CPJ 9AM Retirement Press Conference

[tech_wreck47]

Man, I’m gonna miss CPJ.

 

[jgtengineer]

It was absolutely, 100% CPJs decision. TStan wasn't trying to talk him out of it, but CPJ wasn't being pushed either. That's just a narrative that some of our fan base would love to believe because they've been pushing for it for so long.

Tstan wasn't trying to talk him out of it because he knows that if CPJ says he's ready to retire, he's ready.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

CPJs final troll. Retire the week of the SEC championship so that the news media completely ignores the mutts as they prepare for their whooping.

 

[awbuzz]

After watching the press conference, I don’t believe the fans had any factor in his decision.

+1

 

[awbuzz]

I seriously wonder if TStan came straight after D-Rad if we’d be having this conversation. CPJ point blank said this would have happened earlier if TStan didn’t show up, so it makes you wonder how much was taken out of him during the Sasquatch times.

Had the exact same thought. M-bob muffed up big time at GT.

 

[wvGT11]

You all think the UGA game was the final nail for cpj to decide to retire? Game didn't look fun for him . Wonder had we won if he would have changed his mind.

Either way hope we can get a bowl win to cap his career

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[lv20gt]

Are you really saying that the athletic department was well run under him? Are all the stories you hear about him not showing up made up? There was little fund raising he initiated. There was NO recruiting support. The hire he made isn’t a home run by any means. (Perhaps you disagree and I would probably defer to you as my interest in basketball has gone down quite a bit and I follow it only very loosely). I stand by my assertion that he was horrible

I'm saying the issues with Johnson were not caused by the AD. The defense has been terrible since before Mbob through multiple DCs. The passing game has been bad since before MBob. Johnson wouldn't be a strong recruiter regardless. They are excuses designed to shield the coach from any criticism. MBob wasn't perfect, but to put the blame for everything wrong with our program is just wrong.

As far as basketball goes considering the situation it was a very good hire. Financially it was really good as we got memphis to put up the cash, and we found out with Tubby the issues weren't just with the coach. We obviously took a risk that the issues were more memphis and less Pastner. IMO so far it has played out fairly well for us. Still a wait and see, but considering where we were at the end of gregory's we're on schedule. Regardless it may not turn out that Pastner was the guy for the long term but I think we're pretty much guaranteed to be in much better shape, financially and program wise, when he leaves than when he took over.

 

[awbuzz]

Seems as if CPJ somewhat contradicted that in the PC. Referencing, for example, that these guys are Football Players first and have not been lining up in our current formation their entire careers.

Which is in part why the offensive system being blamed for recruiting has and is BS.

 

[lv20gt]

If that's the case, he should have not taken so long to fire CBG. Not buying that.

That I agree with. Gregory should have been canned a year earlier. I heard stories that he was trying to line it up and couldn't get the financials to work out. Not sure how accurate they were.

 

[LargeFO]

I REEEEALLY like Todd, but a couple things have surprised me.
1) Essentially saying Danny Hall can stay as long as he likes.
2) Today he said he's gotten a lot of calls from coaches around the country who are interested in speaking, but he hasn't returned anybody's call yet. I understand he's got 1,000 things to do with respect to the media, Georgia Tech, and Paul Johnson, but it seems like at 7pm when he's done he should at least return the calls to say thanks for your interest and give me a couple days - or have an assistant do it on his behalf.

That’s quite disappointing about Hall. “You can stay as long as you like no matter how far you run the program into the ground!” Disappointing approach from Stansbury with baseball.

 

[LibertyTurns]

I think he had an option, retire or get retired

Your post may not be the best one to respond to and this post is meant to be to people, maybe some of our fans in general but here goes:

Say what you want about Johnson, but one thing the man isn’t is dishonest or deceitful. If he said he & Stansbury talked throughout the season about him possibly retiring then take it to the bank because that’s what happened. If he said he retired, then that’s what happened. If he would have said “ we reached an agreeement” I could see your point, but that’s not what he said. I dont have the exact words but Stansbury asked him if he was sure he wanted to retire & Johnson said yes. These two guys are not Slick Willy politicians you’ve got accustomed to watching the news or maybe at your workplace where they parse words. These are 2 stand up straight froward guys that say what they mean & mean what they say. I deal with mealy mouthed bastards all the time. They get pissed when I interrogate them and demand straightforward answers from them. I do not know Johnson personally, but I do know people that have been close to him. They have nothing but respect for the man’s honesty & integrity. There are many that should take a lesson from Paul Johnson. The world would be a much better place.

Lastly, I’m really not sure is to be gained by demeaning Johnson’s tenure on the Flats. Do some of you think it makes GT a better place or the football program better if you continue your diatribes about how the outgoing coach sucks donkey balls if that is what your opinion of the last decade is? Is that a way to atttact a high quality coach, by attacking the guy retiring that has posted a pretty good record by nearly anyone’s measure particularly given the challenges coaching at GT presents? Wouldn’t a potential coaching hire prefer to come to a school that has celebrated the retiring of one of the best coaches it has ever had?

