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
snapshot
December 1st, 2009
9:40 am
the grunch, Chan is gone gone gone. Enjoy your 7 and 5 season.
Nick Cellini
December 1st, 2009
9:41 am
“UGA is the Husband, GT is the Wife!”
SportsNite on CSS – 6pm 11/30/2009
Atlanta Gator
December 1st, 2009
9:41 am
Morning Grinch
WOOFWOOF
December 1st, 2009
9:43 am
Snapshot… I’m a techie, not one of those stupid-head Bulldogs.
Last year's GT rings....
December 1st, 2009
9:44 am
….are getting baggettes to wear with those rings with the word “FLUKE” on it!
10-2 and OVERRATED!!!!
December 1st, 2009
9:45 am
10-2 doesn’t mean much when you play in either the ACC or the Mountain West ( 2 comparable conferences.)
WOOFWOOF
December 1st, 2009
9:47 am
Yeah Grinch, Chan is gone so now you’ll have to deal with Paul and our tripple option.
You just wait till next year. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Georgia fans are the Devil
December 1st, 2009
10:15 am
Granted, Tech has obnoxious fans, but 15 pages worth of what I guess is mostly dog droppings proves to me georgia fans are by far the most obnoxious fans in the universe. They make Satan seem like he is a nice guy. Yeah you beat Tech (and I will give you credit for that) but for the most of you ga fans you have no idea how to act like good sports ( and yes many teams including Tech has those same type of fans), but ga seems to double, triple, etc this brand of fan. Both ga & klimpson are just alike; both from rural areas, neither has sniffed a national championship since the early 80’s and most of your fans are arrogant and ignorant.
Anyone can get defensive and bash me for my comment, but don’t expect a reply because this is a one time post that only needs to be said once.
Just remember this, when people depict wht the devil looks like, he is ususally dressed in red and black.
Have a nice day mongos.
The new name for Georgia Tech
December 1st, 2009
10:17 am
Georgia Tech has changed its name to The Whiny Institute of Excuses!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
10:20 am
What’s wrong with being from a rural area?
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
10:23 am
Devil – Do you like to eat and wear clothes?
Clemson fan
December 1st, 2009
10:24 am
No! There are no more obnoxious and pretentious fans than Georgia Tech fans. They are the biggest hypocrites of all. Tech fans pretend to have class but for from it, they nearly always exhibit the least class when they win and only offer excuses when they lose. They are the worst at supporting their team during bad times, always the most fair weather of fans. Tech fans can display trashy redneck behaviour with the worst of them but turnaround and pretend to be upper class,which no one believes, by the way. Get over yourselves. You are definitely nothing special.
Richt's Spray-tan Salon
December 1st, 2009
10:37 am
UGAy has FIVE losses this season!! hahahahaha!! what a joke of a program!!! their redneck fans live in a fantasy world!!!!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
10:41 am
More redneck jokes…..priceless.
UGAIsSoLastYear
December 1st, 2009
10:42 am
Dude, you aren’t getting rings! The rings GT got last year were for being co-champs of the coastal division. They just decided to inscribe the UGA score on them. You are not champs OR co-champs of anything in your conference so your players will not be getting any rings sorry. Our team, on the other hand, will be getting rings this year again. Maybe we will inscribe 10 wins on ours. That seems like a lot doesn’t it? But you have 8 I think – not bad.
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
10:44 am
Georgia fans are the Devil
December 1st, 2009
10:15 am
Riiiight. We need look no farther than tech fans after last year’s game to see true sportsmanship and class, right? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
10:45 am
How many rings has Tech won in the last ten years?
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
10:45 am
Richt’s Spray-tan Salon
December 1st, 2009
10:37 am
Our 5-loss team kicked your team’s butts 30-24. Doesn’t say much for tech’s program. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
10:46 am
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
10:45 am
I don’t think they won any, but they “bought” one last year after the UGA game. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! How lame.
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
10:49 am
UGAIsSoLastYear
December 1st, 2009
10:42 am
“co-champs of the coastal conference”. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! That’s like the father on A Christmas Story winning the leg lamp and describes it as “a major award”. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
10:50 am
Atlanta Gator
December 1st, 2009
9:41 am
Morning. What’s going to happen to your DE? The impact? Not trying to start the usual “your team has nothing but thugs” crap like a lot of people. Just wondering how it will affect the team before the Bama game.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
10:52 am
“Fragile…must be Italian….”
Just like the Tech team that was shredded 30-24….
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
10:52 am
Nick Cellini
December 1st, 2009
9:41 am
I saw that!! Equally true and hilarious. BWAHAHAHAHAAHA!!
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
10:53 am
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
10:52 am
HA! Good one.
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
10:57 am
snapshot
December 1st, 2009
9:40 am
Enjoy your free hot dog and coke the next time tech plays Gardner Webb. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!!
