5 reasons Paul Johnson isn’t going to Notre Dame

1. He’s a little too much like Charlie Weis. Meaning: He’s blunt, and he can’t be coached in the gentle art of public relations. That works in Atlanta, where there’s one daily newspaper, but might not in South Bend, where the college team is covered by the Chicago papers in addition to the South Bend folks. Notre Dame is going to want a charmer this time around, someone who can schmooze with Regis about the big game. PJ has never heard of Reege, let alone Kelly.

2. Notre Dame isn’t just a program; it’s a TV show. Meaning: Appearances matter. NBC might not be thrilled about the prospects of airing a team that runs the football 83 percent of the time. (Understand: I admire  Johnson’s offense. But I’m not a network programmer.)

3. Notre Dame cares about recruiting rankings. Johnson famously does not. The subway alumni wouldn’t like it if their adopted team didn’t show up in Rivals’ top 10. (Understand: I’m with Johnson on this one, too. Recruiting rankings are overblown — ask Mark Richt — but I don’t contribute to anyone’s program.)

4. He’s happy at Georgia Tech. In two years Johnson has become not just a hero but something approaching a legend. If the final fourth-down gamble against Wake Forest had failed, he wouldn’t have been second-guessed one bit. Because Tech people love PJ, and Dan Radakovich is about to put yet another bumped-up dollar figure on that love. And Johnson doesn’t want to live in South Bend. He’s a Southern guy who has a nice spread in Vinings — “Inside the Perimeter,” he always takes pains to say — and doesn’t even have to take an Interstate to work.

5. Notre Dame once hired a coach from Tech. The perfect union, right? A feisty Irishman coaching the Fighting Irish. It lasted 3 1/2 days. Even Cher and Gregg Allman made it past a week.

577 comments Add your comment

Johnny Weissmuller

November 18th, 2009
11:44 am

Class of ‘98

Because it’s Notre Dame – I work with a ND alum (donates atleast $100K to the program every year) and he is sick to his stomach with thought of CPJ going there.

ND is like UGA in the since that they live in the past and are delusional about what they are today….very far away from winning about National Title

Johnny Weissmuller

November 18th, 2009
11:45 am

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
11:46 am

“once UGA beats GT at home that “legend” status will start to rust!”

Notre Dame is not going to wait that long. Weis has 8 years left on that 10-year $30 million contract.

Johnny Weissmuller

November 18th, 2009
11:46 am

Haiku Man

November 18th, 2009
11:47 am

The title should be
“Why Richt Can’t Coach the Irish?”
Duh—he flat can’t coach

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
11:47 am

What’s money these days, anyway? Obama’s going to get almost everything.

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
11:48 am

Sorry, “take almost everything”. He won’t get to keep it, either.

The Grinch

November 18th, 2009
11:48 am

Dan

November 18th, 2009
11:44 am

Check out Tarzan. And you were saying??? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
11:51 am

Johnny – Wouldn’t the logical move in the “hot seat” scenario be to FSU?

Johnny Weissmuller

November 18th, 2009
11:52 am

The Grinch

a typo is different than not knowing the difference between a pronoun and a contraction

Good try though

Reid Adair

November 18th, 2009
11:53 am

Ouch, Mark. I don’t think Paul Johnson would go to Notre Dame, but I also don’t think it’s fair to hold George O’Leary against Paul Johnson.

Johnny Weissmuller

November 18th, 2009
11:53 am

Delbert

Do you mean if Urban lost to Bobby?

Mark Bradley

November 18th, 2009
11:54 am

There’s another coach with a history at Tech who could figure in the Irish mix. Chan Gailey.

juvenal

November 18th, 2009
11:56 am

cantondaug-come back from the darkside…

McDawg

November 18th, 2009
11:58 am

the real reason is b/c he is going to the NFL

Pago Flyer

November 18th, 2009
11:58 am

He’ll be at ND by 2012-13.

GA Tech Insider

November 18th, 2009
12:00 pm

This entire conversation is moot, and has only been started to generate the type of back and forth idiotic comments being spewed by some of the lunatics on this blog.

Tech fans, to you I say, ignore the rumors and enjoy the next three games. GA Tech football will have three prime-time opportunities to showcase itself to national TV audiences virtually to themselves, against UGA, then in the ACC Championship game, and then, if the Jackets are fortunate enough to win that game, off to the Orange Bowl and another chance to shine in the media spotlight.

