ESPN: Too Negative at Georgia Tech?

[Whiskey_Clear]

Im a big fan of CPJ and his offense. I'm hoping for a very successful season (duh, true every year) because I'd like to keep him a while. His primary struggles have been ST and Def (and his choices of coordinators to lead them and criticisms here have been earned). It's hard convincing those who dislike his O of that despite how clear it appears to me.

I think we are due for a turnaround on some luck and our fortunes in the W/L column. If not CPJs time will be short no matter how good I think he is. Won't be the first time I've hated to lose a coach, in my mind, needlessly. I was pretty bitter about Cremins dismissal. I was very frustrated we failed to bring O'leary back from his ND embarrassment. I feel pretty strongly both programs diminished significantly and needlessly in both cases. I worry it may happen again. I really like our current staff in football top to bottom.

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

I think people are reading into this comment way too much. This old "he's unhappy at tech and wants to be bought out" BS rumor needs to die.

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

But if he doesn't get a better performance in the next two years (contract runs out), I think he is gone.

There is no appreciable buy out of his contract now; only $2.5M at the end of this year.

If we make any kind of bowl game this year he gets a minimum 1 year extension on his contract(obviously I hope we make a good bowl and he gets a multiyear deal). You can't expect a kid to commit if the coach isn't on contract for next year.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I think it is pretty simple on the fans attitude--we have been a ok team record -wise for a long time.PJ has proven to be an ok coach .Obviously a better coach when he has better players but he has not been able to get better ones so far.Our patience is not forever.Tech people are over-achievers and they want there sports teams to be that.

That is the paradox of Tech -overachieving fans and underachieving sports teams. I wonder if there is connection? Hmmmm.

 

[awbuzz]

I think this actually lends some credibility to the report that Johnson is unhappy at Tech and would almost prefer to be bought out.

This is the first place he has coached that he has really struggled.

That's a big leap... I don't feel that you're right on this. JMO.

 

[Recleb]

I think Atlanta fans in general are among the most fickle in the country. They seem to support winners only, and are not "fans" of the teams necessarily. I was a Braves and Falcons fan before I ever came to Tech ('79) and couldn't believe how cheap and easy it was to get tickets. Until the miracle of '82 ('83?), it was so easy to get $2 Braves tickets and then move to behind the dugout. Played in the Tech NROTC band when we were the house band for the Hawks with Dominique, and attendance was pitiful. Yet anytime any of these pro teams did well, all of a sudden the fans fell out of the woodwork.

The success we had the first few years under CPJ brought a few of these bandwagoneers to have some interest in Tech FB, but they're not fans. Now they b**ch about 7-win seasons. I put those folks in the same category as the whiners (so-called Tech "fans") who would support the program only if we get 9+ wins a season. I'm glad I cut my teeth as a Tech fan during Pepper's last season and the early Curry years. Thrilled with every victory, and hopeful after every defeat.

 

[Squints]

Well, I am in the mood to say, then PJ, "give us something to be positive about" .....that is my stance at this point.

I was extremely positive about PJ for about 5 years....but it has dwindled down to nothing.

If something happens during this upcoming season causes you to make a post that has even a glimmer of enjoyment, I'd even settle for contentment, instead of your usual dourness the entire season is a success for me. I don't care if we go 0-12.

 

[jwsavhGT]

I think Atlanta fans in general are among the most fickle in the country. They seem to support winners only, and are not "fans" of the teams necessarily. I was a Braves and Falcons fan before I ever came to Tech ('79) and couldn't believe how cheap and easy it was to get tickets. Until the miracle of '82 ('83?), it was so easy to get $2 Braves tickets and then move to behind the dugout. Played in the Tech NROTC band when we were the house band for the Hawks with Dominique, and attendance was pitiful. Yet anytime any of these pro teams did well, all of a sudden the fans fell out of the woodwork.

The success we had the first few years under CPJ brought a few of these bandwagoneers to have some interest in Tech FB, but they're not fans. Now they b**ch about 7-win seasons. I put those folks in the same category as the whiners (so-called Tech "fans") who would support the program only if we get 9+ wins a season. I'm glad I cut my teeth as a Tech fan during Pepper's last season and the early Curry years. Thrilled with every victory, and hopeful after every defeat.

