I’m thinking PJ sees a real title as bigger than beating UGA
Paul Johnson and Josh Nesbitt can still be champions. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
I had this conversation with a Georgia Tech booster last night: If Paul Johnson had to pick between beating Georgia and winning the 2009 ACC title, which would have chosen?
“As fans, we’d always pick beating Georgia,” the booster said. But that’s from the fan’s perspective, which isn’t the same as a coach’s. And if I had to guess — and I don’t have to guess, but just for grins I will — I’d say PJ would take being the champion of a BCS conference. (Yeah, yeah. Even if it is only the ACC.)
I base this on something PJ said last week about beating Georgia — “Been there, done that” — and on his stated desire to win championships at Tech. “We almost did it last year,” he said, and the Jackets did. They shared first place in the Coastal Division but lost to Virginia Tech on a tiebreaker. And now the moment is here. Beat Clemson in Tampa and the Jackets will play in the Orange Bowl in Year 2 under Paul Johnson. And that’s pretty darn impressive even if they did lose to the hated mutts.
A year ago, I think PJ would have chosen the other course: He needed to beat Georgia to establish credibility among his constituency. And that had to come first lest he run the risk of turning into Chan Gailey. (Who was fired because he couldn’t beat Georgia, fired 51 weeks after he played for the ACC title in Jacksonville.) Having done the deed in Year 1, Johnson has more global goals.
Which is why, I submit, he talked down the rivalry last week. (Indeed, he came tantalizingly close to channeling Reggie Ball and saying of Georgia: “It’s just a game, dog.”) PJ said this flat-out: “I’m going to get Georgia Tech to the point where our program is bigger than one game.”
Georgia fans will crow that the ACC title game now holds no currency, but that’s not true. (The Tech fan’s comeback: “So who are you playing this week?”) Tech was the best team in its conference, which isn’t to be confused with the SEC but isn’t the New York-Penn League, either. And that was the Jackets’ stated goal from spring practice on — win the ACC.
Remember Tech’s rings from last season? They weren’t presented for beating Georgia, although they did bear the famous score. (I’m pretty sure this year’s rings won’t be engraved with “30-24.”) The rings were for tying for the Coastal title. This year GT and PJ don’t have to share a division with anyone. This year they can win the whole conference. And I’m thinking, in this coach’s mind, that was Job 1 all along.
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GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
November 30th, 2009
1:15 pm
GT HAS BECOME A YELLOW PUS IN THE STATE OF GA, CANNOT EVEN WIN THE STATE RIVALRY GAME . HAHAHAHAHAHA AND HAHAHAHAHHA AND HAHAHAHAAHHA FOREVER AND EVER.
Reality strikes again
November 30th, 2009
1:16 pm
Whatever makes you feel better about getting owned at your own game at your own place. Whatever makes you feel better about that reality check you received on Saturday. Whatever makes you feel better about your division winners getting owned by two “mid-tier” SEC teams.
Just another game, lol. Whatever makes you feel better about realizing that you aren’t as good as you thought.
KBB
November 30th, 2009
1:16 pm
The seller is offering free yellow mustard running down the back of the hot dog. What a nice person. We need more compasionate people like that in this world.
Mark Bradley
November 30th, 2009
1:17 pm
I never said Paul Johnson didn’t want to beat Georgia. Obviously he did. I just asked, “If he could only win one of the two games, which would he pick?” And this is my uneducated guess.
RedAndBlack
November 30th, 2009
1:18 pm
GoTech610…hello???
All that you said below is true that’s why it hurts so bad to lose against a “bottom of the barrel” Georgia team and it feels so good knowing that Georgia beat a “champion” team such as Tech. Go ahead and hang your hat on that but 30-24 is the final score you’ll see all year long, buddy. Make any excuses you wish to make if it will make you feel better. Bottom line is Tech was beaten by a Georgia team that wasn’t even given a chance — hahaha.
GT is a top 10 team and UGA is still unranked…nuff said.
