Paul Johnson slams NCAA for Georgia Tech’s probation
Paul Johnson wasn't happy during Tech's probation news conference. He's still fuming. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
Paul Johnson doesn’t cheat. Doesn’t like cheaters. Calls the suggestion that he would cheat “almost insulting.”
“I’m sure I cheated in board games,” the Georgia Tech coach said. “And when I played, yeah, you’d do stuff. Move the ball forward. Move it back. Kick it. Maybe grab a guy where you’re not supposed to. But heck, everybody does that.”
But not as a coach. It’s why Johnson took a verbal 2-by-4 to the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions. He says he did nothing wrong. He says the punishment slapped on Georgia Tech’s football program, including the forfeiture of the 2009 ACC championship, is wrong. He wants the school to appeal. That decision hasn’t been made yet, but the trophy has been removed from a case in the Edge Athletics Center and is sitting in an office closet.
At the very least, Johnson wants it known that the Yellow Jackets gained no competitive advantage before the conference title win over Clemson. Also, he’s not giving his ring back.
“I’m proud of what those guys did on the field — they won it on the field,” Johnson said. “The NCAA can’t take away the memories or what happened on the field. Let’s say somebody took something illegal. I’m still not convinced that happened, but let’s say it did. Well, you’re punishing 115 guys who didn’t do anything but work their butt off.”
Johnson said he’s still “stunned” by the NCAA’s actions. He never expected anything of significance would come of the investigation until, “They started ripping [former compliance director] Paul Parker in the hearing.”
He understood why the NCAA might be upset that athletic director Dan Radakovich informed him of the impending investigation after he been told not to, but said, “I knew there was no coverup. If we were trying to cover the thing up, we would’ve just said that Dan never told me anything. Their perception of what happened and my perception of what happened wasn’t close.”
Johnson’s perception: “That they came in here and talked to seven or eight kids and they didn’t find what they were looking for.
“I’ve been in this business a long time. You see all the things that are going on in college sports today, and you get slammed for this? I mean, come on now. I feel for Dan and [Tech president G.P. "Bud"] Peterson. I’ve known Dan since I got here. Dan Radakovich isn’t going to cheat or cover up anything. Did you get bad information or maybe make a bad decision? You can debate that. But I certainly wasn’t privy to any information we had.”
The Tech case will go down as one of the strangest in NCAA history. Investigators never found proof or established a paper trail indicating former players, specifically Demaryius Thomas and Morgan Burnett, received improper benefits from agents. But there was the suspicious matter of $312 worth of clothing given to Thomas. Radakovich also went against the NCAA’s mandate by forewarning Johnson (and indirectly players) of the investigation.
Any potential violations might’ve been secondary, but the NCAA didn’t like the way Tech acted during the investigation, perceiving administrators tried to hinder the process.
Johnson said, “We thought we were cooperating,” then pointed to a black book on his desk and added, “I guess if they say that book right there is red and you don’t agree, then you’re not cooperating.”
He named at least five Tech players who were interviewed during the bye week before the Georgia game — Thomas, Burnett, Derrick Morgan, Jonathan Dwyer and Cord Howard (as well as Morgan’s roommates) — and said they shuttled off and on the field during practice. Peterson, who was relying primarily on the advice of since-retired school counsel Randy Nordin, ultimately cleared Burnett and Thomas to play.
Johnson said an investigator also interviewed one of his assistant coaches.
“They tried to say that he [the assistant coach] was directing players to agents,” Johnson said. “He even asked me if I was directing players to agents. I told him, ‘Dude, I don’t even know what you’re talking about.’ ”
The assumption here is that the NCAA was not expecting a warm embrace. Maybe they’ve just got a thing about bluntness.
“If you went out and you did something to gain a competitive advantage, if you knew you cheated or you paid somebody, it might be easier to swallow,” Johnson said. “But when you don’t feel like you’ve done anything wrong, it’s tough to take.”
The one saving grace for Tech is that the NCAA didn’t take away scholarships or issue a postseason ban. Also, this whole ugly process and resulting anger might help Johnson’s cause in at least one area with his players.
“Motivation won’t be a problem,” he said.
By Jeff Schultz
♦
Earlier: Tuesday Countdown: Tech stashes ACC trophy; Ohio State’s really stiff ‘I’
Earlier: Georgia’s RB legacy takes another hit with suspension
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891 comments Add your comment
PMC
July 19th, 2011
6:23 pm
All this said, it seems odd they would start busting people from suspicion now.
Mike S
July 19th, 2011
6:23 pm
DJ- I think Georgia Southern owns more of the legend of Coach Erk Russell than UGA can claim.
Vince
July 19th, 2011
6:24 pm
@ George Stein
Page 3…. Five UGA fans….3 with negative comments, but it should be pointed out that there were 11 Tech fans with negative UGA comments.
