Coach Paul Johnson Tears Into Geoff Collins

BurdellJacket

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
477
Location
Atlanta
CPJ FTW. Lowers the boom on TFG.
Thanks very much to whoever oiriginally shared that podcast. That was a terrific interview of a great coach CPJ! Many nuggets which I had never heard before and just really great to hear Coach again. The interviewer had to drag it out of him, but Coach indicated TFG was worse than we could have guessed.
 

slugboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
10,800
Thanks very much to whoever oiriginally shared that podcast. That was a terrific interview of a great coach CPJ! Many nuggets which I had never heard before and just really great to hear Coach again. The interviewer had to drag it out of him, but Coach indicated TFG was worse than we could have guessed.
I don’t really have a free hour for a podcast right now.

Without name calling, what were the highlights?
 

g0lftime

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,420
Thanks very much to whoever oiriginally shared that podcast. That was a terrific interview of a great coach CPJ! Many nuggets which I had never heard before and just really great to hear Coach again. The interviewer had to drag it out of him, but Coach indicated TFG was worse than we could have guessed.
I was very disappointed to hear how Coach was treated by the AA after he retired. He should be welcome anytime he wishes to return. He spent 11 years at GT and gave it his best shot. Some of the info about how difficult it was to get transfers into school was surprising. I would really enjoy a play calling panel discussion with him and the Fridge.
 

apatriot1776

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
139

Interview with CPJ

Interesting...lots of things I did not know
"These guys are getting a lot of support that we didn't get." -CPJ

We needed a change during the later CPJ years, as we just couldn't compete with deteriorating recruiting, but so much of the blame (admittedly including by myself) kept being placed on CPJ and not the administration.
 

MWBATL

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,152
I don’t really have a free hour for a podcast right now.

Without name calling, what were the highlights?
TFG lied about the state of the program, players (O line), and CPJ clearly resented it all. Mentioned he never said anything bad about Chan when he took over. Made the argument that he had GT in as good a place as it had been since the 50’s (which is correct except for 1990). Wasn’t happy that he was restricted from GTAA properties within 2 weeks of retiring (his key card was cancelled). Had some current coaches call him after they had beaten TFG to laugh about how much the program had fallen and to commiserate with CPJ.
 
Last edited:

slugboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
10,800
Wasn’t happy that he was restricted from GTAA properties within 2 weeks of retiring (his key card was cancelled). Had some current coaches call him after they had beaten TFG to laugh about how much the program had fallen and to commiserate with CPJ.
I hadn’t heard about the key card. On one hand, you probably have to do something like that. On the other, the man needs an alumni badge
 

CEB

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,132
I hadn’t heard about the key card. On one hand, you probably have to do something like that. On the other, the man needs an alumni badge
@MWBATL hit the high points. Couple of things I heard that I will add…
Along with the story of him not having a working key card, he said he entered through the training area and was there with several of the players who all acted very nervous to see him and be around him. He was asked to come back another time and replied that he wouldn’t be coming back. Generally very upset about the way TFG and GT (at the time)treated him in the wake of it all.
Funny given the moniker that touched off so many issues here… there were several references to the program under TFG being a “circus.”
Told story about a coach calling him after beating us the first year under TFG and saying that he told his team “congratulations, you just beat a team that physically kicked your A** the last three years.” Went into the offense misconceptions and how physically tough we were and how completely opposite we became under TFG.
 

stinger78

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,960
@MWBATL hit the high points. Couple of things I heard that I will add…
Along with the story of him not having a working key card, he said he entered through the training area and was there with several of the players who all acted very nervous to see him and be around him. He was asked to come back another time and replied that he wouldn’t be coming back. Generally very upset about the way TFG and GT (at the time)treated him in the wake of it all.
Funny given the moniker that touched off so many issues here… there were several references to the program under TFG being a “circus.”
Told story about a coach calling him after beating us the first year under TFG and saying that he told his team “congratulations, you just beat a team that physically kicked your A** the last three years.” Went into the offense misconceptions and how physically tough we were and how completely opposite we became under TFG.
Toughness is a point that CBK has made as well.
 

apatriot1776

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
139
@MWBATL hit the high points. Couple of things I heard that I will add…
Along with the story of him not having a working key card, he said he entered through the training area and was there with several of the players who all acted very nervous to see him and be around him. He was asked to come back another time and replied that he wouldn’t be coming back. Generally very upset about the way TFG and GT (at the time)treated him in the wake of it all.
Funny given the moniker that touched off so many issues here… there were several references to the program under TFG being a “circus.”
Told story about a coach calling him after beating us the first year under TFG and saying that he told his team “congratulations, you just beat a team that physically kicked your A** the last three years.” Went into the offense misconceptions and how physically tough we were and how completely opposite we became under TFG.
CPJ also mentioned he wasn't upset with Key, but Key wasn't innocent of criticizing the CPJ regime. Specifically brought up Key's quote "easier to recruit GT than Alabama" comment - though that wasn't a direct criticism per se. Hopefully the CPJ night vs UNC was the start of rebuilding that bridge. I hate to have him missing from the program.
 

buzzed

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
334
Does anyone know which team went into the flex bone formation to score at the end of a game to rub it in on tfg? I remember it happening but don’t recall which team it was. Unfortunately it would take forever to go back through all the games we lost under tfg.
 

CEB

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,132
Does anyone know which team went into the flex bone formation to score at the end of a game to rub it in on tfg? I remember it happening but don’t recall which team it was. Unfortunately it would take forever to go back through all the games we lost under tfg.
I heard him say that… I don’t remember it happening, but if I’m being honest, there were so many I wasn’t able to stick with to the bitter end.

I know we have standards for what we say and call people here, but everytime I learn something new about TFG, it is always something that makes me believe he is even more deserving of whatever disparaging comment or silly name we can toss at him.
 

slugboy

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
10,800
Does anyone know which team went into the flex bone formation to score at the end of a game to rub it in on tfg? I remember it happening but don’t recall which team it was. Unfortunately it would take forever to go back through all the games we lost under tfg.
I don’t remember that either. Cutcliffe is the only other ACC coach I can think of who used it
 

GTjunkie

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
370
Does anyone know which team went into the flex bone formation to score at the end of a game to rub it in on tfg? I remember it happening but don’t recall which team it was. Unfortunately it would take forever to go back through all the games we lost under tfg.
My guess is Fuentes at Virginia Tech.
 
Top