Grantham regrets choke sign: ‘Sometimes you get caught up in heat of moment’
(Updated 7:15 p.m.)
ATHENS – Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, caught on camera making a choking gesture toward Florida’s kicker near the end of last Saturday’s game, expressed regret about the incident Tuesday.
“As a competitor, sometimes you get caught up in the heat of the moment,” Grantham said. “I wish the situation hadn’t happened.
“It was a tough, hard-fought game. They won it, and I’m ready to move forward and finish out the year strong.”
Grantham said he has talked with Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity and coach Mark Richt about the incident, “and we’re ready to move forward.”
Asked if he feels that he owes an apology to the Florida kicker, Chas Henry, Grantham said: “I’ve kind of basically said what I’m going to say.”
Earlier Tuesday, at his weekly news conference, Richt also addressed the Grantham controversy.
“I’m aware of it, and I would just say that emotions run high,” Richt said. “People do things they probably wish they didn’t do. I think that was what was being communicated. I don’t think he’s necessarily proud of it. We’re just going to learn from it and move on.”
A screen shot and video from Florida sports cable network Sun Sports showed Grantham making a choke sign – grabbing his neck with his right hand several times — before Henry attempted a 37-yard field goal in overtime.
Henry, a Dallas, Ga., native, made the kick to give Florida a 34-31 victory.
In an interview on CBS after the game, Henry said: “Some of [Georgia's] coaches on the sideline were over there giving me a little grief, saying I was going to choke.”
Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, asked about the controversy Tuesday, said he hadn’t seen the video but had heard about the matter.
Grantham “was probably just like the rest of us, just hoping [Henry] missed the kick,” Murray said. “I don’t think it’s anything too much to get worked up about. It’s not like he charged the field at the kicker and tried to do something to him. . . . I think people are trying to make too big a deal about it.”
McGarity discussed the matter with SEC commissioner Mike Slive, according to UGA spokesman Claude Felton. “To the best of our knowledge,” Felton said, “the SEC is not pursuing anything on that.”
Durham likely out
Georgia wide receiver Kris Durham likely will be sidelined for Saturday’s game against Idaho State but should be available for the Nov. 13 game at Auburn, Richt said.
Durham suffered a bruised lung as a result of a fierce hit on a second-quarter catch against Florida. He returned to the game in the third quarter.
“I was a little upset because at first [doctors and trainers] told me I wasn’t going to be able to go back in,” Durham said Tuesday. “I mean, I wasn’t hurting. Well, yeah, I was a little sore, but that’s nothing.
“The only thing that really scared them was when I started kind of coughing up a little blood. But I felt fine. I could take deep breaths. They listened to my lungs and to my heart and took some vitals. I felt like I could play, so they allowed me back in. … I was very, very grateful for that because it was my last go-round against the Gators.”
Commings’ misplay
Among the Georgia players second-guessing themselves for misplays against Florida: cornerback Sanders Commings, who attempted to scoop and run with a first-quarter Florida fumble inside the Gators’ 10-yard line.
“I wish I would have just fallen on the ball now,” Commings said Tuesday. “It would have given the offense great field position to score, but I guess all I can do now is learn from it.”
Richt said the rule of thumb is to simply jump on the fumble “if there are bodies around” or to scoop and run with it “if you’re out in space.” He said Georgia twice Saturday tried to scoop-and-run with fumbles that should have been jumped on.
The Gators recovered the fumble that eluded Commings. It proved to be the first play of a 91-yard drive to the game’s first touchdown.
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752 comments Add your comment
Dogs Smell
November 3rd, 2010
12:49 pm
‘94 UGA Grad – If -If -If – If . You lost ! and your team looses often particularly against Florida !
.. Choking Hazard ..
November 3rd, 2010
12:52 pm
Who was the University employee getting paid $750,000 bucks to perform the choking sign ?
.. Choking Hazard ..
November 3rd, 2010
12:56 pm
Giving Assistant Coach Todd Grantham
1.5 miillion every 24 months reminds me of the Multi-Million dollar “Red Panty” contract
the previous A.D. was awarded.
Obvious
November 3rd, 2010
12:57 pm
What else would you expect from THUGa?
.. Choking Hazard ..
November 3rd, 2010
12:59 pm
A defense giving up 5 losses in 9 games is not very good.
4-5 is not even mediocre.
Firetruck
November 3rd, 2010
1:03 pm
The DC made the gesture while SCREAMING at the kicker that he would “f-ing choke”. No class.
The gesture did not work.
The black helmets did not work.
The “celebration” in the endzone after a touchdown got serious payback.
What other goofy scheme will Richt and company come up with next? How about a new head coach?
.. Choking Hazard ..
November 3rd, 2010
1:04 pm
The victorious Gator kicker played High School football in Georgia.
Dogs Smell
November 3rd, 2010
1:06 pm
Choking Hazard – That kicker must really hate uga !
.. Choking Hazard ..
