photo of his Defensive Cordinator:
Oh, golly gee. Todd Grantham is a fine man and would never do anything to hurt the feelings of any team we play against. After all, all of my coaches and players know that one of my strictest rules is no being mean to the opposing team or making them feel bad by stopping them from scoring.
That signal that you see Coach Grantham giving is to remind our players on the field to not say anything mean to the Florida Kicker to throw him off while he is kicking the winning field.
Oh, golly gee whiz, if any of our coaches or players do anything to hurt the feelings of the team we are playing against then they all know how very disappointed I will be in them, and, golly gee whiz, none of our coaches or players want that.
Actually, I believe him.
Jay Tide
November 1st, 2010
4:48 pm
I never knew how big of a baby fan base Georgia had until I moved to Atlanta from Birmingham.
It’s funny…you guys are clueless AND still think your relevent in the SEC.
rednblack
November 1st, 2010
4:48 pm
I Love it. I wished he had choked. But, he didn’t. Good kick and we will play them again next year.
UGA = Irrelevant
November 1st, 2010
4:48 pm
The story that should have been written is that Chas Henry, after the kick, ran to the Georgia sideline and did the Gator chop in front of the Ga players. Talk about a classless lack of sportsmanship…someone should have decked him. Where is your article on that, Jeff?
———————————
That was Henry’s response to Grantham’s yelling at him and giving him the choke sign, dumbass.
CaptainDave
November 1st, 2010
4:49 pm
I say again: it is wrong that a coach would think it appropriate to communicate anything, verbally or with his hands, to an opposing player during a game.
That so many are defending this behavior is disappointing.
Bowling for Dollars
November 1st, 2010
4:49 pm
I wonder what bowl game UGA plays in this year…..
The Toilet Bowl.
Or more likely the No Bowl.
The Cesspool of the South and the home of the Fulmer Cup.
Florida Dawg
November 1st, 2010
4:49 pm
I grab my neck like this all the time…so what?
18-of-21forthemightygators
November 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
Skitty…nobody cares what you “have a problem with”. And for you and all the clowns talking about how Henry should man up and not be so sensitive…check out his post-game interview. He laughed it off…he who laughs last, laughs best.
You guys should be so proud of your coach yelling and gesturing at our player, dropping the f-bomb on him, etc. Players jawing…sure. Fans screaming…of course. But coaches screaming profanities at an opposing player…never.
Urban will use Coach G’s theatrics for a little extra juice for next years muttstomp.
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
We are irrelevant at this point in the big scheme of things as a football team. Like most things, the worm will turn, and we will be on top again. No need getting all worked up. I wish we could deal in facts, not in hype and rampant speculation.
UGA = Irrelevant
November 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
You idiot Dawg fans. You have a problem with Meyer reinstating Rainey but you don’t see any issue with how Saint Richt deals with his own off the field issues…of which there have been TONS!
It’s ok to drive without a license, hit a car and leave the scene….boy give a kid a game or two for that…as long as he’s a starter. Obviously Richt shows favortism too….he kicked off the one kid in trouble that was a bench player…..HA HA HA HA
Look in the mirror you redneck trash nation
——————————-
UF’s criminals are more talented than UGA’s criminals
Jason
November 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
Way to go Todd. Way to act like a mature professional coach and a good role model. Interesting that players are told they can’t make gestures like this and you have a coord doing it. Pathetic.
blame jesus
November 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
Jesus does not approve of such behavior. Mark Richt would never do such a thing. Mark is a good christian. His coach must be a bad christian.
Greg Mcgarity
November 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
Really Jeff. Is this all you have?
techie redneckie
November 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
I’d rather see a UGA loss than a GT win anyday.
athdog
November 1st, 2010
4:50 pm
He got carried away in the emotion…the kicker didn’t…we lost…again.
Monkey Says:
November 1st, 2010
4:51 pm
Grantham is a fiery coach, that is what a team needs to counter the laid back do gooder CMR.
I am more disturbed by the play of Rambo with all his late hits, helmet to helmet and trash talking during the entire game.
Einsteindawg
November 1st, 2010
4:51 pm
At least he was trying to win the game…more than I can say for the rest of our coaching brain trust. Bye, bye Mark…we hardly knew you.
Rooster
November 1st, 2010
4:51 pm
TheAnitMe
You’re an idiot.
htowngtr
November 1st, 2010
4:51 pm
@Chas Henry, the d-bag
Pretty sad when your coaches have to taunt and throw choke symbols at a kid that supposedly was doing what you claim. Are you sure he was even doing anything? Amazing that the jumbotron can catch that. LOL
blame jesus
November 1st, 2010
4:51 pm
A Muslim coach would never exhibit such poor behavior. WHy do Christians keep acting like hooligans?
Vain Jangling
November 1st, 2010
4:52 pm
Didn’t have time to read prior posts, but has anyone suggested it would have been better if Grantham choked Bobo? I’ve got good folding money for a picture of that.
Ramguy
November 1st, 2010
4:52 pm
What’s the big deal? Meyer was doing the gator chop at some UGA fans too….so what?….so what?
chem
November 1st, 2010
4:52 pm
What? Can someone please explain to me why this reflects poorly upon anyone? Grantham didn’t choke anyone. He, like the rest of the UGA coaches, staff, and players just wanted the kicker to miss the game (and season) deciding kick. Uh, duh. Does that mean calling a timeout to ice a kicker also merits public outrage? I hate you Schultz. You know what exactly what you’re doing but there are thousands of idiots out there who absorb and regurgitate whatever they read without thinking. Here’s another page hit for you jerk.
Monkey Says:
November 1st, 2010
4:52 pm
Grantham is a fiery coach and that is what UGA need to counter the laid back “do gooder” CMR.
I am more dissappointed and embarrassed by the play of Rambo, with all his late hits, helmet to helmet hits, trash talking and boorish behavior….
Hospital exec.
November 1st, 2010
4:54 pm
making something out of nothing… you nut jobs call UGA thugs for a bunch of traffic violations and you have a player making death threats to a girl and hes still on team..UGA kicked 2 players off for DUI…this “thug” is suspended until the Georgia game and Coach Cryer is over there making out on sidelines with him during the game..
Timmy
November 1st, 2010
4:54 pm
who cares Schultz…write something that matters.
blame jesus
November 1st, 2010
4:54 pm
Jesus does not approve of such behavior. But Mark, you must fix that hairdo. Another thing Mark, great job….no arrests last week.