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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Grantham on choke-gate: 'I wish the situation hadn't happened'

Todd Grantham regrets the choke-sign he was caught on camera giving to a Florida player – but the Georgia defensive coordinator stopped short of apologizing.

Grantham on Tuesday evening made his first public comments since the controversy erupted.

“As a competitor, sometimes you get caught up in the heat of the moment,” he 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 confirmed that he has spoken with head coach Mark Richt and Greg McGarity about the incident.

“Basically I’ve talked to both of those people, they’re aware of it and we’re ready to move forward,” Grantham said.

The assistant coach used the term “move forward” about four times. When first asked about the incident, he spoke in broad terms.

“Here’s what I have to say: I’m very passionate about the game. I’m very passionate about the University of Georgia being very successful, as a program. I want our defense to be relentless for 60 minutes. I want them to play physical, play tough, play with intensity, and give everything they’ve got for 60 minutes until the last second is gone,” Grantham said.

“And as a competitor, and first off let me say that I’m really proud of our players for the work that they’ve done in that area, and the way they’ve improved in that area this year. And I think it’s shown up on the field."

Otherwise, Grantham did not want to say much.

Not when he was asked if he felt the need to apologize to Henry: “You know I’ve kind of basically said what I’m going to say, and I think that’s, I’m ready to move forward.”

And not when asked if he and Henry had engaged in any back-and-forth before the kick: “You know, it was a tough, hard-fought game, and like I said I’m ready to move forward and get going with Idaho State.”

30 comments:

King Jericho said...

What a stubborn, awesome man. If the defense plays the way he feels about the game, we're in for a long, happy ride.

I mean really, Brandon Spikes was only suspended for HALF OF A GAME for trying to GOUGE ONE OF OUR PLAYERS EYES OUT. Urban might as well gave him a high five after it. If everyone's going to get all uppity over something that amounts to nothing more than "psyching out the kicker" and giving your team a competitive advantage, I'm glad he didn't say any more than he did.

Joe said...

I'm glad to see he's not apologizing. This wouldn't be a big deal if it hadn't been caught on camera--but unfortunately there are always those looking to sensationalize this sort of thing.

There's a difference between sportsmanship and playing to win, and trying for any psychological edge is of paramount importance in a close game.

Anonymous said...

yikes...awkward

Anonymous said...

My understanding is the kid was running his yap and talking all sorts of crap whenever he was on the field in the direction of the players and coaches.

Pity Grantham made the gesture just for the fact he had to deal with sanctimonious windbags. However, I think it is completely understandable that he doesn't apologize and the right move not to blame it on the kid at the point.

And for all the gator fans who want to act like coaches should be "above" this...if your belly aching doesn't include mea culpas for every time spurrier, spikes, Meyers, tebow...etc. taunted/gauged Georgia then sthu.

Adam said...

Nice work, Coach.

If you end up explicity apologizing to Chas Henry and/or the gators, then media outlets will continue to blab on about something that really isn't a big deal. I don't think Grantham would do a thing differently in a similar situation in the future, except maybe a dosage of sublety and camera ducking. We all know he wasn't threatening physical harm to Henry, so it really is an alternate means to "icing the kicker," which most coaches (incl Richt) do via a timeout anyways. It didn't work and we move on.

I, for one, love how damn intense Grantham is on the sideline. Still think he's a great hire, and I'm interested to see what he does to try and *contain* C. Newton when we head to the Plains.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Corch Myers would've used all his timeouts again with 30 seconds left if he had a huge lead. Maybe he can write another book with this story in it and speak in 3rd person.
Get over it Florida fans, this game has always had back and forth jabs in different forms. Maybe Grantham can get some eye gouging in next year to take it up a notch.

Anonymous said...

I'm worried that this will forever be in the minds of the Florida Gators and Urban Meyer.

Anonymous said...

"Maybe Grantham can get some eye gouging in next year to take it up a notch."

This just made my Top 10 list of things I have read on this blog.

Anonymous said...

I've got to say I'm with Todd on this one. I don't think it was appropriate, but I LOVE the passion that he shows for the game. He's just got to adjust to the fact that that he's not in the NFL anymore. He's going to be a great DC for us and I can't wait to see what his D looks like in a few years.

Anonymous said...

How can you not love this man?

UGA69Dawg said...

I would personally like to choke the living heck out of the next reporter that brings this up. How about moving on to something that is news in Athens. If you want to write about this some more get a job in Gainesville.

Anonymous said...

Did Meyer apologize for playing "Time To Die" Rainey, how about that felon Percy Harvin. maybe for the eye gouging by his LB Spikes? I didn't think so... when he does let me know.

Anonymous said...

I love the fact he wants to win but he really needs to keep it shut an answer why his defense doesn't swarm or can't hit or stop anyone. There is one player on that defense who needs to be benched and I can't understand why he hasn't been.

Bic Dawg said...

Todd Grantham for President!

