Heat Check: Grantham needs to sit; Johnson needs to chill
Todd Grantham is shown here debating the finer points of decorum.
Our weekly Heat Check arrives a day late due to Columbus Day. (Wait. That was last week? Never mind.) And we start at the obvious boiling-over point.
Todd Grantham, Georgia: He’s proving he’s a good defensive coordinator. (The Bulldogs rank eighth nationally in total defense.) He’s also showing he’s a bully. Giving the choke sign to an opposing player was bush league. Getting into it with the Vanderbilt coach — the Vanderbilt coach, I emphasize — after a victory tainted the whole winning effort and cheapened the Bulldogs’ brand, which had been in the process of undergoing some needed touch-up.
It’s one thing for players to get excited and stomp on a logo. (Georgia managed that trick at Vandy a while back.) It’s another for a grown man — Grantham is 45, which means he meets the Mike Gundy standard for grown-man status — to embarrass the program twice in 12 months. And I don’t buy the whole I’m-just-standing-up-for-my-players line: You can stand up for your players without baying at the moon.
(An aside here: I’d also be careful about angering this Vandy coach. James Franklin is going to beat some big names very soon.)
Don’t know what the SEC will do regarding Grantham. Don’t know if the SEC will do anything. Were I Greg McGarity and/or Mark Richt, I’d suspend Grantham for one game.
And who does Georgia play next? Florida. Yes, it’s a massive game for this football program. But sitting Grantham would also send a massive message: This is not how we do it at Georgia.
Now, do I think such a suspension will occur? Nope. But it should. Heat Index: Too darn hot.
Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech: His team lost at Virginia and looked bad doing it. His postgame briefing was a classic in sardonic semi-humor. A highlight was PJ’s description of the long field goal attempt that was kicked “into the back of the line.” The word “bonehead” was invoked. From a dispassionate perspective, these sessions are always entertaining. That said …
I wonder, not for the first time, how Johnson’s players take them. No, they’re not in the room for his media sessions, but I’d imagine they read the highlights somewhere. I also imagine they hear similar sentiments expressed by PJ himself behind closed doors. And it’s undeniable that the feeling around Tech is that the Jackets win only when they do what the coach says and lose whenever they don’t.
And that, if you’re a player, gets old. As smart as a coach is — and Tech’s coach is very smart — he’s not out there getting smacked by 500 pounds of opposing manpower. Johnson is a great play-caller, but somebody wearing shoulder pads does have to make even the clever plays of his work.
I’m sure it’’s a lot of fun to play for Tech when everything’s working and you’re gaining 768 yards, but I wonder how much of a treat it is to be around Johnson when his team just laid an egg in Charlottesville. Can’t blame a coach for wanting more and better — that’s pretty much his job — but I think he needs to cut his men a bit more slack. Heat index: A chill pill for PJ would not be unwarranted.
By Mark Bradley
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900 comments Add your comment
T3
October 18th, 2011
2:09 pm
OK, so now Bradley’s blog listing CPJ in the title…is a UGA blog?
Well I guess thats right.
I mean, Bradley…IS…Mike Slive’s mouthpiece.
joey1
October 18th, 2011
2:10 pm
true dawg fan ,, dont start talking trash uga has beat nobody either your combined 3sec team wins are a combine 1-10 in conference play. after 1st 2 games of year…lets fire our coach and rebuild now, you beat vanderbuilt,tenn,costal carolina,ole miss and miss state you are going to win your division.please what a joke of uga fans.. seriously you have floridae,auburn and us gt left….
TrueDAWG
October 18th, 2011
2:10 pm
whats the big deal it was all men out there and no punches- I would be upset if an opposing coach fussed at my boys!
Mark Bradley
October 18th, 2011
2:10 pm
I’ve expressed my opinion regarding Todd Grantham. I stand by it. Thanks for asking.
Ted
October 18th, 2011
2:11 pm
Hey WTF…that may be true- but WE DIDNT POISON THEIR TREES BECAUSE OF IT….MORON!
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:11 pm
T3
October 18th, 2011
2:08 pm
OK then Bradley, surely you will now be able to SPECIFICALLY identify
which plays on which downs in which quarter Washngton checked-out of CPJ’s called plays.