GT is a champion, UGA is a has been
GT is 2nd nationally in rushing yards…UGA is bottom of the barrel
30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
Simon says 30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!! 30-24 Hahahahahahaha!!!
displaced georgia fan
November 30th, 2009
1:18 pm
bull, the uga game is the biggest game on tech’s schedule.alwys has been always will be.had tech won they would be talking how much of an accomplishment.You really should not downplay such an important game after you have lost.
The Other St. Simons
November 30th, 2009
1:18 pm
I have been looking high and low for St. Simons and his World of Wrcraft partners Yelloefuzz, M, and Pi$$onaDawg to no avail.
If you see them, please ask them to show themselves.
I have a message for them. (((((((((((30-24)))))))))))) Hahahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahaha!!!
Georgia
November 30th, 2009
1:20 pm
techie deflection and spin working hard. This one stings for gatech. They thought they had grown superior to Georgia and a freshmen tailback just came into the bobby dodd and reminded them of reality.
Clemson is licking their chops
KBB
November 30th, 2009
1:21 pm
E-bay update. Tech free hot dog holding at $30.24. Bidding closes today (30th) and midnight (24th). How do they come up with that stuff?
Dap01
November 30th, 2009
1:24 pm
College football system is flawed when teams like Tech and Boise State are highly ranked.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:26 pm
Dap01
November 30th, 2009
1:24 pm
Not only that, but the ACC is highly flawed when their championship game will be a rematch between #10 tech and not-in-the-top-25 clemson, both of whom were defeated last weekend by middle of the pack SEC teams. I’m sure that game will draw a huuuuuuuuge audience. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:26 pm
does anyone know why “p” Richt went afer our player on the sideline?
CLEVON LITTLE
November 30th, 2009
1:27 pm
Hhmmmmm…. SO, I believe Paul Johnson knew the DAWGS had more talent, and he also knew that he caught them off guard last year (yes, after you beat someone 7-times consecutively you sometimes get complacent –especially after you are up 28-12 at halftime), so last weeks’ comments were Paul Johnson’s way of submission. Going for that hail-mary before the half only showed desperation –not to mention add fuel to the UGA fire to comeback and finish the drill. What a JOKE of a football program GEORGIA TECH is. What a JOKE of a conference the ACC is. Have fun showing off all of those ACC co-champion or champion rings/shirts. RED & BLACK will continue to dominate the ATL.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
1:27 pm
GTBill – The logic of your first point is ridiculous. No one said that GT or Clemson doesn’t have the chance to be the legitimate ACC champ because they lost to mediocre SEC teams. Florida and LSU were legit national champs because the system in place said they were. I think Auburn could make an argument though.
As for your third point, as UGA fans, we’re accustomed to a better product delivered from Richt. The 2009 team has been mediocre. That’s a fact.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:29 pm
I’m just guessing here, but I think Clemson will be the home team in the big bad ACC Championship game. Why do I say that? Because I don’t see a free hot dog and coke offer on the ticket page. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Gratefuldawghead
November 30th, 2009
1:29 pm
ACC = ALL COAST CLEAR!
30-24 LOVE IT
WE OWN TECH
DEAL WITH IT!!!!!
bamafan
November 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
Who believes that crap, Mark? I would personally be puking my guts out if Coach Saban said something stupid like that after losing to Auburn.
And I feel that way even though the SEC title is a damn sight more valuable than the ACC title……..This smacks of excuses for underestimating UGA, overestimating the GA Tech defense, and general piss-poor play calling on the final four plays………
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
ACC – Almost Competitive Conference
BIG JACKET
November 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
Dawg Fan 4 Life,what a cute name,Can you not spell four,just like
half that team of your’s majoring in housing,what a joke when they
showed that saturday night,i fell out of my chair laughing!!
