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
Where's tha Luv ???
November 30th, 2009
5:19 pm
What’s UGA playing for????….the Toilet Bowl Title
Hey Grinch…is that all you got ??? and what the hell is BWAHAHAHA ???
What are you, 10 years old ??? maybe
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:19 pm
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:18 pm
Riiiiiight. Tech wishes they were in the SEC. And Bill Clinton didn’t inhale. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:20 pm
Maybe if our schedule was as easy as bama or florida or lsu, you know, those powerhouse SEC schools, maybe we’d be undefeated.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:22 pm
Where’s tha Luv ???
November 30th, 2009
5:19 pm
Fascinated with 10 year old boys are you?
Actually, the Toilet Bowl (Bobby Dodd Stadium) trophy is in hand. Won on Saturday, 30-24 I believe.
Are you heading to Tampa? Are they offering free cokes and hot dogs for each ticket purchased? Hey, I heard if you bought tickets within the next 30 minutes, you would receive a bonus gift of a Sham Wow. All you pay is additional shipping and handling.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:22 pm
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:20 pm
Nah, because LSU and Florida played UGA. You know, the team that beat you on Saturday. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
5:24 pm
GTJOE. YOU REALLY DON’T WANT TO BE IN THE SEC WITH THAT TEAM PJ HAS. SURE THEY CAN PULL WINS OUT LATE OVER MRS STATE AND VANDY, BUT I’M PRETTY SURE THE OTHER 10 TEAMS WOULD ABUSE YOUR JACKETTES. NO, TECH IS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE………..IN THE LOWLY A SHE SHE.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:24 pm
gt#30
November 30th, 2009
5:17 pm
We traded the black jerseys for these totally cool rings with scores etched in them. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
5:25 pm
Grinch – The Nerds are getting delirious now….”wish we were in the SEC………”
Where's tha Luv ???
November 30th, 2009
5:26 pm
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…..
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Get a life Grinch
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:26 pm
HBTD: you and your other leg humper friends don’t like facts huh.
FACTS: Tech #10 BCS. UGA, nowhere.
Tech SoS tougher than bama, FL, LSU. SAME GOES FOR VaTech schedule. SAME GOES FOR Miami’s schedule.
SEC is tough, but maybe not as tough as you leg humpers think. But keep ignoring the numbers.
jacketnation
November 30th, 2009
5:26 pm
losing to a sorry UGA team was the ultimate let down of the season. I hope CPJ will fire Dave Wommack; who is worse than Willie Martinez. We need a Defense genius and an defensive line. Overall the whole defensive side of the ball is pitifull. I disagree with you Mark. I think CPJ wanted to win out and that meant beating the mutts. If I were Clemson, I would run the same plays. We have a horrible team when it comes to stopping the run and pressuring the QB.
If we play like that again, we will lose to Clemson and then go to the Gator or the Peach.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:27 pm
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
5:25 pm
We all know they really don’t want to be in the SEC. AFter all, if they were, there would be absolutely no chance of them playing on the blue field turf bowl ever again. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
5:27 pm
WAHSHAUN JUST RIPPED OFF ANOTHER 20 YARDER!!!!!!! TECH LOOKS LIKE A HS DEFENSE WITH THEIR SMALL AND SLOW PLAYERS.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:27 pm
Where’s tha Luv ???
November 30th, 2009
5:26 pm
Uh oh. Looks like I hit a nerve. But of course the loss didn’t really affect you at all, right? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:28 pm
Right grinch, no more blue turf. Only Sugar or BCS title games if we were in the SEC.
WOW
November 30th, 2009
5:28 pm
WOW how the mighty have fallen. Bragging about a coach being 2-7 in the SEC championship department and being #2 in the nation once out of 9 years.
Still A Tech Fan
November 30th, 2009
5:28 pm
Uh oh, looks like the UGA bandwagon is getting full again. By the way, who is UGA playing this Saturday?