Surely you’ll be so knowledgable about those details to factor that in to your criticism of CPJ.
Right?
Bradley, dont be an AW by trying to compare CPJ to Grantham.
Get over it. CPJ is a little baby. He doesnt even let recruits go on official visits to other schools once they have committed. In fact he takes back the offer. hahahahaha what a baby.
Atlanta87
October 18th, 2011
2:11 pm
JB
October 18th, 2011
1:48 pm
Did we back down when the Germans bombed pearl Harbor ??? Hell no we didn’t…Go CTG.
Haha, someone didn’t graduate from 4th grade.
JB
October 18th, 2011
2:12 pm
Mark, you see it’s not a popular opinion. Franklin drew first blood.
DawgInaTruck
October 18th, 2011
2:12 pm
CMR “apologized” to Franklin to defuse the situation. He obviously knows an age-old adage: It never hurts to say you’re sorry, even when you don’t mean it.
Two football coaches lost their cool for a few moments and would no doubt handle it differently if given the chance to do it over. If you’ve ever played football, you know this is no big deal-there is a lot of yelling in football. End of story for the combatants. Not here of course.
Calhoundawg
October 18th, 2011
2:12 pm
MB, still waiting for an AJC writer to pen an article about Franklin’s irresponsible behavior as Vanderbilt’s head coach. Not gonna get one, are we?
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:12 pm
joey1
October 18th, 2011
2:10 pm
true dawg fan ,, dont start talking trash uga has beat nobody either your combined 3sec team wins are a combine 1-10 in conference play. after 1st 2 games of year…lets fire our coach and rebuild now, you beat vanderbuilt,tenn,costal carolina,ole miss and miss state you are going to win your division.please what a joke of uga fans.. seriously you have floridae,auburn and us gt left….
ahhahahaha, who is here beating their chests about records????? Tech fans not us. We know who we have played and how we have played.
We will beat GT like we always do. Your not due for a win for like 6 years.
trash talking 101
October 18th, 2011
2:13 pm
find me a college program who doesn’t trash talk…i am tired of hearing the argument that uga players are classless and they talk trash, all programs talk trash, it is part of football…i think the penalties shawn williams had called against him were a load of bull, he was just playing the game, going for a hit instead of watching the ball and getting burned on a play… GO DAWGS!!!!
DawgInaTruck
October 18th, 2011
2:13 pm
Atlanta87, did you not see Anima House either? I thought everybody knew that line.
JB
October 18th, 2011
2:13 pm
Here we go again…I wouldn’t expect a Nerd to know a famous line from Animal House quoted by John Belushi! Come on Nerd.
ClinchPanther
October 18th, 2011
2:14 pm
kinda like you cheapend the ajc’s brand?
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:14 pm
Mark Bradley
October 18th, 2011
2:10 pm
I’ve expressed my opinion regarding Todd Grantham. I stand by it. Thanks for asking.
Come on give us some insight on why you think that. What was so wrong about it that he deserves to be suspended????
I don't think so
October 18th, 2011
2:14 pm
Franklin did nothing wrong.
Terry
October 18th, 2011
2:14 pm
An SEC Fan, What college football team do you support?
B'dawg
October 18th, 2011
2:15 pm
James Franklin is a whinny wuss. He just cant handle the lack of success he has brought to Vandy. He is a hypocrite at best. He said there is not a rule that requires coaches to meet on the 50 yard line at mid field at the end of a game. He is right about that. BUT IT IS TRADITION! Welcome to the SEC!!!!!!!!!
jerry
October 18th, 2011
2:16 pm
A 240 “heavyweight” just won a 10 round close decision over a 120 lightweight. Now the idiot wants to “rub it in.”
