GT Paul Johnson Radio Show 9/23/2013

[John]

Will update with summary, live stream, and download link in this thread.

Live Stream
http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/citadel/?sid=1523

Direct Download
http://traffic.libsyn.com/gtathletics/9-23_Paul_Johnson_Show.mp3

Summary/Notes

• Players turned up intensity in 2nd half; defensive staff came up with couple of nice tweaks.
• A little more man coverage, Jemea on Ebron, got more pressure, had better field position.
• First half: zone fires, playing a lot of zone, UNC got Ebron matched up with a linebacker.
• Weather had huge impact; weather and the way we were throwing at the beginning had impact [on play calling].
• Q from Jim: what was altered for practice this week? Sunday is typically day off, met with team Sunday afternoon to clean up UNC game. Abbreviated practice today for about 2 hours. Probably won't have pads on until game just to get guys physically ready to play.
• Waiter asked why CPJ eats the same cheeseburger and fries every week. Miller Pope in charge of that. Eat the same thing every week until result of the game change (superstition).
• Deon Hill out, his target date keeps being pushed back. Hopefully back by Miami.
• Isaiah Johnson's decision to redshirt. Graduate in December. Minor or Graduate school.
• Proud of Dominique Noble, Demond played a lot of snaps. Got baptism under fire.
• How do you grade film? Come in Sunday morning, CPJ watch game take notes. Staff is grading their positions. Example: 11AM, special teams review. 12PM defensive staff review. 1PM offensive staff review. By 4:30 PM, all graded.
• Monday: Players given grade sheet (effort, technique).
• We've played great in spurts but waiting for team to play great whole game.
• Pleased with defensive players and staff so far.
• Not running the offense as smoothly up to CPJ's standard/expectations but we're still average 300+ yards rushing. Not just the QB but entire offense.
• Q from Troy: 2-pt conversion, Coach Walkosky didn't seem happy even after UNC didn't convert. We had it covered, Brandon Watts had man-to-man on holder but he was looking at wrong guy. Nealy did a good job rushing the passer to force the quick throw.
• VT defense: Bud Foster does a great job of getting the players to buy in, players have a ton of respect on Foster. They are always athletic.
• APU support: Had no idea, Vad said he didn't know anything about it. One of the guys asked to write it and they wrote it ("All Players United" sounds good). Don't think the players had any idea it was going to blow up like it did. Suspect social media. No problem if the whole team wants to voice their opinion. Players have to know what you're asking for. Doesn't think it's going to amount to a whole lot. Don't expect it on Thursday, they didn't talk to CPJ about doing it Thursday.
• CPJ not wearing white on sideline on Thursday. Coach needs to be different on the sideline so that people can find him. Also wearing blue cause we haven't lost yet when he wears blue (HAHA). May wear white if team wears blue.
• Apparently Fedora had some comments to GT fans in the stands, thoughts? 34-years of coaching, CPJ called everything you can think of. Tries to ignore it. Had some comments for some people in a game in 2008 but that came back to bite him. Like to climb up into the stands sometimes.
• Fake punt: Walkosky saw from film. Gave Poole option to run, should have took off sooner than he did. Fortunately, UNC guy "went WWE on our snapper".
• Caller Q: Not great pass rush so far, anything different on VT? Didn't get a lot of sacks on UNC but got good hits and forcing him to throw. UNC didn't hold the ball long in 1st half.
• Watched all four VT games multiple times.
• Referring to technology making it easier to review film now than in the past, Brandon says "I don't want to date you but..." and CPJ says "That's good cause I don't want to date you either".
• Does Ted Roof's National Championship ring from Auburn make an impression on recruits? Sure, it helps.
• Coach Hawk at East Point caller: impressed with improvement with kicking game. Didn't see unbalanced. CPJ said we ran unbalanced every game. No "cross buck" plays but have myriad of trap plays inside.
• Take care of the ball better than Saturday. Limit VT from running the ball. We have to be able to run to setup everything else.
• Favorite Atlanta restaurant? Any of them that lets him eat for free (joke). Doesn't go out to eat much. Capital Grille and Bones is good. Towne Club (sp?) cause it's easy.

Questions for CPJ?
If you have a twitter account, use #GTRadio hashtag to ask a question. If you don't have a twitter account, post here and I'll try to ask it using the @GT_Swarm account (assuming it's a good question). No uniform questions please.

 

[Longestday]

Love the UNC penalty for "going WWE" (CPJ) on one of our guys!!!!

 

[John]

This was an unusually entertaining show. Guess it has something to do with the fact that we're 3-0.

 

[OldJacketFan]

I about spit my tea out..............."Fortunately, UNC guy "went WWE on our snapper"............. too damn funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Longestday]

I don't want to date you... (CPJ) I don't want to date you either...

You leaving me?... (CPJ) Now I am getting worried....

(CPJ) So you never played Augusta, too bad...

 

[TechCubed]

The show has been very entertaining and informative this season, definitely showing more of CPJ's personality (his real one, not the one the media wants you to believe). Was there tonight -- decent crowd, and it's easy to say hi to him before or after the show.