Wife says I must come to the dinner table. I can checkout pages 4 – 10 later if you would like.
Mike S
July 19th, 2011
6:25 pm
Vince- does your wife understand the importance of your work here?!?!?!
Watcha Talkin Bout Willis?
July 19th, 2011
6:25 pm
GT can’t keep kids off NCAA probation and UGA can’t keep kids out of jail. It all evens out in the state of GA. But I will say this…GT got screwed on this ruling.
GT1975
July 19th, 2011
6:27 pm
I agree with coach 100%. The NCAA is a joke!
JacketNation
July 19th, 2011
6:39 pm
Oh, “sammydawg”…no mutt, including you can say a word. UGAG has done far worse than this. Clean up your own house before you worry about others.
beachdog
July 19th, 2011
6:41 pm
30-24
Arrogance, good job, man boobs.
Vince
July 19th, 2011
6:42 pm
@ Georgia Stein
back!
Page 4 – Two UGA fans side with Tech, 2 against….4 Tech comments that are anti-UGA.
Saywhut
July 19th, 2011
6:43 pm
Hey pal, if you don’t like the rules get out of the game. You are starting to sound like Tressel: the rules don’t apply to us. Maybe you should have stayed at Navy!
Saywhut
July 19th, 2011
6:48 pm
Hey “jacket nation,” the Jackets slam UGA over trivial crap like selling a used jersey. Now you’ve been ticketed for let’s see— a trivial infraction. You should’t be punished this much for this infraction; but neither should UGA over that jersey. A. J. Green sat out 4 games while Alabama’s Marcel Darius sat out only 2 for taking about $2,000 worth of free trips. Pick on them.
Vince
July 19th, 2011
6:48 pm
@ George Stein
Page 5 …particularly heinous…Three UGA comments sided with Tech, two against. There were seventeen Tech fan comments slamming UGA.
Merlyn Brown
July 19th, 2011
6:52 pm
‘65 dawg, Tech went off that probation in ‘07.
The NCAA is absolutely petty. College football needs to dismantle the NCAA.
The SEC, ACC, Big 12, & Pac 12, & Big 10 or 12 need to drop out of the NCAA.
They are about 50% of Division 1 football teams. Presidents of colleges don’t have
the guts. Penalties should fit the “crime”. Even our society’s criminal system
has better balance/credibility. Penalties usually fit the crime and there are
guidelines that judges go by. Seemingly the NCAA can do whatever it wishes.
Crush student athletes, coaches, administrators, and college fans, for petty
reasons. That’s way too much power. The NCAA needs to be taken down
a notch or dismantled.
There are around(assuming 175 student athletes per BCS college)21,000 student athletes
under the jurisdiction of the NCAA. Add all of the smaller colleges and you get very large student
athlete population. Once an investigation starts, the student athletes in quesiton should be innocent
until proven guilty.
Also, I’ll bet the NCAA investigators all graduated charm school and never let their egos interfere
with their approach to advising a college of possible infractions. And, I’ll bet the NCAA investigators
don’t let the facts interfere with their opinions.
This vast number of athletes don’t have an ‘offset’ for the NCAA. They have no voice in these matters.
It’s all between the college administrators and the NCAA(a dictatorship). The student athletes need
representation of some kind. Sure, they get a scholarship of some kind–after that they have no say. Student athletes are a population that can easily be taken advantage of, by agents, colleges,
the NCAA, and others.
In the military it is an axiom that 10% ‘don’t get the word’. College coaches and administrators
are working diligently to get the word out to all student athletes about the rights & wrongs in
the eyes of the NCAA. Do they all get the word or do they all understand it? Probably not.
So, it’s a human nature thing that the the NCAA can penalize as they see fit. It’s kind of like
trying to legislate the weather. The NCAA must be so very proud to be the top pettifogger
in college sports.
Vince
July 19th, 2011
6:56 pm
@ George Stein
From page 6 ….. Four UGA fans sided with Tech and two against. Two comments were unitelligable, I’m afraid. There were eight anti-UGA comments by Tech fans.
antonio romero
July 19th, 2011
6:59 pm
Enter your comments here
Vince
July 19th, 2011
7:00 pm
@ George Stein
Page 7 – No UGA fans sided with Tech and two spoke against. There were nine anti-UGA comments by Tech fans. Go figure.
Patrick
July 19th, 2011
7:02 pm
I am a UGA fan but this is SUCH a raw deal for GT. Those guys went out and played their guts out week after week and they were actually exciting to watch. The punishment does not fit the infraction. The NCAA is the same group of clueless clowns that allowed the Ohio State players (TattooGate) to suit up for the Sugar Bowl. It just smells!!!
antonio romero
July 19th, 2011
7:02 pm
GO DAWGS! Any trouble for the trade school is GREAT TROUBLE. Give your cheating trophy back. And, give back the 90 trophy too, since you only earned 1/2 of it.