EW
November 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
Well Mark since you didn’t like my other off color comment (and deleted it) how about this one:
Really? PJ doesnt think the UGA game is that big of a deal. Really? It was big enough last year that they immortalized their epic 45-42 win on a ring for a Co-championship for a division of a sub-par conference. Really? So this year this is just a loss to another team on the schedule? Really? It looks to me like PJ needs to suck this up and look at for what it is. GT is the little brother fighting for bread crumbs at the big boy’s feet. He got one thrown his way last year and thought he had the right to start eating steak, when in essense it was just enough to fatten them up and get them smiling so the back hand to the side of the face had a little more to wipe away as they slink back to the floor where they belong. The ACC is a joke and GT just happens to be one of the clowns in the circus.
At least they get to play next week though…and you can see it too for a $20…for that you may even get a hotdog and a coke. I’m sure there will be plenty of leg room…have a whole section for yourself why dont you. Hey who knows. they might even draw as big a crowd as the C-USA championship game but they still have to sell a little to cover that.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:31 pm
ACC – Anyone Care Conference?
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:32 pm
ACC – Another Classic Clunker
hardmanb
November 30th, 2009
1:32 pm
Congrats to the Bulldogs, especially the players and coaches. For UGA this was an indisputably great game. The win was clear, no excuses, no questionable calls…a complete and clean win. Richt’s program is completly justified. Bobo and Martinez showed that they can coach and motivate players. Bobo crafted a masterful game plan and called it flawlessly, preventing Tech’s offense from controlling the clock. Martinez showed he could deliver a defense that could stop and frustrate the #2 national rushing offense, and #4 national total offense, and could motivate the players to smother every advantage of an opponent. This was a complete vindication of the coaching staff, and they all deserve raises, contract extensions and consideration for national coaching honors.
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:34 pm
7 and 5 I am no way in crap i will ever win 10…CPJ is my daddy
jeff
November 30th, 2009
1:35 pm
Hey clevon have fun picking up trash with that wonderful degree you
get at the great school in athens,by the way what have ya’ll really
won in athens,NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!My florida friends laugh at uga thinking
that uga is a rival game to florida
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:35 pm
I hope we play well this saturday…..wait a minute, I hope those other guys from Ga do
jeff
November 30th, 2009
1:36 pm
Hey grinch,it’s time to go back to work,i want a burger all the
way,no fries!!!!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:37 pm
jeff
November 30th, 2009
1:35 pm
And you’ve accomplished soooooo much, right? bWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:38 pm
jeff
November 30th, 2009
1:36 pm
You work at the drive through cubicle, so you should be able to get it yourself. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:39 pm
jeff
November 30th, 2009
1:36 pm
So you need to go back to work, huh? What’s wrong, won’t the short order cook at the Waffle House you work at make you a burger? Awwww. Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!
jeff
November 30th, 2009
1:39 pm
Another bulldog arrested,imagine that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:40 pm
wow now I get what I wanted …my darling willie gets to stay another year
Mark Bradley
November 30th, 2009
1:40 pm
Good point, Bamafan: Had the Tide lost to Auburn, I’m sure Saban would have declined the invitation to the SEC title game.
Would it be better for Tech to be heading to Tampa 11-1 after beating Georgia? Sure. Winning is generally preferable to losing. But that’s not possible now. If you’re a coach, you play the next game. Just like Georgia did after losing to UK.
EW
November 30th, 2009
1:40 pm
yeah mPr,
3rd time in 8 years that UGA has not won 10 games
1st time in 8 years that GT has 10 wins.
yeah….keep talking…cause you’re a genius.
Fred
November 30th, 2009
1:41 pm
All of you NATS fans and AJC writers let me hear one more time how the NATS will get to the BCS championship game.
jeff's mother
November 30th, 2009
1:41 pm
To all UGA fans. I must apologize for the actions of my little boy, jeff. He is a mischievious little imp and likes to play tough guy on the computer in the basement. His father will be home from work soon and will take care of things. Thank you for your understanding.
