ESPN: Too Negative at Georgia Tech?

[CuseJacket]

ESPN: Too Negative at Georgia Tech?

As ACC Kickoff wound to a close on Monday, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson relaxed in a chair surrounded by just a handful of reporters that had largely run out of topics to discuss. Finally, Johnson was asked what he would change about his job, if he could change just one thing.

He hemmed and hawed and considered simply moving on, but after a bit he conceded that the tenor among fans in Atlanta was often, in his opinion, too negative, while people outside of Tech territory seem to be a bit more upbeat on the program.

The context for this comment would be interesting e.g., was CPJ saying this in reference to the the past few years, his full tenure, the GT program in general? That seems like a pretty important distinction in order to understand where he was coming from.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Well that opened a can of worms needlessly. Coach may regret not treating these reporters as he has been accused of. Shoulda told em to pound sand and found some links to play.​

 

[jeffgt14]

I tend to side with Hale on this one but I'm also in the 15% on SportsNation that believes CPJ can turn it around.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

I happen to agree with him though.

 

[DvilleJacket]

I agree as well.

 

[AE 87]

From some other reporting, I got the impression he was talking about the press more than the fans.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I guess I will have to listen to what he said. My first reaction was that it sounded like almost what I have heard every Tech coach say after they have left the job in Atlanta. I remember Bobby Ross almost quit the year before his national championship because he found the negative attitudes about Tech debilitating. Ever since Dodd left there has been a general rumor in the coaching profession that Tech is not a place many people would want to coach.
There, I've said it. Bring on the firing squad.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Almost every coach is on the hot seat when they don't meet expectations. GT fans expect better in general although CPJ has been consistently slightly above average - my thread on 70 years of GT football convinced me of that and had me lower my expectations. There are not many Beamer fans in Virginia now, despite his taking of a chamber pot of a program and making it a national power which is now waning.

That being said, there is a cycle here that really honks me off. That is after a disappointing finish to the season (which has been the general case), the AD and CPJ talk about how much better we need to do. Then comes Spring and the message changes to "hey we do pretty good". So I guess I should be like a black lab and just go chase the sticks that they throw.

 

[AE 87]

Almost every coach is on the hot seat when they don't meet expectations. GT fans expect better in general although CPJ has been consistently slightly above average - my thread on 70 years of GT football convinced me of that and had me lower my expectations. There are not many Beamer fans in Virginia now, despite his taking of a chamber pot of a program and making it a national power which is now waning.

That being said, there is a cycle here that really honks me off. That is after a disappointing finish to the season (which has been the general case), the AD and CPJ talk about how much better we need to do. Then comes Spring and the message changes to "hey we do pretty good". So I guess I should be like a black lab and just go chase the sticks that they throw.

I think the problem is that some people can't distinguish between "not good enough" and "dumpster fire."

"Hey we do pretty good," responds to complaints as if it's a dumpster fire without denying that it's "not good enough."

 

[gtwin]

Can the ATL fans be too negative...sure, but CPJ does not do his program or himself any favors when he is frequently sassy!

 

[GTFan62]

There is not much positive about Tech that comes out of the local sports media. I listen to 680 The Fan a majority of the time until they switch to the national sports feed. There are so many UGA homers on the station with no Tech supporters among the talk show hosts. WSB is full of UGA supporters. I worry about Tech fans sounding like a bunch of whiners because of this. I always hope for winning seasons to get more respect. These guys are not fans of CPJ and I'm okay with that but it would be nice to have equal representation.

 

[buzzed]

He was talking about the local media. He said the same thing at least one other time recently, and I believe he might have said it directly to a member of the local media.

 

[00Burdell]

So if CPJ could change one thing it would be the fan's attitude? Not the recruiting restrictions? Not the budget he has to work with? Not the negative perception of his offense? Not being the little brother program in the state?

Alllllllllllllllllllllllrighty then.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

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.

 

[alaguy]

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.

 

[Bigb]

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.

 

[jeffgt14]

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.

I disagree with this.

 

[YJAlleyCat]

CPJ doesn't seem like the quitting type.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

From some other reporting, I got the impression he was talking about the press more than the fans.

You may be correct and I think he / most GT coaches will have a poor relationship with local dwag media. I don't think CPJ appreciated the extent of the hatred between GT and UGAg outside of football, it extends everywhere. So in that context I agree without my comment.

But here is the context ESPN put it in (may be wrong): "
He hemmed and hawed and considered simply moving on, but after a bit he conceded that the tenor among fans in Atlanta was often, in his opinion, too negative, while people outside of Tech territory seem to be a bit more upbeat on the program. "

I really hope we have a great season and think that we are better with CPJ than most others. 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.

 

[AE 87]

@GTNavyNuke right, I was trying to suggest that ESPN might have misinterpreted. Unfortunately, without audio, it's hard to say.