Todd Grantham
October 18th, 2011
2:17 pm
In hindsight, I’m lucky that I didn’t get fired. I appreciate the support, but the fact remains that I was in the wrong. I’ve manned-up and admitted that. It’s time for you guys to do the same.
joey1
October 18th, 2011
2:17 pm
true dawg fan, are you kidding me uga hasnt beat anybody either, you can only face who is on your schedule..and uga beat nobody ole miss, miss st, costal carolina,tenn,and vanderbuilt with a combined sec record of 2-10.. please dont even run your mouth the only 2 decent teams you played you got manhandled… not all but most uga fans are a joke of a fan base… please dont even talk trash about gt til the weekened we play
joey1
October 18th, 2011
2:17 pm
123 true dawg fan, are you serious me uga hasnt beat anybody either, you can only face who is on your schedule..and uga beat nobody ole miss, miss st, costal carolina,tenn,and vanderbuilt with a combined sec record of 2-10.. please dont even run your mouth the only 2 decent teams you played you got manhandled… not all but most uga fans are a joke of a fan base… please dont even talk trash about gt til the weekened we play
Half Century Dawg
October 18th, 2011
2:18 pm
HS Coach
October 18th, 2011
1:21 pm
Nice Post, enjoyed the read and agree with you 100%
joey1
October 18th, 2011
2:18 pm
true dawg fan, are you serious me uga hasnt beat anybody either, you can only face who is on your schedule..and uga beat nobody ole miss, miss st, costal carolina,tenn,and vanderbuilt with a combined sec record of 2-10.. please dont even run your mouth the only 2 decent teams you played you got manhandled… not all but most uga fans are a joke of a fan base… please dont even talk trash about gt til the weekened we play
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:18 pm
You clearly didntt watch the game or the aftermath very hard. Vandy players illegally chop blocking us from behind and while engaged (which you probably dont know is illegal in NCAA). So we got some shots back in. Thats football.
You dont cry when this same thing happens in baseball??? One pitcher hits a batter, so the other pitcher comes out and plunks one of theirs. Thats how it goes in sports.
You hit us illegally we will do the same back.
And as for CTG at the end. He couldnt have handled that better. That little cry baby Franklin charging after williams, of course he is going to intervene. Franklin was headed right for williams until CTG cut him off.
Learn how to report the facts and not distort them so you can give a certain view you little girl. Its journalists like you that cause everyone to hate the media. Congrats you made it!
Jimmy Crack
October 18th, 2011
2:18 pm
“MB, still waiting for an AJC writer to pen an article about Franklin’s irresponsible behavior as Vanderbilt’s head coach. Not gonna get one, are we?”
CalhounDawg, don’t hold your breath. Until someone comes up with a video coming from the other side of the field showing Franklin mouthing cuss words the other way, nobody will attack scholarly little Vandy in the press.
joey1
October 18th, 2011
2:18 pm
123 true dawg fan, are you serious me uga hasnt beat anybody either, you can only face who is on your schedule..and uga beat nobody ole miss, miss st, costal carolina,tenn,and vanderbuilt with a combined sec record of 2-10..
joey1
October 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
true dawg fan please dont even run your mouth the only 2 decent teams you played you got manhandled… not all but most uga fans are a joke of a fan base… please dont even talk trash about gt til the weekened we play
mark i didnt take a chance to read
October 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
all the comments but i think that you were a bit much on cpj. i have read 3-4 articles and they all say the same thing.
coach johnson blames not only the players but himself and the staff. have seen it mentioned a number of times. how you equate that into cpj throwing only the players under the bus is beyond me. i see it differently.
i think that if you polled the fans most would agree that pcj accepts part of the blame when we lose. conversely i have never heard him crow about his coaching when we win, he passes the praise onto the players.
that is the way it should be eh? it is a ‘team’ sport.’
jerry
October 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
B’dawg …………….I don’t think he thought he was going to win the NC at Vandy.
Antique Roadshow
October 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
This was news on Sunday…it is Tuesday now. Let it rest.
JB
October 18th, 2011
2:20 pm
Post@2:14……….and you know that how?
JB
October 18th, 2011
2:22 pm
Where did the Techie go that didn’t know the line from Animal House. Maybe I should of used a line from Star Wars….LOL
Calhoundawg
October 18th, 2011
2:23 pm
Hey Bradley, how ’bout expressing your esteemed opinion on James Franklin and then stand by that?