Signed,
jeff’s mother
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
DMac
November 30th, 2009
1:41 pm
CPJ needed a ga tech win more last year for credibility sake. Mark Richt needed it more this year for his credibility sake… Its as simple as that. Dawg fans will keep him on for now.
Erin Andrews' Landing Strip
November 30th, 2009
1:43 pm
Enjoy The World’s Smallest Cocktail Party in Tampa next week, Techies. And enjoy the memory of Super Genius Paul Johnson getting his pants pulled down by Willie Martinez.
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:43 pm
ew
those days are gone sister
Boo Radley
November 30th, 2009
1:45 pm
Mark Bradley = Baghdad Bob
Gator bait
November 30th, 2009
1:46 pm
our 5 star recruits won us 7 games, what’s to replace? Now I can strut around and be king of the inbreds. I can laugh and mock 20 yr old GT players while I bask in my 7 donuts that I ate today. You know, I never got to play h.s. ball they made me the water boy but my 790 SAT scores got me in the most pretigious university in the state. I never have to even bend over and touch my toes even though my blood pressure and cholesterol are thru the roof. That is ok, I will just continue to eat all the bacon and sausage bisquits with gravy cause I am D A W G fan. I might be able to get a job at the post office although they seem to be more impressed with the foregin citizens lately than my UGA degree. Do they not know I am a D A W G fan? Just because I have a 40 lb extra weight on my stomach and a bald head with a gray beard, I am a D A W G fan, women will love me. One day, I will ride a scooter around Walmart cause I never did exercise and blame everyone else for my poor physical health cause I’m a D A W G fan.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:46 pm
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:43 pm
Right. Saturday was sooooooo long ago. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Tech sucks
November 30th, 2009
1:46 pm
Can we actually call the ACC Championship a “real title?”
Seriously?
What a joke. The two best teams in the ACC just got stomped by middle tier SEC teams on the same day.
The ACC officers are on suicide watch after that joke of an effort by Tech, Clemson, and FSU.
SEC >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ACC
UGA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tech (8-1 Nerds)
DawgFan24
November 30th, 2009
1:47 pm
GTBill, dont you know how to hit the SUBMIT button just once you retard? I thought they taught that up at the North Ave. Nerd school?
And by the way, Your first point is totally off base. GA fans are putting an exclamation point on our victory by comparing the two CONFERENCES. SEC has been and will always be far superior to the ACC.
Mark Bradley
November 30th, 2009
1:47 pm
Now, if you’re asking me, does Paul Johnson need to beat Georgia again soon to prove last season wasn’t a fluke? Yes he does.
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
1:47 pm
Mark. PJ seems like a pretty smart guy and a quick learner. I doubt he’ll downplay the significance of the UGA game to tech. If he doesn’t already know, he will soon………UGA is THE biggest game for tech. Always has been and always will be. He can go 20 years without winning an ACCC. That’s apparently not their programs priority, but lose 4+ years in a row to UGA and the techies will throw him out on his ear. He’ll learn, but it want make much difference. I’ll give him to 2013/14. That will be 5/6 losses in a row to the Big Dawg!
Tech sucks
November 30th, 2009
1:47 pm
lol Gator bait. Go back to your trailer and cook a grilled cheese sandwich before you head to the local barber to get your mullet trimmed, you inbred tool.
Dawg Nation
November 30th, 2009
1:47 pm
It’s great we beat Tech, but the win gave Ricjt an excuse to keep Willie as his DC. That’s not great.
Tech sucks
November 30th, 2009
1:48 pm
MB… Tech WILL lose to UGA again next year.
UGA has an absolute ton of talent coming back and Murray > Joe Cox.
Not to mention Richt owns Tech worse than UF owns UGA, and that is saying quite a lot.
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:48 pm
mutts can talk all they want, but they were scared to death up to the very minute Bay Bay missed the ball. I was at the game and not a single person from the trailor park said a word until that play, then all of a sudden they grew balls. You sucked all year and you still suck, we played like crap as well, but we know it..you didnt do anything right, we did everthing wrong….now pick up your trash