November 3rd, 2010
1:07 pm
Bring Back Willie.
Firetruck
November 3rd, 2010
1:08 pm
Richt saves his job by throwing his DC under the bus only to hire this jerk who helps lead the team to no better than third in the SEC East. Different DC, same result. Maybe it was not the DC. Now Richt will have to thow the OC under the bus and produce the same results before he himself is thrown under the bus for mediocraty and lack of class.
Nolidge is good
November 3rd, 2010
1:09 pm
Gotta love Aaron Murray’s & Gator Mike’s responses: not a BFD except to the media geniuses who always are looking for mountain material in molehill territory.
BigDawg
November 3rd, 2010
1:30 pm
Must admit I didn’t make the choke sign, but yelled out “Noonan” right before he kicked! Keep it classy!
Poor Example
November 3rd, 2010
1:35 pm
Unfortunate example of poor taste, no class in the coaching staff. Even Pop Warner coaches are held accountable for such poor displays of emotion.
Henry Heimlich
November 3rd, 2010
2:11 pm
I hear there is a DC opening at UGA… I’m very familiar with choking.
Snoop Dawg
November 3rd, 2010
2:25 pm
Looks like the UGA and AJC PC Police have a case. NOT. Cut out the bs. Grantham’s the best coach we have. Neuter him and he’ll act just like Richt and Bobo… and the Dawgs will continue their death spiral…
My Eskimo Friend
November 3rd, 2010
2:37 pm
“I wish the situation hadn’t happened.”
Which one?
Nice D.
marc da gator
November 3rd, 2010
2:56 pm
This Gator loves Grantham’s passion….football is emotional,if you put a camera on the Gator sideline you would see some of the same stuff, I’m sure.Great game….don’t let this “non event” tarnish a historic game between two very young teams!! BTW Great quote from CMR ….”what I do is not who I am.
check Up
November 3rd, 2010
3:03 pm
Everyone just digress a little………
Thomas
November 3rd, 2010
3:09 pm
When I first heard of the choke gesture I thought it was something directed towards the Bulldogs defense, because lets face it Georgia was supposed to win this game. We had seen the Gators all year and knew they were very bad this year, yet we went there and choked again.
I wish Grantham had huddled with the Defense on the sideline and coach them up, because God knows they needed as much coaching as possible with regards to tackling.
Atlanta Gator
November 3rd, 2010
3:12 pm
Good grief, people. Everyone makes a mistake every now and again. Grantham apologized for his inappropriate gesture, and I take the man at his word that he is sincere. I can’t ask for anything more than that under the circumstances. If it becomes a pattern of behavior then the head coach, athletic director or university president can and will take disciplinary action.
As for all of the hyperventilating Dawgs and Gators fans: please just let it go.
Atlanta Gator
November 3rd, 2010
3:25 pm
258DAWG—-
You may not have heard Brandon Spikes, but he certainly apologized for it, over and over again. And Washaun Ealey publicly accepted Spikes’ apology, too. You need to read the newspaper more often. LOL
Jan Kemp's Advisor
November 3rd, 2010
3:29 pm
I Have advised enough is enough, leave it alone. The man coached for Frank Beamer. Should we expect anything less than thuggery.
UGA Insider
November 3rd, 2010
3:39 pm
Auburn fans and media are saying they are going to hang 50 on us. I would like to try and forget the UF debacle and move on to Auburn and how we are going to beat them because I think we can. There needs to be signs everywhere in the lockeroom for the next 10 days that say “50″.
tgropp
November 3rd, 2010
4:48 pm
Classless act from a classless team. No big deal but actions are louder than words. Just does not leave a good impression on your athletic department. He almost looked demented. Not what I want to see from a once proud organization
Martinez > Grantham
November 3rd, 2010
7:09 pm
UGA paid this jerk $750,000 for this terrible defense???? Are you serious????? Bring back willie!
Mike T
November 3rd, 2010
8:28 pm
Great billboard material for the Gators for years to come.
Well if they could now just read a billboard.Sylvan ready when they are.
AltamahaDawg
November 3rd, 2010
8:40 pm
I am still constantly amazed at the gator fans who insult thier 2008 team by saying they were only good because of an end zone celebration the year before.
Wreckmaniac
November 3rd, 2010
11:54 pm
Until this admission of guilt, I was just assuming that the coach was trying to choke himself for putting a 3rd rate defense on the field.
Wreckmaniac
November 3rd, 2010
11:58 pm
Why even bring up the topic. UGA deals with a dozen new image problems every day. I said three years ago they need a PR director but obviously they feel good about themselves. So if you feel good about this team you have a lot of , lets say, self-tolerance.
Wreckmaniac
November 4th, 2010
12:27 am
The kicker would have made that kick with his eyes closed in a wheelchair from 60 yards. Its just UGA karma. After all these years of losses this should be understood. My question is how would UGA fans behave if the dawgs ever won this game. Good grief TN has beaten Vandy 29 years in a row. Just get used to it. Everyone in the SEC has.