Goodness knows we would have been thankful for 7 wins back in those days. I started school in '78 so I'm there with you.

 

[GT Man]

PJ has got to stop reading Jim's site

 

[Nook Su Kow]

David Hale was a beat reporter for the dwagz before Seth Emerson at the Macon Telegraph.

 

[Faulkner475]

Read the AJC. Read this board. Read the other boards. Read Bobby Ross's comments on his way out. Coach isn't wrong. It's a good thing Tech never hired Spurrier, or we'd never hear the end of his barbs. I love Tech, but it has the most self-defeating and pessimistic fans of any school I've ever seen.

 

[daBuzz]

If we make any kind of bowl game this year he gets a minimum 1 year extension on his contract(obviously I hope we make a good bowl and he gets a multiyear deal). You can't expect a kid to commit if the coach isn't on contract for next year.

If Bobinski extends CPJ's contract purely on the basis of going at least 6-6 then Bobinski should be fired. At the end of the season, Johnson has one more year on his contract, so he would already be on contract for the next year.

Any further extensions should be earned by doing something greater than just going to a bowl game.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

PJ has got to stop reading Jim's site

Don't we all!

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Read the AJC. Read this board. Read the other boards. Read Bobby Ross's comments on his way out. Coach isn't wrong. It's a good thing Tech never hired Spurrier, or we'd never hear the end of his barbs. I love Tech, but it has the most self-defeating and pessimistic fans of any school I've ever seen.

Boy howdy do I agree with you there! As a kid I watched the transition from Dodd to Carson. The old guard never let up on their criticism of Carson. I remember his last year the heat was turned up so high he forced the team to accept a bowl game they did not want to go to just so he could improve his record (ostensibly to combat his critics). I went to that game and the team laid down on him in the first half and never recovered. The fans in the stands were practically singing goodbye to him. Of course he went on to coach for the Pittsburgh Stealers and he created one of the greatest defenses in the history of the game.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

You guys obviously don't follow UVa football. They start off apologizing for the team and program.

I remember when I went to GT (75-79) the football team was not held in nearly as high regard by the student body as today. Looking at the book, Focused on the Top, there is a little late 80's story about how the football players felt shunned by the student body. After an incident where a football player hit another person's girlfriend at a pizza joint, someone hung out the banner "The only people the football team can beat are girls.". (Or something like that - I don't have the book with me). So things are better now.

Of course a lot of fans who were around for the 50's when we had one of the best all time dynasties would not be happy with any less. It was what they were used to.

 

[Boomergump]

I don't pay much attention at all to other fan bases or hype surrounding other teams. So, I have no basis for comparing our negativity to theirs. I will say, IMHO, GT fans are very fickle, negative, and willing to play the victim. We have something like the third longest bowl streak in the country, finished .500 or better in league play for (I think) over a decade and we still behave as if we are a horrible program with the wheels coming off.

Obviously, things aren't perfect and we have lots to improve upon. However, I guarantee you, no team out there looks forward to playing us. We are viewed as a far greater challenge by our opponents than we ever view ourselves. We are certainly not a top 20 program right now and I want to get to that level just as bad as anybody. I guess I just enjoy the ride more than some people.

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

If Bobinski extends CPJ's contract purely on the basis of going at least 6-6 then Bobinski should be fired. At the end of the season, Johnson has one more year on his contract, so he would already be on contract for the next year.

Any further extensions should be earned by doing something greater than just going to a bowl game.

You must not understand why a lame duck coach is a bad thing.

 

[LongforDodd]

If we make any kind of bowl game this year he gets a minimum 1 year extension on his contract(obviously I hope we make a good bowl and he gets a multiyear deal). ...

Seriously? Make it to the absolute worst of the bowls and he gets a year added on? Even it it means a 6-6 record?

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

Seriously? Make it to the absolute worst of the bowls and he gets a year added on? Even it it means a 6-6 record?

I think we don't risk losing this recruiting class we've put together and ending the bowl streak.

 

[knox]

Seriously? Make it to the absolute worst of the bowls and he gets a year added on? Even it it means a 6-6 record?

You can't recruit anyone with 1 year on your contract. If he goes 6-6 you give him a super small extension. He either quits or accepts it.

Next years schedule is brutal so if he's 6-6 this year he is a dead man walking.