Todd Grantham is YouTube gold — and that’s a problem
Todd Grantham's actions at Vanderbilt shouldn't be defended by anybody. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
I hadn’t planned on writing any more about the incident between Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and Vanderbilt coach James Franklin Saturday night. But I’ve been astounded by how many Bulldogs fans have come to Grantham’s defense, so let me just get this out once:
There’s a line between emotion and stupidity, and Grantham crossed it.
Coach Mark Richt knows as much. Athletic director Greg McGarity, who has met with Grantham according to our Chip Towers, knows as much. The SEC is reviewing the incident.
Even Grantham — once he cooled down 36 hours later — somewhat admits he overreacted, saying this morning: “… It was unfortunate that things escalated to a confrontation. However, I’ll use it as a learning experience for myself as well as my players so that we all become better men.”
To recap quickly (video below): The Georgia-Vanderbilt game was an emotional one (more than one would have expected). Georgia had a few personal fouls (Kwame Geathers even punching a Vandy player while he was down). Some Dogs defensive players reportedly were upset about Vandy’s cut-blocking tactics.
But none of that excuses the way Grantham acted during a post-game feud with Franklin. For one, he’s a college coach. There something to be said about setting an example for youth .This has nothing to do with Georgia needing to show more emotion and a coach trying to fire up his troops. Emotion can be more of a weakness than a strength.
Secondly, some folks get the benefit of the doubt. Grantham is not one of them. Last season, he gave the choke sign to Florida kicker Chas Henry multiple times before the Dallas, Ga., native nailed a 36-yard field goal in overtime to give the Gators a 34-31 win in Jacksonville. (See video below.) That was even worse than this because it was a 44-year-old coach taunting a 21-year-old college kid.
A few days after that game, Grantham expressed regret about the incident, saying, “As a competitor, sometimes you get caught up in the heat of the moment. I wish the situation hadn’t happened.”
This makes it two straight seasons Grantham has been a YouTube sensation (or embarrassment). With the Florida game coming up, he might want to turn the other way during field goal attempts.
And from now on, just walk off the field after the game and avoid the handshakes. It’s clear he needs some alone time first.
Grantham after Vanderbilt game
Grantham against Florida last season
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933 comments Add your comment
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
October 17th, 2011
1:00 pm
You never see this sort of thing at Nebraska.
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:01 pm
MOST-PENALIZED DIVISION I PROGRAMS:
Arizona State 8
Southern Methodist 8
Auburn 7
Florida State 7
Memphis 7
Minnesota 7
Oklahoma 7
Texas A&M 7
Wichita State 7
Wisconsin 7
In fact Auburn is one of the dirtiest programs in the history of College Football.
Spanky
October 17th, 2011
1:01 pm
Wait,wait,wait a minute, Jeffington!! Franklin was in the face of a student-athlete…OUR student-athlete! That’s unexcusable! I’m glad to see our coach taking up for his players! That’s right! Go Dawgs!
dean
October 17th, 2011
1:01 pm
It was wrong. He probably should be dismissed from the team at then end of the season. they should have hired Diaz anyway but everyone wanted the Saban guy. Big Mistake!
Kiss The Ring
October 17th, 2011
1:02 pm
MB – they were kicked off hte team…lets compare off the field incidents since 2000 for UGA and AU…who do you think wins that one?
I mean if you guys are just going to not care about your teams character at least you could have a champkionship every now and then. Alabama for all there seediness at least occasionally wins a title.
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:03 pm
You never see this sort of thing at Nebraska.
Nope they just have Lawrence Phillips.
After the team had returned from East Lansing, Michigan, Phillips was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Kate McEwen, a basketball player for the Nebraska women’s team. Phillips was subsequently suspended from the Husker football team by Head Coach Tom Osborne. The case became a source of great controversy and media attention, with perceptions arising that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. Osborne defended the decision and stated that to abandon Phillips might do more harm than good. Osborne reinstated Phillips for the Iowa State game, although touted freshman Ahman Green continued to start. Phillips also contributed against Kansas and Oklahoma.
Osborne, despite pressure from the national media, named Phillips the starter for the Fiesta Bowl, which pitted No. 1 Nebraska against No. 2 Florida for the national championship.
Cards Rule
October 17th, 2011
1:04 pm
Schultz still can’t let it go. As the AJC drowns.
Kiss The Ring
October 17th, 2011
1:04 pm
Sorry MB….I am only old enough to remember the 1992 penalties. You are right I am sure…Bear Bryant was on the up and up the entire time. I have no idea where his assistant coaches learned to cheat when they went on to coach other schools….
