Alligator Army is having a fainting spell over Todd Grantham’s “choke” signal on the game winning field goal (h/t Boys of Old Florida).
Heaven forbid! A coach wishing that the other team might screw up a key kick in a tight game! Such bad manners!
By the way, on the “stay classy” front, did anyone notice that Meyer was directing a few choice Gator chomps in the direction of Georgia fans after the game?
It was a big, exciting game and shit happens… move on, you sensitive souls.
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UPDATE: Good Lord, has everyone gone batshit insane over that stupid pic?
Now, it would be understandable if Grantham thought, “Choke!” or “Miss it!” in his head. It wouldn’t even be surprising a Georgia player yelled, “Choke!” or grabbed his neck.
But for a 44-year-old college coach to be grabbing his neck when a 21-year-old is lining up for a field goal? That would be a bit much. It would be over the line — certainly not to the point of when Woody Hayes punched a Clemson player in the 1978 Gator Bowl, but excessive nonetheless.
Well, I’m relieved to hear that. Seriously, this is the series that in the last two seasons has had Tebow prancing around in the third quarter with his towel and Gator chomp in hand and Meyer calling gratuitous time outs near game’s end. Being on the receiving end of both, I can’t say that either bothered me overly much (and I don’t remember Schultz making a big deal out of either at the time). If it turns out that Grantham was in fact giving the choke sign to Henry, why is that such a major faux pas by comparison?
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UPDATE #2: While we’re hyperventilating about class, dial up this clip to about the 0:27 mark and keep your eyes on Tavarres King on the sideline.
Get The Picture 
Those Florida Fans… they just miss Willie
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Anyone as pissed as I am about Washaun spiking the ball? For a below average running back, he sure has a high opinion of himself. I hope he’s running till next August for that bit of stupidity.
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I was only upset because I thought for sure it would be a penalty. But since no penalty was called, I was actually glad to see the emotion.
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Missed it when it happened, saw it on the replay. Given the SEC’s tight calling of this in the past, have to agree we probably dodged one. If he had done the traditional over the top spike rather than slamming it from his waist, he would have definitely gotten a flag, imo. Running some steps is in order since a 15 yard penalty on any kickoff is an offset to whatever the player accomplished when scoring. Don’t get why players don’t see that, celebrate with a teammate (maybe the one who blocked someone paving the way for your score.)
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A week hasn’t gone by yet that I haven’t increased my respect for Grantham. He’s a real man’s man.
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We need a little more Grantham-like hate around our program right now. Not something I love seeing a coach do, but I’ll take it as part of the total package with Grantham.
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If you’re bothered by a coach hoping a guy chokes, you need to direct your fandom to Dancing with the Stars.
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CTG went up in my eyes even more. If the Gayturds don’t like it so what?
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I’ve read a bunch of complaining from your fans about Henry’s gestures to your sideline after he made the kick.
To me, the photo is just putting a little back story into why Henry was gesturing, to me.
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FWIW, he’s two comments among many. No, these two fans don’t speak for all your fans, but the photo, to me, is more in response to their feelings. It’s a game, it’s an emotional game, I don’t have a problem your coaches getting into. Just don’t get upset when our players return the favor.
Chas Henry
Anybody else catch what this jerkoff did when Richt called the TO to ice the kicker? He was backpedaling and looking in Richt’s direction when he lifted up his helmet, said or did something, and then put his helmet back down and ran over to his sideline. I didn’t have a problem with UF fans or their players at all today except for that one move on Henry’s part. If he did what I think he did, then just wow
———————–
Point wasn’t about trash talking amongst players. Had Henry done it to our defense I wouldnt have even thought twice about it. But he made the gesture toward our coaches. Just seemed bushleague and dickless to me at the time, regardless of what game it was in or what player had done it
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FWIW, those were both my posts. I was sitting in the endzone behind the UGA bench and couldn’t see what any of our coaches were doing, just that Henry made a gesture toward our sidelines because of a TO to ice the kicker. If you go back to that same thread I said as much. Also, idk when Grantham made that gesture relative to when Henry made his so I can’t accurately comment on who provoked who. Either way, I stand by my opinion that no player, UGA or UF, should ever make a derogatory gesture toward the others coaches. If the coach provokes, it, he’ll get his ridicule after the game (Grantham, case in point). No need, especially if you’re a backup kicker, to act like an ass in that situation
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Also, as I feel this is pertinent to defending my OP which you’ve posted here, that picture of Grantham was posted on Dawg Post in response to my OP, meaning I was simply under the impression that Henry was being a jagoff because Richt called the TO. I wasn’t pulling a tu quoque
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AA was responding to Kyle King’s comment about Rainey seeing the field again and his pride that Richt had different standards than Meyer. Agree or not, it’s hard to see the equivalence in Grantham’s gesture and Rainey’s reinstatement.