 

[awbuzz]

Man, I’m gonna miss CPJ.

A sentiment that in the eyes of history will be true to more than will admit it now.

 

[awbuzz]

You all think the UGA game was the final nail for cpj to decide to retire? Game didn't look fun for him . Wonder had we won if he would have changed his mind.

Either way hope we can get a bowl win to cap his career

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

I think you was gone even if we'd had won the game.

 

[RamblinRed]

Some thoughts on this thread.

First off, just want to thank Johnson for his 11 years. He always represented GT well and gave us some great years.

Second, i hope TStan takes his time and makes the right hire. It's much more important to win the games than win the PC.

Third, I don't think Johnson was pushed in any way. I fully expected him to be back and if he is not then it is because he has decided he doesn't want to coach anymore, not that he was pushed.

Fourth, anyone that says the only way GT can compete is by running an option offense is not being dishonest with others, they are being dishonest with themselves.
we may be worse under the next coach, we may be better, we may be about the same, but that will not have to do with running the option or not running the option.

Every program has its strengths and weaknesses. Under Johnson his offense was a consistent strength, but his defense was a consistent weakness and recruiting was sort of a mixed bag.
It is hard to win at GT, but not impossible.
Factually he was not winning as much his last 4 years as previous to that.

I'm going to miss him, but i'm also excited to see something new.

 

[Vespidae]

We were just at a very critical junction and needed one to two more years. I really don't think most people understand the true limitations Tech gives a head coach and how much worse it has gotten during CPJ's time-frame.

The odds are really stacked against us. I was hoping to improve them a little.

This is nothing compared to 1980. We are a top 40 program and will get a moderately successful coach. Probably not a game changer, but a good quality coach. With the investments and money being raised, we're in decent shape.

 

[Vespidae]

If he still wants to coach (which I believe he does) then he stepped down due to a lack of support, that deficit originates from the school in my view.

The problem with that is who wants to hire a 60 year old coach? He may want to coach, but even the best coaches will struggle at that age. How long did it take Les Miles to get hired? 3 years?

 

[Vespidae]

MBob isn't to be blamed for bad defenses and poor passing game.

In a way, he is. My understanding is that MBob rarely talked with CPJ. He should have had weekly or bi-weekly meetings and looked at performance metrics and discussed ways to improve. But if MBob wasn't a football guy, that presents a missed opportunity.

 

[Wreckaholic]

Have to disagree on MBobs impact. The budget constraints, and lack of support directly impacted not only who CPJ could hire as coordinators and assistants, but also facilities, and support staff.

If you truly believe that these three areas had no impact on coaching and recruiting then we will have to disagree.

Were there things CPJ could have adjusted- yes I think there were. However, the lack of support from MBob was a much bigger factor.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

You all think the UGA game was the final nail for cpj to decide to retire? Game didn't look fun for him . Wonder had we won if he would have changed his mind.

Either way hope we can get a bowl win to cap his career

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Well, you asked for an opinion, so I will give you mine. It may not be correct, but it is what I suppose to be the case.

I think you are right that the UGAG game opened his eyes to where we are compared to where they are right now (and Clem's Son to some degree as well) - it may have confirmed what he was already thinking earlier this year.
Over the past 4 years, where he has experienced (and we experienced) 2 very poor non-bowl years, the frequency of what I consider unfair criticisms of PJ were being heard by him, and the naysayers were increasing, but they were still the minority by a long shot. (by the way, it is o.k. if you or anyone else believes some of these criticisms were fair - that is just our opinions anyway)
So, I believe some of this was building
I think he saw that it was very unlikely that he could recruit well enough to the system he wants to play (too old and stubborn to change probably) and compete at the highest level anymore

All of this kind of added up to him saying "do I really want the headache anymore?" when he believed he was not going to get where he wanted to get the program, and he came to the answer, "no it is not". I do believe some of the unfair criticism got under his crawl, but the main reason for him leaving, in my opinion, is because I believe he thinks he got this program as far as he could take it, with the current environment and the current restrictions/limitations at the Institute.

Again, just my amateur opinion.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Stansburry has it right we need someone that is able to sell their system for Tech. He said he doesn't care what kind of offense we run, but he wants someone who has a vision for it. We need someone with a slight unique twist on it to gives us an extra advantage. I love the triple, but I want the best coach for the job regardless of system. If it's a triple option coach fine, if it's Neal Brown and an air raid bring it on. I'll root for Tech players regardless.

They need to have a vision and specific plan for recruiting as well. Recruiting is where the rubber meets the road at any school and it is probably the hardest thing about the job at GT.