Wreckmaniac
November 4th, 2010
12:30 am
Can we start a network that shows only games from 1980 and pretend they are current games.? Oops, there was no video then.
UGA is a joke
November 4th, 2010
7:37 am
St. Richt said he hired Grantham because he is enthustiastic. Liar. He should have said, “I hired Grantham because he is classless and I knew my thug players could relate to him.” If he were on my staff I would fire his butt. A football coach should know better. The sad thing is that all these UGA fans agree with what he did. Stay classy UGA fans! You are an embarrasement to our fine state.
gtforever
November 4th, 2010
7:48 am
Regrets?! The only regret this coach should have is how BAD his defense has played. You have imbecile UGA fans making excuses for the defense and actually saying that it is getting better. It’s hard to say, but this UGA defense may be worse than our defense…… Well, maybe not that bad…
Perfect Fit
November 4th, 2010
8:12 am
Grantham fits in perfectly at UGA with all the other punks and thugs. It’s a perfect match.
There’s a reason why UGA is known far and wide as The Cesspool of the South.
The Cup
November 4th, 2010
8:15 am
Could we have a group photo of Grantham, Ealey, and King holding the Fulmer Cup?
Jborodawg
November 4th, 2010
8:39 am
OK folks, nothing to see here…move along please…
(EG…no big deal)
Papadawg
November 4th, 2010
8:52 am
The guy threw Grantham a kiss, he’s lucky Grantham didn’t kick his Butt
UGAVII
November 4th, 2010
9:52 am
Understand the kicker through Graham a kiss.
This is getting real kinky. Must be Graham`s red panties.
jmilller1994
November 4th, 2010
2:59 pm
What’s is the big deal, it just a game, move on please!
Oh no!
November 4th, 2010
3:49 pm
Grantham really was choking. Somebody grabbed his frilly lace panties and gave him an atomic wedgy.
Y'all have it all wrong about TG
November 4th, 2010
4:11 pm
TG’s gesturing was directed at Aaron Murray after his 42 nd interecption on the day. He choked and we all know it. He was trying over and over to get the ball to Orson Charles ( over rated he is ) and they only connected on one half way decent mis direction pass that ALMOST was picked off.
Murray choked in front of his home state. UGA has to deal with crap like this every year, like Terrence Edward’s DROP from David Green, while wide open at the Gator 35 and headed to the Florida end zone. Wide open like UGA’s Randy McMichael was vs Florida in Eric Zeier’s era and he DROPPED TWO in a row in the end zone from the 6 yd line. Aaron Murray COST us that damend game.
On and on ……………..my alma mater CHOKES.
Luckily, I recall the Florida games in the late 60s and 70s and the 80s, so I am fine. You young uns have to deal with losing but in my era we OWNED THEM. We were just MENTALLY tougher maybe.
Go Dogs.
UGA class of 71 & 73.
Go Dogs.
what if
November 4th, 2010
5:33 pm
write about something worth writing about. to many bleeding heart liberals! Gata grantham!!
Rick
November 4th, 2010
9:49 pm
Whats the big freakin deal?
Cam Newton Cheated
November 4th, 2010
11:26 pm
How much did the Auburn boosters pay him?
I guess stolen laptops aren’t enough.
WAR PROBATION
FOUR IN A ROW
MCLOVIN
November 5th, 2010
6:10 am
Get over it. You know who choked in the end, UGA. That move bit him in the arse—–so what. Now CTG has egg on his face. Lets move on, nothing to see here. BTW, I for one am glad we have TG-love the enthusiasm. About time someone showed some on that sideline. GO DAWGS!!!!
NORRIS
November 5th, 2010
8:19 am
VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION:
WHY IS CAM NEWTON ALLOWED TO PLAY WHILE UNDER INVESTIGATION AND AJ GREEN WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY WHILE UNDER INVESTIGATION?
DawgNation
November 5th, 2010
8:32 am
NORRIS,
Because AJ admitted to CMR that he did sell the jersey while Newton and his family insist that they had no knowledge of any of the allegations of money requests and never received a dime from anyone. Auburn’s also denying any contact with this person so from what is out there right now it looks like an A$$ Hole was trying to extort money from Miss St and they told him to go pound sand. I hope this “agent” is brought under indictment for extortion and sent to prison and his room mate is a Alabama fan. I think we just need to let the investigation play out.
SatillaDawg
November 5th, 2010
4:35 pm
This whole non-story B O R E S me.
Go, Coach! Give ‘Em He%%!
Big Canoe
November 6th, 2010
8:23 am
Who, among us all who have played any sport…whether golf, tennis, billiards, or tiddly winks, hasn’t used, or seen used at some point, the so-called “choke sign”? The answer is: we all have so move on and quit letting your life to be steered by a half-educated media weenie making a story out of nothing!
ugabean
November 6th, 2010
11:14 am
No comment. Im done.