Unless you’re a Gator fan wanting to stretch logic, of course.
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I’ve seen it used in different contexts than that. Stretching logic isn’t reserved for just one fan base, though.
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Go dig up some of the footage of UF players doing the Heisman pose in front of Hearst in 92 or Spurrier laughing as his players carried around an aligator head with a stuffed bulldog in its mouth for the entire 4th quarter in 96, or Spurrier running a flea flicker just to score 50 in 95, then get back to me on classy behavior you santimonious douchebag. God I hate Florida.
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++2
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Senator, thou protest too much. Remember this? Robinson actually physically assaulted a woman and was not kicked off the team until he was arrested a THIRD TIME? ************************************
Football player jailed and released from team: Montez Robinson repeat offender
April 4, 2010 by CAREY ONEIL
Filed under Crime & Courts, Football, News, Sports
Following his third arrest, Georgia defensive end Montez Robinson has been dismissed from the football team, head coach Mark Richt said in a press release Sunday.
“Montez has not been able to conform to some conditions and stipulations that were placed on him as a result of previous off-field issues,” Richt said in the release. “I think this decision is in the best interest of everyone.”
The Clarke County Magistrate Court issued an arrest warrant for Robinson Saturday morning on a misdemeanor charge of battery/family violence. Robinson then turned himself in to the Athens-Clarke County jail Sunday afternoon.
He will remain in jail until a bond hearing, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The hearing will likely take place Monday.
Robinson had already been suspended for the two opening games of the 2010 season. The suspension came after Robinson was arrested by Athens-Clarke County Police and charged with simple battery, criminal damage and underage possession of alcohol last December.
The December arrests followed two incidents earlier in 2009 — one involving a fight between Robinson and a female University student in which witnesses told The Red & Black that Robinson threw the student against a trash can. In the other incident, Robinson broke the tail lights of the same student’s car.
ROBINSON
Robinson’s Sunday jailing comes right on the heels of an apparently unrelated report that four football players hit and threatened the life of a University male and sexually propositioned his wife, saying they would “gang bang” her, according to the Athens-Clarke County Police report.
Football coach Mark Richt said Saturday he was aware of the report and looking into it.
“I believe by Monday we’ll have all the information needed,” he said. “There’s things I’d like to say about it, but I won’t. I’ll wait until Monday.”
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So, what you’re saying is that because Montez Robinson assaulted a woman, it’s OK if you’re a Gator fan to be offended by Todd Grantham’s gesture?
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LOGICAL EQUIVALENCY FOR THE WIN!
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Sorry, but I think you are the one that brought Rainey into the conversation.
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Not me – AA’s the one that linked to King’s post.
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My mistake then. I did not follow the link
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He actually wasn’t arrested 3 times. He was arrested once for the MIP & damage to property. The full story about the domestic violence didn’t come out until the 2nd arrest, at which point he was kicked off the team.
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That is not how the article reads. According to the article, he was kicked of after the third arrest.
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You are once again incorrect re: Robinson. Also, the part of the article that you added pertaining to 4 “football players” propositioning and threatening a woman turned out not to be UGA football players but you conveniently left that out. When you come on here trying to justify playing Rainey, at least get your facts straight.
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You clearly can’t see that he’s mocking Rainey for his text, and thus supporting violence against women, which in turn is racist.
Mark Bradley said so.
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Now I get it. 😉
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Speaking of Rainey, am I the only one who saw him run towards the UGA sideline, stop and do a little pose, head nod type taunt after Burton’s long TD run?
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Does anybody even know, or care, what Grantham’s gesture actually meant…and whether, for instance, it is something he has been doing all season as part of his defensive signal calling?
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That’s the best excuse ever.
No, our players weren’t they were signaling in plays.