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what channel the Idaho St. game comes on? I have DirecTv.

Thanks!

PTC DAWG said...

Ch 2, WSB Atlanta. It's an Atlanta local ABC station.

Does our direct TV not come with a guide to check on things?

Bizzaroneck said...

Wow I'm a little surprised that all of you are defending Grantham. I do understand that it's florida and I hate the gators, but this is a grown man we are talking about. Screaming and yelling choke at a college kid. Now had this been a player I can understand brushing it off and honestly in the grand scheme of things I don't think it is a big deal either, but c'mon what if that was your kids out there playing in a high school game or even pee wee? I think a little self control is in order. Do we not want our coaches to be role models? This makes our program look bad.

dawg521 said...

A few things..

1. Who flippin cares? It's a game. If our team showed half the emotion in the first half that Grantham constantly sweats out his pores, we would have won this game.

2. The whole "he's a 44 year old man, and he's a poor 21 year old kid" deal is a load of crap. No physical harm was intended, nor did it result an any. He was being a football fan who just happened to have the best seat in the house. How many other people were hoping that kid would choke and miss the kick? Ummm, the ENTIRE Bulldog Nation?

3. The reporters should be focusing more on the fact that Derek Dooley refuses to suspend his 18 year old freshman Defensive Lineman for being arrested for punching a man in the head and kicking him while he is down...in a bar...in Knoxville. This sounds strikingly familiar to a story I heard over the summer...

I guess he learned more from Urban Meyer than his father because in today's world, you can't apparently get ahead for holding your kids accountable for criminal acts (but selling your jersey is a piss-poor example of a model NCAA student-athlete, so you miss a third of the season). Chris "Time to Die" Rainey and Brandon "You Have Lovely Eyes, Can I Have Them?" Spikes are prime examples.

GO DAWGS. Hopefully they take some of that emotion from Grantham when we play Auburn and Tech.

PTC DAWG said...

Seriously, what's wrong with hollering "choke"? Are we that touchy as a society? Pussification comes to mind.

Coach J said...

Coach G just needs to learn how to communicate better. I am sure had he texted Mr. Henry with "It's time to choke b@#$%!" he would have been better understood by the Gators as merely indicating a preference to see the game continue. Certainly Chris Rainey could have related.

L-Dawg from G'ville said...

What Grantham did doesn't bother me that much. (My wife disagrees) It's time the Dawgs Defense grew some teeth!!! Get mean, get ugly, do fundamentals. Do what you have to do to win some games like these. Somtimes I wish we would hire someone with a jerk-but-can-coach mentality. They seem to win Nat'l Championships these days.

Willb said...

What Grantham did doesn't bother me at all. I love the emotion he shows as our def coordinator. I wish Coach Richt and Bobo would show half the emotion that Grantham shows.

It doesn't make him any better as a coach but I love to see that our coaches care as much about these games as we do.

Anonymous said...

WWED

WHAT WOULD ERK DO? Erk was probably hollering from the heavens, "your gonna choke you little wormy fla turd!"

Good Job Todd!

Adam said...

As suggested above, the whole "Grantham's a 40-year old coach, Henry's a college student" argument is a load of garbage. This is Division I-A football, baby! This ain't intramurals. This jocko cameraman from Sun Sports (or whatever the f it's called) is garnering NATIONAL attention over this so-called story? Give me a break - even Chas Henry didn't make a big deal of it, suggesting only that the Georgia sideline was giving him "grief." Trying to swing this story as anything other than an attempt to get in a placekicker's head is a complete and utter joke. The Gators just want something that will help gloss over the C. Rainey situation.

Anonymous said...

@PTC Dawg,

My guide says the Breeders' Cup is coming on at 1 or 1:30 pm on Saturday on Channel 2 WSB in Atl., so I'm sure they won't be showing the UGA-Idaho St. game. Anyone else got any other suggestions?

PTC DAWG said...

All I can say about the guide, is that it is wrong.

Wsb Ch2 in Atlanta, is showing the UGA/IDAHO ST game.

Apparently, their guide isn't as accurate as Comcast. Trust me, it will be on. Unless you have some type of national ABC feed and not the Ch 2 feed, which I doubt.

PTC DAWG said...

Here's WSB's url with game info..

http://www.wsbtv.com/sports/25005736/detail.html

The real question is, will it be in HD, if not, count me out.

Anonymous said...

You won't watch the dawgs play if there not in HD? I don't want to question how big of a fan you are but.......

Anonymous said...

PTC Dawg...

Thanks for the link. Maybe DirecTV hasn't updated their guide yet. I'll check again on Friday. But the link proves that it'll be on WSB. Thanks again!

PTC DAWG said...

Once you get used to HD, it's very hard to go back. I'll just listen to the radio, thank you very much. Got yard work to do anyways.

As far as being a fan, I drove all the way to El Paso to see this team play once, that should answer any questions you have.