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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1,540 comments Add your comment
Caleb King
November 30th, 2009
1:49 pm
I just ran for another touchdown lol.
GT4ever
November 30th, 2009
1:49 pm
The one thing I was impressed with Saturday was the fact that even though we played so bad on defense, our offense still had a chance at the end to win it. Hopefully the loss was a wake up call for this coming Saturday night. Go Tech !!
Gator bait
November 30th, 2009
1:49 pm
who knows maybe I can get a job with the AJC cause I’m a D A W G fan. Oh wait, there is somebody who looks just like me already doing that.
pilgrim
November 30th, 2009
1:50 pm
I’m thinking GA fans see the state title as bigger than being a mediocre SEC team.
Tech sucks
November 30th, 2009
1:50 pm
Funny how all you little Tech nerds like to generalize that UGA fans are rednecks and live in trailers.
I have a 7,000 square foot house and went to UGA.
I don’t know many people who went to Tech and couldn’t converse with them anyway because I don’t know Farsi or Japanese.
Fuzzybee
November 30th, 2009
1:50 pm
Why couldn’t we have both goals. I understand the importance of winning the ACC … NO DOUBT!!! But, we need to establish state superiority over those hated mutts. We WASTED a GREAT opportunity!!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:50 pm
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:48 pm
Alright!! Another excuse for my “tech excuses” file. Thanks. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Boo Radley
November 30th, 2009
1:51 pm
Mark — If one victory last year was a defining event (the first in 7 years no less) that “changed college football in the state”, then what does a defeat at the hands of a mediocre team in transition mean for Paul Johnson and his 10-1 squad? What does it say for CPJ’s genius that he got out matched, at home, in a battle of wits with a soon to be fired Def Coordinator that you mocked all season?
big t
November 30th, 2009
1:51 pm
georgia still sux
Jaded Jacket
November 30th, 2009
1:52 pm
The entire SEC is glad UGA beat Tech. The win assures them that UGA’s defense will suck likes Tech’s for at least another year.
Gator bait
November 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
gee where’s the love I am one of you, I’m a D A W G fan. Just because I have a greasy gray beard and wear coke bottle glasses and 50 lbs overweight, I am a D A W G fan. Just because I live in a trailer, UGA accepted me cause I’m a D A W G fan. I will share my donuts with any of you other D A W G fans cause those of us who never get off sofa need to stick together. Remember, we are D A W G fans thru and thru.
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
The Grinch
at least we havent had to make excuses for 5 games….you still have one more loss coming sister so take notes
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:48 pm
LMAO. Typical tech loser mentality. A life of denial. Have fun in a relatively meaningless CG.
And when Clemson is crowned as ACC champs, then what?
November 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
Excuses. Rivalry games are big, no matter what. You lose them, you lose ground in the recruiting battles, and Tech seemingly loses what few fans show for games.
CPJ would do well to realize after he loses to Clemson next week that his goal should be to win every game…no matter who or what it is for.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:55 pm
Jaded Jacket
November 30th, 2009
1:52 pm
Let me borrow the words of a classic tech poster, but insert CPJ’s name instead of CMR: “Will Johnson have the balls to fire his DC?” Just curious.
Journalistic Credibility?
November 30th, 2009
1:55 pm
Mark Bradley you really are a blogger now. You are shamefully inconsistent. If tech had won, you would be heralding how they are so good and the tide has turned in the state of GA. But, they lost, you somehow say “oh its actually not a big deal to beat GA”, when you and everyone were saying before how big it would be to beat them!!!
Im upset because I expect some journalistic values on a newspaper’s website, but i guess i need to accept reality and realize you are just a moderator of a debate that takes place underneath your columns.
You piss me off more than Terrence Moore now.
DR.J
November 30th, 2009
1:55 pm
AP…Atlanta,GA Furman Bisher was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in the Sports Fiction category today for his book “Paul Johnson..A Perspective on the Relevance and Revival of Georgia Tech Football.” Bisher is a recognized expert in the field and was recently honored by the Augusta National Golf Club for being old.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:56 pm
Gator bait
November 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
Two words that will hit close to home for, inbred: mullet…….jorts.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Where is St Simons
November 30th, 2009
1:57 pm
(((30-24))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Caleb King just scored again!!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:57 pm
DR.J
November 30th, 2009
1:55 pm
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Good one. Almost as funny as Obama winning the Nobel peace prize. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Jaded Jacket
November 30th, 2009
1:57 pm
Tech Sucks – I know plenty of UGA rednecks that live in large homes. So what? I can put money in a redneck’s pocket, but it won’t take the redneck out of him (you). I have a number of UGA grads on my payroll, so I should know.