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Makes sense. Would explain the eye gouging as part of an ongoing Gator program to deny opposing players the faculty of sight. Good on ya, son.
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I have no idea who he was gesturing towards, does anyone else? I have no reason to believe it was not toward the kicker, but it could just as easily been toward one of the officials for a blown call or no-call for all we know.
Whatever the case, I will find something else to get outraged over. In the world that is CFB today, this is fairly benign, even if it is towards the kicker or the Pope for that matter.
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And Rainey can’t spell and meant to write;
“Time to diet bitch.”
You see, she had gained a bit of weight as of late.
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I like that.
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According to what I read, it is a defensive play call. If its on the internet it has to be true, right?
So, that what the choke sign means from the DC, its a play call.
In this instance it means 4 of our guys should just jump up and down and flap their arms and pray the FG misses while AJ tries a super human jump in the middle.
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I’ve yet to see any evidence at all that Grantham is doing what Florida fans assume he’s doing. Except, of course, for this lone screen shot. For the record, I hold my hand to my neck like that many times a day, scratching facial hair. For some reason, I do it a lot as I’m teaching. But to date, no student has ever complained of me wishing that they’d choke on an exam or something.
Besides, this has all the feel of “Georgia fans can’t complain about Urban Meyer reinstating a stalker who makes death threats to girls, ’cause I saw one of their guys roll through a stop sign one time.” Umm, yeah, that’s the same. It’s insane to me the sort of moral myopia coming out of Gainesville these days.
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So let me get this straight. They justify/defend Brandon Spikes trying to blind Ealey until they’re blue in the face, but THIS is a big deal?
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Think the Gator fans might not be as upset if Coach Grantham had text messaged that signal to Chas Henry instead?
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That bitch Chas Henry was running around on the field Gator Chomping at our team and at our fans while he was running on to kick the extra point after Florida’s last touchdown in regulation, as if he’d done something besides being a kicker watching on the sidelines with a douchebag beard. So, I don’t feel bad if one of our coaches was telling him to choke on the kick.
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I’m sorry but this whole thing is just laughable. I’m 99.9% positive that I’ve seen Grantham do this to signal in a playcall/formation to his defense.
does anyone in their right mind think our defensive coordinator would give the “choke” sign to Florida’s kicker? Seriously?
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Even if he did. Who gives a shit?
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I’m 99.9% positive your theory is a bunch of crapola…
http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/11/02/richt-on-grantham-choke-sign-people-do-things-they-probably-wish-they-didnt-do/
Not that it matters. In the history of the WLOCP, this “insult” ranks pretty low on the scale. On the other hand, I expect the players to act like little boys, but it would be nice if the coaches (and fans) could behave with a bit more maturity.
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I like the spirit Grantham shows and I think he’s made progress with the defense this year and am generally happy with him so far. With that said though, the defense’s performance against UK and UF will be unacceptable at this point in the season next year. He is getting slack from me right now because I know how far in the ditch Willie ran the defense, Grantham has had to build from the ground up with these guys first having to win their confidence that he was putting them in the right position. If however they are still doing crap like surrendering 30 plus points to anyone other than an Oregan/Auburn class offense or not falling on fumbles inside the opponent’s ten next year I will start calling it like it is and say that loss’s like Saturday’s are on the defense. 31 points should win you the game 99% of the time, and they should have been enough Saturday.
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I’m not sure how much more you could ask of Grantham’s defense. Without the 2 or 3 turnovers in the first half, which gave UF a short field, 31 points would have won the game. If that was Willie’s defense we would’ve never made to overtime.
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3 first-half turnovers by us, 14 points for them.
Well over 200 yards rushing by the 10-th ranked rushing offense in the league.
I’m not seeing the improvement yet in our D.
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Then you aren’t paying attention. They’ve improved statistically in nearly all facets of defense.
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I am paying extremely close attention, Bro, and I’m very familiar with the statistics, including the ones I cited in my post regarding the Florida game.
Has there been an example this season where they have made a critical stop or forced a key TO in a close game? Since we’ve lost every close game, I wouldn’t think so.
I’m not missing Willie, I can assure you, just saying I don’t think our opponents are either . . . yet.