Two Thursday night games on ESPN and now this, all in one season? Sure, Notre Dame may get it’s fair share of National attention, but hey, you can’t argue that at this rate, the Jackets aren’t too far behind.

Paul Johnson has his BCS team, proving his critics wrong; winning games here in the south, getting his championships; and doing all of this without the dark cloud of being under a microscope all of the time. Coach Johnson will be compensated fairly, and will be treated with dignity and respect at all times, as will his FAMILY, something that’s more important to him than a bit more more money.

The Grinch

November 18th, 2009
12:00 pm

To Tarzan (11:52)

Shure theeng. BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
12:02 pm

I don’t think that’s likely, but I don’t think Bobby will coach next year. I also think that the Jimbo Fisher deal will not be an issue if they see somebody they like better. Referring to your 11:42 post scenario.

willie martinez

November 18th, 2009
12:02 pm

and another irishman :willie martinez

Toby Cash

November 18th, 2009
12:02 pm

Oh how I wish Johnson and Sewak were back in Statesboro.

hedge puller

November 18th, 2009
12:02 pm

THWND

M. Bradley says ND is image conscious? HCCWeiss is a real poster boy.

willie martinez

November 18th, 2009
12:03 pm

my mother’s name was rosie o’lopez. county cork native.

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
12:03 pm

Pago Flyer -

Surely they will give Stoops longer than that, even though he will be losing with Weis’ recruits for a few years.

Armchair know it alls

November 18th, 2009
12:03 pm

Notre Shame is a $hithole and there have been timeswhen several coaches were offered the job and they turned it down….I know UGAY wants him gone but too bad too sad

I will say this, they would not even consider Mark Richt, wow….

willie martinez

November 18th, 2009
12:04 pm

all will be fine: CMR and i will be at the fsu helm in 2 years.

HELP!!! I'M LOCKED IN THE FRAT HOUSE BASEMENT!

November 18th, 2009
12:04 pm

WHO LET THAT TERRIER IN HERE?

I’M SCARED TO DEATH OF THOSE THINGS, THEY’RE WAY TOUGHER THAN BULLDOGS. ONE TIME, I SAW ONE GUT A FOX. AND HE DIDN’T JUST DO IT QUICK AND EASY LIKE, HE SPREAD THE BRUTALITY OUT FOR OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF!

willie martinez

November 18th, 2009
12:06 pm

i dont think CMR is irish

HELP!!! I'M LOCKED IN THE FRAT HOUSE BASEMENT!

November 18th, 2009
12:06 pm

HEY OFFICER, HAVE YOU SEEN MY FRIENDS? WHAT? WHICH ID DO YOU WANT TO SEE? HERE, HAVE IT, I THINK MY FRIENDS ARE OVER THERE UNDER THAT CAR.

Inbred Indiana

November 18th, 2009
12:06 pm

by the way, do you unemployed 9th grade educated morons on here know that there are GT alum who have alot of money? One owns half the city of Atlanta. If CPJ beats UGA again and Clemson, trust me they open up their wallets. When DRAD hired CPJ, he said out of the 10,000 emails, only one was negative …CPJ was loved before he even began

HELP!!! I'M LOCKED IN THE FRAT HOUSE BASEMENT!

November 18th, 2009
12:07 pm

MAN, THAT TERRIER WORE ME OUT. THINK I’LL GO TAKE ANOTHER NAP IN FIVE GUYS BATHROOM.

Y DO MUTTS BARK?CAUSE BEES STING!

November 18th, 2009
12:09 pm

GET’EM KENTUCKY! THE MUTTS WILL BE BEAT-UP AFTER THIS GAME,AND THEN THEY PLAY THE BUMBLE BEES,TECH WILL BE 11-1 AFTER BEATING UGAY DOWN!

willie martinez

November 18th, 2009
12:09 pm

Inbred: vince dooley is NOT a tech alum.

willie martinez

November 18th, 2009
12:10 pm

i believe that he is irish, tho

Haiku Man

November 18th, 2009
12:11 pm

This one rhymes:

You mentioned Gailey
The Irish would cry daily
He’s sure to fail-ey

dog (not dawg) lover

November 18th, 2009
12:11 pm

“Not to be bitter, but as a non-fan, Tech games are borderline dreadfully boring”?

Really, Gravy Train? Then why do you bother watching Tech play? You must have a dreadfully boring life to waste your time like that.

Y DO MUTTS BARK?CAUSE BEES STING!