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:57 pm
Tech sucks
is it exactly 7000sf or 6950 or 7050….
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
1:58 pm
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
Did you make a note of 30-24? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
CPJacketFan
November 30th, 2009
1:59 pm
You have no idea how good it feels to hear that beating Tech is the most exciting thing to happen to a dog, especially since our 2nd year coach is still building his program – my, how things have changed in Athens – now go home and get ready for the Music City bowl – it will be fun watching you get beat by UNC
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
2:01 pm
CPJacketFan
November 30th, 2009
1:59 pm
Wow. Sounds like 30-24 is hard for you to swallow. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
2:03 pm
Jaded Jacket
November 30th, 2009
1:57 pm
Uh oh everyone. Looks like we have another supposed tech grad who claims to be a successful businessman and is the boss of many dumb uga grads. What’s next? Gonna tell us about your 9″ crank and 450 lb bench press? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Dawg Foot
November 30th, 2009
2:03 pm
CPJacketFan: The offense CP runs will never work. NERD FACE with a .05 cent brain.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
2:03 pm
Like I said, we care about beating Tech:
1. UGA has a winning all-time record against Tech in baseball.
2. I’ll give you men’s basketball, but the Lady Dawgs have a 27-3 record against the Lady Jackets.
3. The UGA softball team is 15-7 versus Tech.
4. The volleyball team is 21-10 against GT.
5. Gymdogs….
6. UGA swimming and diving….
7. UGA golf…..
Don’t tell me that people don’t care about softball or swimming. UGA beats Tech at just about everything.
MCJACKET
November 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
dogwhipping,
Oh if we get to add last year to our SEC record then it’s 5-2. Besides us, what ranked team did yall beat? UF – no, LSU – no, Ok.State – no (and not ranked any more), UK – no (oh I forgot they are not ranked), UT – no (are they ranked?).
It’s funny that this not a rival game to yall anymore, until you are beat. Then, yall win again and it’s like yall just won the national championship again.
I am just hoping that Willie is saved!!!
I guess your quality win is Tennessee Tech!!! It can’t be GT since yall say we suck so bad!
OldDawg
November 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
Almost every techie here has played the “if” and “but” game…especially as to the dropped pass…..WELL…lets BOTH play the “if” and “but” game….is that fair?
IF Wooten does not drop a sure TD pass that hit him in the hands, and IF cox doesnt make an awful throw to a wide open reciever in the end zone for a sure TD, and IF Blair…who was 19 for 20 at the time…does not miss the FG….UGA would have been up at least 3 scores in the 4th quarter and
NO BODY would be talking about techies dropped pass! PERIOD!
You guys can spin it and rationalize it any way you want….BOTTOM LINE….the UGA-gt game is, has for over a hundred years, and will always be the biggest game on either’s schedule!!! PERIOD!
No Dawg fan here is saying beating techies makes this a good season…it does not by any stretch of the imagination! However it does beat the hell out of having a bad season AND losing to the techies! PERIOD!
Tech man…you said you played in big games for 5 years, and you win some and lose some. And you also as well as most other techies here today say over and over that tech played their worst game of the year…and UGA played their best! Well….DUH….will your feable mind wrap around the fact that the MAIN reasons you played your WORST game of the year were wearing silver britches and red jerseys Sat. night! PERIOD!
The ACC is THE most irrerelevant of the BCS conferences…it is to the point that honestly the ACC nor Big Least DESERVE an automatic BCS bid. Should be an auto bid for the SEC, Big Twelve,Big 10, and PAC 10…the other 4 bids at large…for DESERVING teams…CERTAINLY not the likes of tech or Clemson! Period!
BTW…you guys can rest assured midiot, ramble, yellow fuzz, pi$$ on a dog and the rest of the lunatic fringe of the tech nation have been here since early Sat. morning..you guys are reading every word…they simply changed their monikers to try and save face! Cant blame them!