Mel
December 1st, 2009
11:00 am
To all you mutt fans, learn how to spell the word “dog” and then we’ll talk. GO JACKETS!!!!
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
11:02 am
Mel
December 1st, 2009
11:00 am
Yes sir! And we’ll certainly be looking forward to talking with you, Mel. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
11:03 am
“Learn how to spell the word dog…….”
Freaking hilarious…snarf, snarf….
Mel
December 1st, 2009
11:04 am
And one more point – at least the Jackets don’t act like a bunch of crybabies and call for coaches to lose their jobs after ONE disappointing season. Exactly why the Bulldogs are so hated by so many other teams – not because they’re a good team but because they’re cocky and they act entitled. That goes for the players, the coaches, and DEFINITELY the fans. Get over yourselves.
Gimmick Offense
December 1st, 2009
11:09 am
((((((((((((((30-24))))))))))))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
11:12 am
Question: How can an annointed offensive “genius” like Paul Johnson not be able to craft a plan, with an extra practice week to boot, to defeat a Willie Martinez defense?
30-24….BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
11:20 am
Just in: Fats Friedgen, another Tech “genius” will be retained to coach ACC powerhouse Maryland following a 2-10 season….
Mel
December 1st, 2009
11:20 am
The Grinch, I’m taking a wild guess that you love to hear yourself talk.
UGAfireDAWG
December 1st, 2009
11:21 am
(((((((((((((((((((((((30-24))))))))))))))))))))))))
hahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha
8-1 Must hurt!
BUZZ LIGHTYEAR
December 1st, 2009
11:21 am
Georgia fans are the Devil: “Yeah you beat Tech (and I will give you credit for that) but for the most of you ga fans you have no idea how to act like good sports ( and yes many teams including Tech has those same type of fans), but ga seems to double, triple, etc this brand of fan.”
1st, we don’t need your ‘credit’ for beating TECH. It’s FACT, it happened (again). Done Deal.
2nd, UGA has 5-times as many fans, so if we only have ‘twice’ the obnoxious fans as TECH has, we’ll you’re good at math……….
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
11:22 am
Mel
December 1st, 2009
11:20 am
Did I spell “dog” correctly, Mel, so you’ll talk to me now? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! How lame.
BUZZ LIGHTYEAR
December 1st, 2009
11:23 am
UGA whipped that AAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘I RUN THIS STATE’
The Grinch
December 1st, 2009
11:24 am
Mel
December 1st, 2009
11:20 am
Can you take another wild guess and tell me what the UGA-tech score was Saturday? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
11:37 am
Why are Techies still trying to talk trash to Dawg fans after that beatdown? Could it be:
a. The UGA game obviously meant more to them than their coach alludes?
b. They realize the ACCCG doesn’t mean anything nationally?
c. They’re angry because they didn’t get their free dogs and cokes?
d. They can’t take the space shuttle to Tampa?
Mel
December 1st, 2009
11:40 am
“Georgia fans are the Devil”: you are so right. They are obnoxious. I can count on one hand how many Ugag fans I’ve encountered that weren’t. I’ve had my car broken into/vandalized twice when I went to the game in Athens. Never had it touched in Atlanta. So I absolutely refuse to go when it’s in Athens. The fans posting here are only proving your point.
One of the ABC commentators at last year’s game said it superbly: one school is a football factory, one school is an institution of higher learning. I’ll take the better school any day of the week.
Papadawg.
December 1st, 2009
11:43 am
Whatever makes you feel better. Please
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
11:44 am
Mel – Is this obnoxious?
30-24
60-39
15 out of the last 20
Glad it hurts so bad!!!
anon
December 1st, 2009
11:52 am
With the injuries that occurred, especially to Nesbitt, the need to beat UGA diminished so they could be prepared for the ACC title game. Smart coaching.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
11:57 am
Good try anon….
Smart coaching would have been not to throw the ball at the end.
anon
December 1st, 2009
11:58 am
Injured running QB. Irrelevant game.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
12:01 pm
Irrelevant huh?
30-24!!!!
60-39
15 of the last 20
Glad it hurts so bad!!!
Stooping to their Level
December 1st, 2009
12:13 pm
30-24!!!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
UGA VII
December 1st, 2009
12:15 pm
It’s funny how Tech fans change there tone after a big lose to UGA. CPJ’s offense can’t compete with decent SEC Defenses when they actually show up and play, remeber LSU last year and now UGA. The ACC championship has become a contest for 5th place in the SEC East. The MAC is stronger than the ACC.
Mel
December 1st, 2009
12:32 pm
And it’s funny how all of you think one game defines your season. I suppose we should throw you a bone, though, since you guys sucked all year.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
December 1st, 2009
12:37 pm
Mel – As a Tech fan you should be well-versed in sucky seasons, but no one said beating GT defined our season. It just made us all really happy to whip you at your place….again.