iceeater1969
Helluva Engineer
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On another note, CPJ has said unless he gets an offer from a "special" program, he is going to remain retired. By no means is GT a "factory level" program, but I think CPJ saw enough towards the end of coaching at GT that he knows what comes with coaching a program on the P5 level. I'm not referring to the on field stuff...I believe that's what CPJ enjoyed the most. It's all of the politics with the administration and the donors that wore on CPJ. This isn't CPJ specific, because it happens to every coach at the P5 level, but CPJ was just tired of having to battle for raises for his assistants, getting money to expand support staff, and getting other things to help his team. If you listened to CPJ, there was a money issue in terms of support, and a LOT of that had to do with certain ADs trying to "starve out" CPJ (see: AD Sasquatch). CPJ was REALLY close to quitting from what I've heard, but Sasquatch left for Purdue, and TStan was hired just in time. TStan was able to get CPJ more money, but there was a faction of donors that refused to give any more money until CPJ was gone because they wanted a fresh start. Some of those donors continue to bad mouth CPJ to this day from what I've been told. If you listened to some of what CPJ said to the media, and post retirement, it was aimed at certain donors who continue to downplay what CPJ did here.
Although I thought it was time for GT to turn the page and have a new guy with new ideas come in, I thought it was a shame CPJ didn't get to go out the way he deserved. I'm still waiting for them to announce a day to honor CPJ and what he did for GT during his decade here. The longer it goes by that we don't have a special day for CPJ, the more I shake my head. I get that it's still raw and the new staff may bristle at the old coach being honored when the new regime is still trying to find their way, but CPJ did some REALLY great things here. I say it all the time, some of the best GT football moments for me came during the CPJ years.
On another note, those who keep taking potshots at CGC have lost the plot. This isn't a CPJ or CGC thing. It's a GT thing. I promise you CPJ would be first in line to say that he wants what's best for GT. So should the fans. When you root for CGC to fail, you are rooting for GT to fail. I think it's more than fair to criticize the on the field stuff, but some of this other stuff in unbecoming. We don't need to insult CPJ to make CGC look good, or vice versa.
After many years CPJ, quit on new AD w no notice.
Just kidding !