On a side note….gotta give props and cred to midiot..he was the ONLY one with the cahoonas to step up and predict a sweep in the 3 SEC East-acc match ups over the weekend! Tip of the hat to you midiot! NOT!
oops…almost forgot…..30-24
gt…UGA’s bytches for 15 of the last 19 years…and counting!
hunker this
November 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
top 5 recruiting equals 7 wins ..yep it will make you forget your inferior to KY, Ok St, Tn, FL and LSU. So much to be proud of. 7 wins equals a big ole pile of dog doo doo, so hunker down again…amen
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
I thought tech was supposed to have a running attack. Dwyer – 33 yards and Nesbitt 44 yards. This is supposedly the best in the ACC??? That performance was pitiful!
mark P richt
November 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
Tech sucks
yes maam…got it….yall play good saturday ok….neverind, since you dont have a game maybe yall can just throw the trash out in the yards of all those 7000 sq ft homes and the athens sanitation dept will be by to pick it up
Eddie Lee Ivory
November 30th, 2009
2:05 pm
Since he has “been there, done that,” as he puts it, does that mean he will no longer try to beat UGA. That’s a dumb statement. Surely he would have liked to beat UGA AND win the ACC if given the choice. It’s okay to look back now and say the ACC title is more important because that’s all that’s left after the loss.
It looks like the ACC championship will feature an unranked team against one that is ranked around #15. Saturday was a bad day for the ACC.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
2:05 pm
MCJACKET
November 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
We beat one presently ranked team…..tech. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
EW
November 30th, 2009
2:05 pm
Hey Jaded, and I have quite a few Techies on my pay roll. They are good workers and I never have to worry about the females in the office getting hit on by them. However I did have to block Star Trek websites and Warcraft gaming on the networks.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
2:07 pm
EW
November 30th, 2009
2:05 pm
Ha! Good one.
gadog
November 30th, 2009
2:07 pm
Mark, are you kidding me? If PJ can’t beat Georgia, he/gt has no right to be playing for an ACC championship. Georgia is a middle-class team in the SEC and they rush for 369 yards against the possible ACC champion! Give me a break! And let me say further, if PJ really feels the way you think he does, he shouldn’t be coaching a gt team. Every game should be important but particularly your home-state rival. PJ’s a joke–IF YOURE RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!But I don’t believe you are!
Gator bait
November 30th, 2009
2:07 pm
let us go over to the junkyard column now and mock the GT football players some more. It makes me feel so good about myself to be able to do that and my comments are most welcomed on that blog where my co-cowards will join in and the sportswriter willl approve of them
first down
November 30th, 2009
2:08 pm
king just ran for another first down.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
2:08 pm
….this just in……Boo Boo Taylor dropped the ball……
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
2:09 pm
Gator bait
November 30th, 2009
2:07 pm
Just what Village People are you? Did one wear jorts or something? bWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
2:09 pm
MC Jacket – We’ve had a down year. GT is always a rivalry game to the fans, even though the record doesn’t prove it. Just like us and Florida.
Plans for Monday Night
November 30th, 2009
2:11 pm
UGA / Tech game is reairing on CSS @ 7:00p.m. for all the tech fans, SCI-Fi Channel is running a Star Trek marathon starting at midnight.
T-MAN
November 30th, 2009
2:11 pm
FUNNY,HOW THE CANINES COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK THIS WEEK AFTER THE WHIPPING KENTUCKY PUT ON THEM,AND NEVER MIND THE LOPSIDED LOSSES TO FLA.TIME AND TIME AGAIN,AND WHAT GAME ARE YA’LL PLAYING NEXT WEEK,OH THAT’S RIGHT YOU’LL BE WATCHING RERUNS OF COPS,ENJOY.
GS
November 30th, 2009
2:14 pm
The mutts had their day so let ‘em holler. Honestly, most Tech fans have moved on because we have more to play for. The mutts? They have nothing left to play for next week – their season is over. So they have little to do but clog the blogs. I’m glad that we can provide them some entertainment but in the end their taunts are easy to ignore (just don’t read their posts).
I would have to agree with Mark’s assertion that titles and an Orange bowl berth are obviously more important than beating the leghumpers. Sorry, mutts we don’t care about your conference any more than you care about ours.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
2:14 pm
T-MAN
November 30th, 2009
2:11 pm
No TV for UGA players. They’ll be getting measured for “score” rings. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
NC Dawg
November 30th, 2009
2:14 pm
30-24! All of a sudden, beating Georgia “isn’t important”. Indeed, words uttered when one CAN’T beat Georgia! Go Dawgs!
gss303
November 30th, 2009
2:14 pm
Dr Pepper wants their money back.
Sid
November 30th, 2009
2:14 pm
Are you kidding me? Winning an ACC championship more important than beating a 6-5 UGa team? Enjoy it while you can you lying, classless coach.