Vince
July 19th, 2011
7:05 pm
@ George Stein
Okay…Page 8…Two UGA fans sided with Tech, three spoke against Tech. There were 19 anti-UGA comments by Tech fans.
MC
July 19th, 2011
7:06 pm
PJ is like a catfish. All mouth.
tech99
July 19th, 2011
7:07 pm
As a Tech alumnus, I’m as mad as anyone about what happened and think it was too harsh. I would like, however, to hear someone in a position of responsibility for Tech football (DRad, CPJ, both?) say something to the effect of “We screwed up how we handled this and we apologize to the Institute, the players on the ACC championship team, the alumni and fans for that.”
Brainiac(Dawg for life)
July 19th, 2011
7:07 pm
Stinger 2: Go back and read your comments. Don’t you wish you had never hit the “Submit Comment” button now?
How do you know that CPJ has never cheated? Have you closely followed his career and his private life? Where do you get off calling people names if they say CPJ has cheated. After Rad told CPJ about the investigation who do you think rehearsed the accused for their upcoming meetings with the NCAA.(That is why the NCAA told Rad NOT to tell CPJ) Probably wasn’t CPJ but we really don’t know do we? Maybe he had someone do it for him. Maybe not.
I’m not sure how $300 worth of clothes(One cheap suit or tw dozen pair of underware was worth all the thousands spent on the investigation but rules are rules and they must be obeyed regardless of how stupid they might be and CPJ didn’t help GT’s situation for possible future run ins with the NCAA. In my opinion the NCAA should be torn down and rebuilt. Too much inconsistancies and apparent favoratism.
Vince
July 19th, 2011
7:10 pm
@ George Stein
Page 9 – Four UGA fans spoke up on Tech’s behalf and two had negative comments. There were eleven anti UGA comments from Tech fans.
Yellow Fuzz
July 19th, 2011
7:15 pm
Worm
July 19th, 2011
2:16 pm
Just keep Chop blocking Paul..BTW-That new rule change was put in just for you..
HAHAHAHAHAH. WORM, YOU ARE A TYPICAL GEORGIA MORON!. Please describe the rule and please describe “chop blocking” mr potatoe head 30 lb lard azz couch potatoe.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 19th, 2011
7:15 pm
Imagine, if you will, the following scenario: Setting CPJ’s office, November, 2009 –
DRAD: Paul, BayBay and Derrick will not be able to play next week.
CPJ: Oh? Why is that? What happened?
DRAD: Paul, I can’t tell you. Just accept the fact that they can’t play.
CPJ: But are they sick, or has there been a death in their families?
DRAD: Paul, I can’t tell you. Just accept the fact that they can’t play.
CPJ: So they don’t even know about it yet, and I’m supposed to tell them.
DRAD: No, you can’t tell them. Just accept the fact that they can’t play.
CPJ: But what am I supposed to say to them?
DRAD: Paul, you can’t tell them anything. They and you just need to accept the fact that they can’t play
I guess this is what would have made the NCAA goon-squad happy. GIVE ME A BREAK !!!!
Vince
July 19th, 2011
7:15 pm
Page 10 was difficult as many comments were actually about the discussion. Two UGA fans sided with Tech and 4 against. Nine anti-UGA comments from Tech fans.
Yellow Fuzz
July 19th, 2011
7:18 pm
trophy
July 19th, 2011
2:27 pm
can tech pawn the trophy for some extra athletic dept. cash or will they have to ship it to the ncaa office?
SHIP IT OVER TO ATHENS SO THEY CAN ADD A STICKER OVER THE TITLE THAT SAYS 2011 PRESEASON NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. Hahaha. Hhahahahahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vince
July 19th, 2011
7:20 pm
@ George Stein
I took your challenge
35 UGA fans spoke in favor of Tech and 30 against. there were 75 anti-UGA comments from Techsters.
Vince is boring
July 19th, 2011
7:21 pm
What did you prove?
Brainiac(Dawg for life)
July 19th, 2011
7:22 pm
Yellow fuzz 7:15; Potato has no “e” in it(except when VP Dan Quail does the spelling but “tater” does so maybe you may want to change it.
Ramblin Man
July 19th, 2011
7:23 pm
For the people saying there was a cover up, do you really think talking to one of the eight or so players questioned and then telling the NCAA you did that is the best GT could come up with to hide this? There was no cover up or cheating just a lack of intelligence in how the investigation was handled by GT staff and the NCAA. Do you really think the players would not have talked about it amongst themselves?
Brainiac(Dawg for life)
July 19th, 2011
7:23 pm
Keep at it Vince. I.m keeping notes.