November 18th, 2009
12:11 pm

23 UNDERCLASSMEN LOCKED-UP AT UGAY,PLUS THE ONE FOOL THAT HAD 2 I.D’S WHAT ARE THOSE HILLBILLIES DOING?

willie martinez

November 18th, 2009
12:11 pm

inbred, i think chan gailey was responsible for the one negative email.

Gator Forever

November 18th, 2009
12:12 pm

Trembling Chihuahua

I have always been told if you keep saying the same things over and over then it might just mean “you are what you say” I won’t resort to making what is suppose to be a fun thing personal!
And as far as mopping the floors let me assure you my little tech friend I own the floors where I work! And it is many floors by the way!
Once again I fooled myself by thinking that I could talk intelligently with Tech fans! I would rather talk to Dawg fans! Back to the UF site where things don’t get personal and fans know their football.
And I don’t think all Tech fans are like TC… you are smart enough to know what I am saying is correct and have the smarts to not respond!! Bye Techies!!!

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
12:12 pm

Okay, if CPJ goes to Notre Dame, then Tech calls dibs on Ken Niumatalolo.

Lou Vales

November 18th, 2009
12:13 pm

Don’t have to worry about Richt going ANYWHERE. Nobody wants him. Well, his presence is desired in Uzbekistan. Nice man, that Mark Richt.

indianman

November 18th, 2009
12:14 pm

mark bradley have heard million of dollar that why he leave for north dame and north dame is a better program that tech that why he leave

richard cranium

November 18th, 2009
12:14 pm

Speculation sells newspapers…

1 – Much to the dismay of Bullpuppy fans, CPJ isn’t leaving.

2 – Winning over-rides a “PR” coach anyday, everyday. Don’t kid yourself.

3 – UGAg is in for a miserable few years. And it’s sinking in…

willie martinez

November 18th, 2009
12:14 pm

there once was a man named chan,
who though of himself as “da man”,
turns out not so,
he left tech a wreck,
and all he got in the end was canned.

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
12:15 pm

willie – “richt” was used in in Scotland and Wales, among other places. It means “right”. Maybe not in Georgia, though.

HELP!!! I'M LOCKED IN THE FRAT HOUSE BASEMENT!

November 18th, 2009
12:15 pm

WHO KNEW TABACCER JUICE COULD BE USED AS LUBE? GOOD THING THEM UGA FRATBOYS ARE HUNG LIKE HAMSTERS OR I’D BE HURTIN BAD TODAY.

GTpak

November 18th, 2009
12:16 pm

‘waiting moderation’ obviously received his UGA degree in English and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Just reread his post below to see all of the grammer errors. This is one of the many fine UGA graduates, and this is what you can expect to get when you send your children to a college for red necks. THWG!

“Paul Johnson will leave because he will get tired of the Tech arrogance and Constant Bobby Dodd Crap. I betTech is an awful place to work. He is just waiting on the right SEC team to come and get him. Sorry Tech, the only answer for you, that I have, is that your a bunch of miserable out of work nerds who could not get laid even if you had money( Your just physicall ugly people)(check your add out). Tech is really only a trainning facility and a sleeper cell for an international fraternity of Terrorists. ( Where do you think Iran got the technology for there nuclear program, your right Tech)(Thats what paid for the band uniforms) Tech needs to be closed and given to the Atlanta Housing Authority for Storage or Turned into a Magic Johnson Movie theater, Just a Thought. Oh yeah, Tech sux!!! Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!”

HELP!!! I'M LOCKED IN THE FRAT HOUSE BASEMENT!

November 18th, 2009
12:16 pm

ONE OF EM REMINDED ME OF MY PROCTOLOGIST, NICE AND SLENDER INSERTION WITH A SMOOTH DELIVERY.

Delbert D.

November 18th, 2009
12:17 pm

Canned Gailey…I like it. Maybe he’ll name his next grandkid that.

BIG BEE

November 18th, 2009
12:18 pm

GRAVY TRAIN, why are you so angry? So your team lost to GT last Nov. Did you get a cut in pay? Did your wife/girl friend or what ever leave you? Tell me one way that your life changed, other than being POed at the world when you only needed to be POed at your football teaam and their coaches. You know that you could loose this year also and your anger will only build up more. Calm down sport, no matter whow wins the GT/UGA game, the world will not end. It is so sad when people build their life around a football team and think and talk about it 12 mo. 24/7.