Danny Ford,
Charlie Pell
Pat Dye
Mike Dubose
Jackie Sherrill
gene Stallings
Beer Belly
October 17th, 2011
1:04 pm
I’m sure 6′1″ 220 lb. Shawn Williams in full pads hardly needed any protection from flabby Todd Grantham.
MDLee5555
October 17th, 2011
1:04 pm
No comments about Harbaugh and Schwartz’s behaviour after Lions-49ers game? That was just Harbaugh being a complete jerk. CTG was standing up for his player, and I agree with many on here that think it is unfair (but typical) that the media has completely ignored Franklin’s culpability in this situation. If Grantham had started shouting at Franklin for no apparent reason, I’d be worried, but he was defending his player who would not (and should not) defend himself to the opposing coach. Now, move on!
Kiss The Ring
October 17th, 2011
1:04 pm
BTW – MB…was some of the AU infractions when Dooley and Erk were there?
Mike
October 17th, 2011
1:04 pm
Jeff, the choke sign was inexcusable, but taking up for your players is not. He still could have handled it better, and probably shouldnt have gone nuts. Still, it should not be treated in the same manner as the choke sign.
I guess you didnt see the Auburn/UF game with Muschamp going crazy. Is it any different that he was barking at the refs and not Chizik?
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:04 pm
MB – they were kicked off hte team…lets compare off the field incidents since 2000 for UGA and AU…who do you think wins that one?
Georgia.
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:05 pm
BTW – MB…was some of the AU infractions when Dooley and Erk were there?
No
Most of them were when Pat Dye was paying the players.
Worm
October 17th, 2011
1:06 pm
Tech’s HEAD COACH has the foulest mouth in College football..Mack Brown has it right about those postgame handshakes..If the SEC finds just cause, then suspend someone for the next game or the first half..Jeff, You should be covering warren County and hancock where the opposing players beat a Coach to near death following a loss….Coaches go toe-to-toe all the time…Calipari-Chaney,Harbaugh-Schwartz, etc…And they all kept coaching..Story is blown way out of proportion..
I am however, putting Grantham on Double Secret probaion-kinda’ like Tech!
Mike
October 17th, 2011
1:07 pm
@MDLee5555 – exactly. That Harbaugh incident appears to be totally on him. Its clear he said something to Schwartz and then when Schwartz went after him, you saw him say “Get out of my face”. Those two have a history when Harbaugh was a player. That was just a total jerk move by Harbaugh. At the same time Schwartz should have handled it better just like Grantham, but its hard to dump on either of them.
James Adams
October 17th, 2011
1:07 pm
Give me a coach that sticks up for one of his players any day of the week. More PC garbage from the Keith Olbermann of the AJC.
GTBob
October 17th, 2011
1:07 pm
But I’ve been astounded by how many Bulldogs fans have come to Grantham’s defense
I don’t know why you are. UGA fans fully defended Damon Evans after his incident. They defend every player that gets arrested. Its just the nature of their fan base. If Grantham would have punched the other coach and started a riot then UGA fans would have thought that was just dandy.
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:08 pm
Auburn is one of the dirtiest program in the history of college football.
If you can run that ball we give you a sociology degree.
For them to look down their dirty nose at anyone is ridiculous.
Looking forward to UGA making it 7 of the last 11 against the Plainsmen.
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
October 17th, 2011
1:09 pm
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:03 pm
You never see this sort of thing at Nebraska.
Nope they just have Lawrence Phillips.
After the team had returned from East Lansing, Michigan, Phillips was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Kate McEwen, a basketball player for the Nebraska women’s team. Phillips was subsequently suspended from the Husker football team by Head Coach Tom Osborne. The case became a source of great controversy and media attention, with perceptions arising that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. Osborne defended the decision and stated that to abandon Phillips might do more harm than good. Osborne reinstated Phillips for the Iowa State game, although touted freshman Ahman Green continued to start. Phillips also contributed against Kansas and Oklahoma.
Osborne, despite pressure from the national media, named Phillips the starter for the Fiesta Bowl, which pitted No. 1 Nebraska against No. 2 Florida for the national championship.
———————————————————————————————————————————————-
Really? An incident almost 20 years ago with a player vs an incident 2 days ago with a coach?
Really?
Just how small is your brain?
Phillips was a college aged thug who ended up in prison…..Where he needs to be, Grantham is an adult and a coach who should be expected to lead with responsible adult behavior.