 

[heeled soul]

question to PJ: what have you done to the real PJ?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think the fake CPJ personality that many get via the media is a product of two things: 1) his gameday intensity on the sidelines and fiery competitiveness; and 2) the fact that he is not really very good at speaking past the reporter/questioner to the real audience. What I mean by that is when anyone asks a question in a interview or briefing he gives that specific person the response they merit, he is straightforward and honest and its all well and good. But a reporter is a conduit to the public at large and he is not very skilled in recognizing that and using the medium to control his message. The trick (which politicians know well) is to ignore the specific interviewer to a certain degree and give a response aimed not at them but at your constituency in general (Tech fans).

This second point is why the press seems to routinely praise CPJ as a person and his demeanor and personality and humor in "off the record" encounters. If you notice Ken in particular (but Winklejohn also) will often point out that when CPJ said so-and-so he was smiling or had a wry grin. That is, they will try and get across to the reader the correct interpretation of a quote that could at first blush seem hard or surly.

 

[heeled soul]

I think the fake CPJ personality that many get via the media is a product of two things: 1) his gameday intensity on the sidelines and fiery competitiveness; and 2) the fact that he is not really very good at speaking past the reporter/questioner to the real audience. What I mean by that is when anyone asks a question in a interview or briefing he gives that specific person the response they merit, he is straightforward and honest and its all well and good. But a reporter is a conduit to the public at large and he is not very skilled in recognizing that and using the medium to control his message. The trick (which politicians know well) is to ignore the specific interviewer to a certain degree and give a response aimed not at them but at your constituency in general (Tech fans).

This second point is why the press seems to routinely praise CPJ as a person and his demeanor and personality and humor in "off the record" encounters. If you notice Ken in particular (but Winklejohn also) will often point out that when CPJ said so-and-so he was smiling or had a wry grin. That is, they will try and get across to the reader the correct interpretation of a quote that could at first blush seem hard or surly.

the best description i've read. on the one hand, you want to praise the guy for being honest and straight-forward and not manipulative. on the other hand, it shouldn't be that hard (e.g., relying on the reporters to do their jobs correctly).

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I am not personally bothered by CPJ's persona as it comes across when he is talking to the media. I am just giving my thoughts in a descriptive manner on why that persona can be seen as not his "real" one.

I remember the Navy beat reporter who has a radio show now spoke to this before somewhere. Also, when CPJ does his speaking engagements for the fans, or like on his radio show and in his tweets, he clearly has a different demeanor and approach than he does with the media in official settings like post-game interviews.

I think if he had the rhetorical polish of a politician he would treat those media sessions differently and just kind of go "through" the reporter as a conduit to speak to fans. But he doesn't. Instead, when he gets asked the same question for the 5000th time by a reporter (who very well knows it has been asked before but wants to get a quote on it for the article HE is writing next) he responds to it as it is on one level . . . as the 5000th time he has been asked the same question. The politician type though treats it as another chance to get across his own message as well as shaping their "media image."

The guy is a football coach though. I count media/rhetorical skill fairly low on my list of concerns from the head football coach. Nice if my coach has it and not that big a deal if he doesn't. It can sure make opposing teams fans hate him though! That actually kind of amuses me now that I come to think of it.

 

[AE 87]

In popular parlance, he doesn't "suffer fools gladly."

 

[Bruce Wayne]

AE, that is right and all well and good. I think Tech fans generally like that about him and I do as well.

But if a reporter asks for the 100th time a question the reporter is not necessarily a fool for that reason. They are always trying to trigger the person they interview to say something they can use as a quote in an article, to make their job easier. I think that CPJ tends to ignore that aspect and could care less about helping the reporter write their article. He is a football coach and wants to do his job. So he is very matter of fact in answering any question instead of making it a platform to try and control the message and image. As a result he can end up with one kind of "media created image" and then his real personality as seen in other venues like the radio show and his tweets.

On this week's radio show he talked about the team not running the option well and made an aside that maybe he needs to be careful how he says things to the media because it can run with something he does not intend, or other times he has said this or that comment got blown up out of proportion. That happens because he simply answers a question directly and honestly and is un-politician like and untrained in the rhetorical art of controlling the message. I am fine with that, it "is what it is."

 

[John]

AE, that is right and all well and good. I think Tech fans generally like that about him and I do as well.

Got a question for you guys... would these comedic exchanges between Brandon and Coach Johnson been as funny if we weren't 3-0?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

John, I suspect they may not even happen if we hadn't been winning. In fact, for Gaudin's sake it is probably best that the team has started well because it could be brutal to break in as a new announcer and have to work closely with CPJ if he was losing games left and right.

I was worried that the age differential and Gaudin being a northerner would mean that he and CPJ would start out with a lot less common ground than he had with Durham. I would not have been surprised at a rough transition as they built a working relationship and rapport like Wes and CPJ had. But so far so good!

 

[awbuzz]

Got a question for you guys... would these comedic exchanges between Brandon and Coach Johnson been as funny if we weren't 3-0?

Good ppint. Glad we didn't have to find out