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:29 pm
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:26 pm
We’re not ignoring the numbers. We are all aware of the final score, 30-24. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! And that’s a fact Jack!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:30 pm
Still A Tech Fan
November 30th, 2009
5:28 pm
UGA is not playing on Saturday. They’re getting measured for rings. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
5:30 pm
We’re not ignoring numbers Joe. We had a down year and GT is ranked while UGA is not. Just don’t act like GT has been kicking butt and taking names because you haven’t. You guys are owned by the Dawgs according to the facts….
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
5:31 pm
There goes Caleb………………….again!!! Go Dawgs!!! 31 – 24!!
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:31 pm
Here’s some more facts for leg humpers:
2008:
UGA preseason #1, ends #13
GT preseason unranked, ends #22
2009:
UGA preseason #14, ends unranked
GT preseason #16, now #10
See a pattern forming?
WOW
November 30th, 2009
5:31 pm
Top five recruiting class year after year still no NC great coaching staff you have
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
5:32 pm
GTJoe. Oh you’re into patterns are you??? Well here’s one for you:
8 – 1!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:32 pm
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:28 pm
STOP THE PRESS!! I HAVE FOUND THE DUMBEST POST OF THE DAY!! This clown not only thinks tech has the clemson game, and the bowl game, in the bag, he now thinks if tech was in the SEC they would be ranked ahead of UF and Bama ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
5:34 pm
Grinch. GT apparently is real big into the SOS deal.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
5:34 pm
No Joe, I don’t see a pattern….
WOOFWOOF
November 30th, 2009
5:34 pm
how bout them dogs top five recruiting class year after year 7-5 and unranked
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:35 pm
WOW
November 30th, 2009
5:31 pm
Yes, top 5 recruiting class year after year. Outside of last year, UGA beats tech year after year.
How’s that pattern GT JOE??
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Still A Tech Fan
November 30th, 2009
5:35 pm
UGA – 5 losses
GT – 2 losses
UGA – Unranked
GT – #10
UGA – No conference championship or BCS bowl bid
GT – Championship game Saturday for a BCS bowl bid
While the loss to UGA did suck, I think we are still in pretty good shape, and I would bet that most UGA fans would love to swap positions with us.
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:35 pm
Here’s more fun with patterns (dogs like patterns):
UGA record:
2007, 11-2
2008, 10-3
2009, 7-5
GT record:
2007, 7-5
2008, 9-4
2009, 10-2
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:35 pm
WOOFWOOF
November 30th, 2009
5:34 pm
And in our worst season in 13 years we still beat tech on the flats. bWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
epnoymous
November 30th, 2009
5:36 pm
30-24.
Don’t recall any of the astute sportswriters here even coming close to calling that outcome. Even Mr. College Football himself called for Tech to “roll” over the Dawgs.
Tech may beat Clemson. They may get the BCS bowl birth. However, no matter the outcome of those games, there will always be 30-24…the outcome that no one predicted. Verily, it is the outcome that will overshadow the year for Tech.
You won the ACC? Great. You won the Orange Bowl? Outstanding.
30-24.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
5:37 pm
Trust me Still A Tech Fan, we don’t want to swap “positions” with you…..that’s nasty.
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:37 pm
Ghost:
I figured you couldn’t see that pattern, let me help.
GT exceeds preseason expectations, UGA fails to meet preseason expectations. Understand now?
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:37 pm
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:35 pm
Let’s continue your pattern:
2007 – UGA beats tech for the 7th straight year
2008 – tech upstes UGA
2009 – UGA beats tech
How’s that? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Still A Tech Fan
November 30th, 2009
5:38 pm
The Grinch:
UGA is not playing on Saturday. They’re getting measured for rings……and ankle monitors.
HBTD
November 30th, 2009
5:38 pm
WOOFWOOF. YEAH BOY. AND THOSE RECRUITS HAVE TAKEN YOUR POOR LITTLE TEAM TO THE WOOD SHED 8 OUT OF THE LAST 9 YEARS!!! WON 2 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS, FINISHED IN THE TOP 10, 7 OUT OF THE LAST 9 YEARS.