Stop…..Just stop bringing up Lawrence Phillips every time UGA has a behavioral problem with a player or coach. You are just exposing your lack of intelligence.
Kiss The Ring
October 17th, 2011
1:09 pm
UGA still trying to get the next Erk Russell…sorry Dawgs…Erk did not win you that 1980 title….it was your easy schedule that did it.
Some people win with class while others win and then have a temper tantrum on the field.
DAWG258
October 17th, 2011
1:12 pm
Funny thing is, It happens all the time….. Urban Meyer doesnt shake hands, has it out with the Media. Spurrier has it out with the Media and other coaches. Saban throws a hissy fit with the Media on a regular basis. Cheezik has a problem with everyone……
Coaches have to put themselves out on a limb, they’re at the top and have to show loyalty to their program first and fore most.
I’m sure when you look back on it coaches go off the wall more than anyone. I think you have to have some craziness in your pedigree to be one.
robodawg
October 17th, 2011
1:12 pm
The choke sign last season was much worse. Actually not too concerned about this one. Sticking up for one of his players doesn’t embarrass me. But yeah, he did go a little nuts.
DTC
October 17th, 2011
1:12 pm
Schultz, what is your opinion of the Vanderbilt Coach’s provocative mannerism. Are you going to hold him to a higher standard, or just Grantham? What was Grantham supposed to do, when the adult coach of the Vandy team verbally goes after a college student? Was their coach out of line?
Until you can see both sides of the story, you are out of your league as a sports writer. Which has been proven quite often. Political correctness does not work on a football field. Maybe it does in the minds of modern day sports writers.
BlueMoon
October 17th, 2011
1:13 pm
Way to go Jeff! Only you can completely omit facts to support your argument. If you’re going to write about something, write about the incident as a whole. Not the bits and pieces that make your case. It makes you look like a fool.
Everyone on this board knows what he did was coming to the defense of one of his players. All you have to do is look at the tape. Doesn’t take much Jeff…just use that mouse, and click.
Now did he overreact? Of course he did. What he did could have resulted in multiple suspensions just before the UF game but he SHOULD have had a strong reaction to what was occurring as the opposing teams coach was CLEARLY over the line as well, and first.
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:14 pm
I don’t know why you are.
UGA fans fully defended Damon Evans after his incident.
No we didn’t
They defend every player that gets arrested.
No we don’t but I remember allot of Tech people defending Matt ” The Drunk ” Skole when he got his DUI. Guy didn’t even miss a game. UGA player gets a parking ticket its a big deal.
Its just the nature of their fan base.
Wrong
If Grantham would have punched the other coach and started a riot then UGA fans would have thought that was just dandy.
And wrong again.
Lindsey
October 17th, 2011
1:14 pm
I agree the way that Coach TG reacted was not professional, but why no mention of Coach Franklin? GO DAWGS!!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
October 17th, 2011
1:15 pm
@Buckshot
Correct you are. These articles are all about driving hits on the blog. Grantham was wrong last year, 100% right this time around.
Lard Bucket
October 17th, 2011
1:15 pm
The Vanderbilt University Police Department and chubby Todd Grantham saved 220 lb. Shawn Williams in full pads….
from being roughed up by skinny coach James Franklin.
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:15 pm
Schultz, what is your opinion of the Vanderbilt Coach’s provocative mannerism.
He doesn’t.
That doesn’t sell those little ads up in the corner.
meh
October 17th, 2011
1:15 pm
Vandy’s coach went after a UGA player and Grantham took up for his player and nobody’s said boo about Vandy’s coach. I’m glad Grantham is standing up for his players. besides, all he did was yell at the guy. I’ll concede that the choke sign last year was wrong but this was fine.
Gator Mike
October 17th, 2011
1:17 pm
Kiss the Ring: I agree with your assesment of Saturday night’s fiasco and the poor coaching at AU. The Gator offense looked clueless in my opinion. I am not buying into this Freshman QB crap, because there have been many new Frosh QBs who have done very well if properly coached. However, I will continue to support CWM. Hopefully, he will not be another zook -that would be hard to endure once again
Lowcountry Bulldawg
October 17th, 2011
1:17 pm
Thunder Collins….
JaxDawg
October 17th, 2011
1:17 pm
Ok here is one for you Schlutz, if a grown man yell at your son like crazy what will you do? apologize to the man and ask for forgiveness? if you do that in the name of class, you will look the best candidate for president of the USA! but you will be the worse dad in the eyes of your son! you pick and choose what you wanna be? Grantham did the right thing and stuck with his player
MB
October 17th, 2011
1:17 pm
Some people win with class while others win and then have a temper tantrum on the field.