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:23 pm
joey1
October 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
true dawg fan please dont even run your mouth the only 2 decent teams you played you got manhandled… not all but most uga fans are a joke of a fan base… please dont even talk trash about gt til the weekened we play
I guess your not a smart nerd are you.
I clearly said we know who we have played and we arent beating our chests like you nerds.You beat NC State and UNC wow way to go!!! Every nerd right now thinks that tech is one of the top teams but yet they dont factor in who they play. Since we play in the SEC we always include who we play. Hence why no one is saying we are going to win it all bc we beat 5 crappy teams.
Learn to read nerd!
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:24 pm
He cant he is hiding underneath a rock praying this article goes away! hahahaha
1eyedJack
October 18th, 2011
2:24 pm
Mark Bradley “I’ve expressed my opinion regarding Todd Grantham. I stand by it.”
Everybody is entitled to their opinion…it’s just that yours is stupid.
JB
October 18th, 2011
2:25 pm
We are now a passive program. Richt has apologized and Dr. Adams has academic envy of Vandy and will call that President and Make some comment like, You know what I’m dealing with down here and Grantham will be suspended…..It’s just all crap.
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:25 pm
he is already blocking some of my posts. oh Mrs. Bradley where did you go???
Reporter
October 18th, 2011
2:25 pm
Antique Roadshow
October 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
“This was news on Sunday…it is Tuesday now. Let it rest.”
No way! This is the first thing that the UGA football program has done to make the news all year.
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:26 pm
1eyedJack
October 18th, 2011
2:24 pm
Mark Bradley “I’ve expressed my opinion regarding Todd Grantham. I stand by it.”
Everybody is entitled to their opinion…it’s just that yours is stupid.
After this article Bradley doesnt deserve an opinion
alpha male
October 18th, 2011
2:27 pm
one thing for certain…if the blog name includes the words “columbus” or “calhoun”, the post will probably be of little or no value…both communities are outposts for idiots, seems to me…
Mrs Coach Grantham
October 18th, 2011
2:27 pm
Franklin better be glad he wasn’t Bi*ch slapped. I could tell him a thing or two..
Alphare
October 18th, 2011
2:27 pm
Mark,
you don’t have to defend your blog. Most dawg fans regard people with thuggish behaviors as hero.
You don’t have to respond to any of those fans.
Whatta
October 18th, 2011
2:27 pm
DJDawg
October 18th, 2011
1:13 pm
Maybe you need to watch the video again. The Vandy coach was taking it up with the coaches, not the player. He was talking to TG, #36 never even turned around, so he didn’t hear anything.
T3
October 18th, 2011
2:27 pm
True Dawg Fan = Todd Grantham
true dawg...
October 18th, 2011
2:28 pm
if that were the case than …
1, richt would have had nothing to apologize for
2. the sec would not be investigating grantham.
3. the dogs have a history of being less than sportsman like… ie the uga midfield stomp, the twistin of helmets/legs/arms in the pile, punching. taunting… urinating on opposing fans etc.
4. your coach has a less than stellar reputation wrt practicing sportsmanship.
you fail.
Georgia Fans
October 18th, 2011
2:28 pm
Make it stop!
We can’t handle the truth!
Oooh! It burns us!
True Dawg Fan
October 18th, 2011
2:29 pm
Enter your comments herejoey1
October 18th, 2011
2:18 pm
true dawg fan, are you serious me uga hasnt beat anybody either, you can only face who is on your schedule..and uga beat nobody ole miss, miss st, costal carolina,tenn,and vanderbuilt with a combined sec record of 2-10.. please dont even run your mouth the only 2 decent teams you played you got manhandled… not all but most uga fans are a joke of a fan base… please dont even talk trash about gt til the weekened we play
Clearly you arent one of those smart nerds. so let me spell it out for you again.
We arent beating our chests here. You nerds are. We know who we have played and how good they are. Unfortunately the same isnt so for the nerds. You think that bc you started off undefeated that you were going to a NC. In fact i think you were one of those retards predicting one. Actually didnt you predict 2??? hahahahahhahahahahahahahahahaa
Like i said when know who we played and thats why we arent beating our chests like you nerds!