Patrick
July 19th, 2011
7:24 pm
I think that GT should make an appeal and at least get a hearing on it. CPJ doesn’t deserve this witch hunt. He’s a great coach and would some day like to see him on the UGA sidelines. Hey – it’s possible.
Brainiac is boring
July 19th, 2011
7:24 pm
Can you even spell dog?
Yellow Fuzz
July 19th, 2011
7:29 pm
Big Macon DAWG
July 19th, 2011
2:40 pm
That said….
UGA is still the #1 in the state, until proven otherwise.
hahahahahahah. lololololol HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. yOU ah’S ARE THE NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE WORLD, NIT JUST THE ncaa AND THE STATE OF GEORGIA. uNTIL WEEK ONE AND TWO AND Twelve OF THE REGULAR SEASON AND THE PAPA JOHNS EARLY DECEMBER BOWL IN ALABAMA……………HAHAHAHAHAH…….hahahahah…..HAHAHAHAHAHA!
STINGER
July 19th, 2011
7:29 pm
F@ck you dog fans. You buntch of loud mouthed redneck bitches.
STINGER
July 19th, 2011
7:30 pm
F@ck you dog fans. You buntch of loud mouthed redneck pricks..
STINGER
July 19th, 2011
7:34 pm
Every time I catch one you loud mouths in a bar I make a point to b*tch slap your a$$.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 19th, 2011
7:38 pm
STINGER, one of these ignorant, red-neck, trailer-trash mutts just said on Ken’s blog that Tech fans’ reaction to the NCAA decision showed that we have no class whatsoever. Wonder where all that class was when the mutts got hit with that excessive celebration penalty in that game two years ago. That call, after all, was due to an NCAA rule. The refs were just enforcing it. Imagine their reaction if (or when, more than likely) the mutts get hit with some kind of probation AGAIN.
m
July 19th, 2011
7:42 pm
Smokey’s Bandit
July 19th, 2011
2:51 pm
The most amusing thing to come out of this entire entity, is the fact that the techies consider it classless for a UGA fan to revel in their misfortunes…….
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Rambler
July 19th, 2011
7:46 pm
Vince, I appreciate your count. My count looked a little more skewed against Tech, but the dawgs were a pretty even split for/against in what we see to be as a pretty obvious deal. Sure we’re biased, but the comments of Tech fans against uga were probably based on 1) more tech fans here (an article about our coach) 2) more tech fans here (the internet) 3) assuming that the unintelligible and downright retarded comments came from uga fans, which is often the case, and possibly 4) years of having to defend a football program that actually has student-athletes as we (in recent history) lose to a football team that has criminal-athletes.
St Athens
July 19th, 2011
7:47 pm
(((((((((( cheaters )))))))))) hahahahahahahahahaha
St Athens
July 19th, 2011
7:48 pm
(((((((((((((((((((( 4 years probation ))))))))))))))))))) hahahahahaha
GT GRAD
July 19th, 2011
7:49 pm
GT, Paul Johnson, Bud Peterson & DRAD should continue fighting this unfair nonsense, keep telling the truth and maybe (just maybe) the truth will be exposed with regard to how ridiculous the NCAA employee has handled this situation. One moron at the NCAA has decided to prove how much power he has and that everyone should be afraid……..this dude should be fired. Fire this guy and go find college programs that really do try to cheat!!
Jorg'e O'leary
July 19th, 2011
7:50 pm
Laughing at the dawg fans. What have you done since 1980? If your not first your last bubbas. By the way, still ROFL at your last bowl game. 7-6 to my CUSA team. Who has done less with more talent? We punked you dawg losers! Bwaaahaaa Bwaaahaaa Out coached and out played by 2 and 3 star talent. Your Dream Team means 8-3 losers! Now go make love to your moms and your sisters you inbred, phone pole family tree,moonshine drinking, bulldawg centerfold loving degenerates!
Stick your stinger this way
July 19th, 2011
7:51 pm
Stinger, I bet you’re just another scrawny nerd hiding behind your fat girlfriend.
Supersize that order, mutt
July 19th, 2011
7:53 pm
If STINGER has a girlfriend, at least she doesn’t graze in the pasture.
Heels Rock and Rule
July 19th, 2011
7:54 pm
Certain of “you guys” can prostrate yourselves in front of the NCAA if you like. I prefer to stand up and fight for what is right. The NCAA is closer to the Gestapo, and I can tell that many of you like that type of servitude. Defend them you ball-less sacks!
Stick your stinger this way
July 19th, 2011
7:55 pm
LOL a tech man wanting to compare the women at Tech to those at UGA, kind of like comparing the head to head records of the football teams.
Buzzzed
July 19th, 2011
7:57 pm
Appeal!!!
CPJ rocks! NCAA sucks!