Please. Auburn caught lightning in a bottle with Cam but they are back to being what they always were.
Mediocre and Alabama’s little brother.
Thats never going to change.
Terry B Shirey,Sr
October 17th, 2011
1:17 pm
There is a line between professional journalism and stupidity and you crossed it Shultz. You don’t have any idea what was said by Coach Franklin that may or may not have caused the reacton by Coach Grantham and you make absolutely no effort whatsoever to find out. The Nashville media make no mention of what Franklin said and the Vandy players (also the Georgia players) are not talking about it. Perhaps now that the SEC is involved it will come out. It probably won’t because they will not want what Coach Franklin said printed. You think that Mushcamp is “firery” and just the kind of coach that Georgia needs. You don’t have to be much a lip reader to know what the Florida coach was saying to the refrees. Why don’t you just go back home to your village, it misses its idiot.
Terry B Shirey, Sr
Nashville, TN
best thing since sliced bread
October 17th, 2011
1:18 pm
Gratham is right about everything.
Chuck
October 17th, 2011
1:18 pm
You’re surprised, Jeff, because you are a misaerable, self-loathing Tech fan, and see Grantham as evil.
You find no fault at Franklin for chewing out another team’s player, but Grantham is wrong to get angry about that.
You find no fault at the Gator kicker coming over to Gator-chomp the UGA bench, then react only to the reactions from the UGA sideline.
But am I surprised you don’t bring up these things?
No, not from you, North Avenue Rose.
Kiss The Ring
October 17th, 2011
1:18 pm
This new UGA-Vandy rivalry is getting heated. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
GTBob
October 17th, 2011
1:19 pm
No we didn’t
Do you really want me to post some quotes from the blog when that news story broke?
FRIDGE
October 17th, 2011
1:23 pm
Terry B.
There is a line between stupidity and Todd Grantham, and chubby Todd crossed it.
Ga Wins Big!
October 17th, 2011
1:23 pm
vanderbilt better learn that the Dawgs and Grantham aren’t going to put up with this dirty blocking from a minor league program like they have. Their coach needs to be investigated!
DawgInaTruck
October 17th, 2011
1:23 pm
Both coaches let their emotions get the best of them but this is being blown way out of proportion. If you’ve ever played football you know it is hard to automatically turn off all the emotion just because the game clock reaches all zeroes. Both will be dealt with by their respective institutions and the conference. I’m sure both would handle the situation much differently if given the chance.
What amazes me is the emotion that some are showing here. Even if Georgia Tech’s coach had done it, my feeling would be, “So what?” A shouting match at the end of a close game is nothing.
I’m glad Coach Grantham sticks up for our guys but I actually expect that out of him, as I would any coach no matter who he or she worked for. Its over, give it a rest.
Hahahaha
October 17th, 2011
1:24 pm
Don’t mess with GT Bob. His whole life is trolling the uga blogs and saving them so he will one day rule the world! Muwhaaaaa!
sheepdawg
October 17th, 2011
1:24 pm
Classless, ignorant thugs. All of them.
bandit dawg
October 17th, 2011
1:24 pm
Jeff its obvious you love to bash the Georgia fan base half the bloggers never set foot on the georgia campus other than to attend a tailgate and the others are mindless tech fans.How about coach Franklin calling out Shawn Williams. The reason coach franklin couldnt find CMR after the game was because he was to busy seeking williams to give him an ear full.Im not condoning what Gratham did but coach Franklin stepped over the line going after one of our players.
chem
October 17th, 2011
1:24 pm
The whole choke sign incident has been overblown in the media, primarily by you Schultz. The gesture was akin to calling a timeout to ice a kicker, something that happens every weekend without any unnecessary fuss. He wasn’t threatening the kicker. “Choke” is a common term used to describe a poor performance under pressure. A retard understands this.
ClinchPanther
October 17th, 2011
1:24 pm
jeff is just using this to bash a uga coach. he does not know the facts and does not care that franklin started it. jeff just being himself.
Buzz Engineer
October 17th, 2011
1:24 pm
will the low class grantham do more choke signs at the florida game to “intimidate” their players? He’s a man!
Really?
October 17th, 2011
1:24 pm
GTBob, go ahead. Unless you are going to post every comment, or get a comment from every UGA fan and alum then your assumption isn’t credible. Go back to sulking over your loss to UVA.