YEAH, I’D SAY THE COACHES HAVE DONE ONE HELL OF A JOB RECRUITING AND COACHING THEM UP TO PLAY AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVER THE LAST 9 YEARS.
SPEAKING OF RECRUITING, LOOKS LIKE CPJ IS GOING TO GET LEFT OUT IN THE COLD AGAIN. GAILY’S BOYS ARE NOT GOING TO BE THEIR MUCH LONGER.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:38 pm
WOOFWOOF
November 30th, 2009
5:34 pm
And the last time tech played in a BCS bowl was………oh, that’s right, you NEVER have. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAAHA!!
WOOFWOOF
November 30th, 2009
5:38 pm
yes and tech beat the dogs top five recruiting class last year between the hedges so what
Atlanta Gator
November 30th, 2009
5:39 pm
Matt wrote: “And Since Paul Johnson has been at Tech he has outcoached Mark Richt. Paul Johnson 19-6, Mark Richt 17-8. So you can’t really say Richt 8-GT 1, because its irrelevent.”
—
Jeez, seems that I’m being the moderator on this board more than anything. To be fair to both coaches, Matt, you really need to compare records of the two coaches through two graduation classes since CPJ didn’t recruit most the players with which he has been winning. Therefore, if we go back to 2002 the records for both coaches are as follows: CPJ: 63-37 / CMR: 81-22.
Let’s keep your facts straight guys. Now, let the fighting resume.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
November 30th, 2009
5:39 pm
Joe and any other Techie – name 5 big Tech wins in the last 10 years.
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:39 pm
Still A Tech Fan
November 30th, 2009
5:38 pm
NO, no, no. They’re getting measured for “score” rings and as a bonus they get a free coke and hot dog. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
epnoymous
November 30th, 2009
5:40 pm
30-24.
Don’t recall any of the astute sportswriters here even coming close to calling that outcome. Even Mr. College Football himself called for Tech to “roll” over the Dawgs.
Tech may beat Clemson. They may get the BCS bowl birth. However, no matter the outcome of those games, there will always be 30-24…the outcome that no one predicted. Verily, it is the outcome that will overshadow the year for Tech.
You won the ACC? Great. You won the Orange Bowl? Outstanding.
30-24.
Still A Tech Fan
November 30th, 2009
5:40 pm
To ‘The Ghost of Wally Butts’…..yeah right. Enjoy Shreveport.
epnoymous
November 30th, 2009
5:41 pm
30-24.
And you wanna know something else? The Varsity sucks, too.
GT Joe
November 30th, 2009
5:41 pm
gator and HBTD: FYI, gailey’s recruits were for a pro-style offense. CPJ converted a pocket passer (nesbitt) into a option QB. He’s at a major DISadvantage with gailey’s recruits.
trey
November 30th, 2009
5:41 pm
CPJ might consider this loss an unimportant game but he can keep that attitude over the next few years of straight losses to UGA and he’ll be in the soup line. Trying to placate the fans to try and make them feel better by using this kind of logic possibly works with some of the young kids (like those on this blog) but it’s not flying well in the powers-to-be offices at GT, nor in the living rooms of the money alums. Beating UGA is important (hence the purchase of rings last year, lololol) and losing to UGA is, well, reality, but it’s killing all the key people right now.
This game was a HUGE loss to the techies. The loss hurts and they can try to downplay it by yammering about the ACC game with Clemson or yammering about their overall record, blah blah, but it still won’t change the fact UGA whipped GT’s arse Saturday night.
30-24, glad it STILL hurts so bad
WOOFWOOF
November 30th, 2009
5:42 pm
so what top five recruiting classes should win SEC and NC but only wins 2 SEC Championship but don’t which hurts worse beating expectations or failing when you have all the talent you need to win
The Grinch
November 30th, 2009
5:42 pm
Atlanta Gator
November 30th, 2009
5:39 pm
What do you think of GT Joe’s statement that if tech were in the SEC they would be playing for championships and BCS bowl games? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!