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I definately agree with you that with Willie’s defense we would never have made it to overtime, Arkansas and South Carolina would have blown us out of the stadium this year if we’d have had Willie still coaching and this UF game this year would have been like 45-31 or so. I disagree though that Grantham’s defense could not have done more, they could have held a time or two in the second half, particularly by not allowing the Burton TD gallop. Like I said though I’m cutting the guy slack this year and he gets a pass, he took over a train wreck situation where the players had completely given up on their coaches (and rightfully so), he is showing me that he is putting that in order and is not willing to concede 5 yards on every snap. So he did fine Saturday with that considered.
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Guys, this isn’t the first time Coach Grantham has used this signal. I noticed it at both the ULL and Vandy games that I was at.
During the Vandy game he walked over to the O-line and gave the same gesture, seems he was wanting them to really get out there and get some damn good blocks.
Watch him the rest of the season, you’ll see it.
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There is no bigger group of collective assholes in sports than those people associated with Florida. We should stop being surprised by their pretentious, hypocritical behavior and comments.
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Agreed. They see themselves as a reflection of their football team’s success. I, on the other hand, see them more like their illiterate #1 fan Congresswoman. Like her, they have delusions of self-importance and self-worth. But like her, they are insufferable blowhard idiots
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Wow. Bitter much?
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I once thought the Gator posters on this site were the exception to the norm for UF fans (yes, we all have some, their cup just seems to over runneth), but after the last two weeks reading the attempt to even defend rainey being reinstated I realize I was wrong. There is not one coach, even Saban, who would still have rainey on their team. Attempting to deflect the criticsm is even more embarrassing for you. Stop it, please.
Meyer has succeeded in dragging you down to his level by getting the fans to defend his decision. Added to the AK47s, the credit card theft, etc., etc., Gainesville has become Miami North when it comes to tolerating (key word here “tolerating”) inexcusable behavior. Sorry, if that is what it takes to win, I will stick with Mark. My principles aren’t for sale.
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I know a Georgia fan is not calling out Saban when it comes to discipline. Really? Are you serious? Say what you will about Saban’s personality, but his players rarely get into trouble. He runs a tight ship.
On another note, great game. Georgia really showed some heart in that second half. Consider me very impressed. When Georgia started 1 -4, I thought the players would given up. Hat tip to Richt for getting his players ready to play. Georgia’s QB is going to be something else in the next year or two.
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Riiiighhht, and that Fulmer Cup Bama owns from 2008 means what?
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Agree that he’s used this signal in games before. I’ve seen him use it several times this season. And while I expect floriDuh fans to react this way to a freakin’ picture, I find it laughable that even some Georgia fans would actually think Grantham would take the time to communicate with the opposing kicker in this situation as opposed to his own team. You know, given what we already know about the guy’s intensity and focus.
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You guys are all on crack.
http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/11/02/richt-on-grantham-choke-sign-people-do-things-they-probably-wish-they-didnt-do/
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Seems unlikely that he would take time to taunt the kicker when he’s trying like hell to block him. Seems to me that it’s kind of an asshole move to complain after winning..oh yeah.. never mind.
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Unlikely? Perhaps. However, it’s true.
http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/11/02/richt-on-grantham-choke-sign-people-do-things-they-probably-wish-they-didnt-do/
Seems like “kind of an asshole move” alright.
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Global War on Marks (GWOM), “Peace With Honor”
Butts-Mehre Defense Complex Underground Bunker
Noonish, 1 November 2010
When asked by Greg what was up with Todd’s universal choke sign captured on enemy photo recon by SunSports, Mark, weary of thinking up new quotes, reused this one and said,
“That’s really all we can do at this point. There’s honor in that.”
Despite his mendoza line
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mendoza+line
record v. Florida, Mark remains honored not to be on the hotseat not only because he is the kind of guy you’d like to have a sweet ice tea and fried chicken livers with but, more importantly, because someone up there must like him.
Addressing the hypothetical from Greg that had it been the universal throat-cut sign, Mark said Todd would have been suspended with pay for the Idaho State trap game or reassigned from the sideline to the coaches’ penalty box upstairs.
Mark tells Greg that the honor for the next big game, Auburn, will be to hold Newton to fewer total yards than Chavis did.
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Given Meyer’s antics with the Auburn kicker a few years ago, you’d think they’d let this slide.
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Meyer called a timeout to ice the kicker. Same thing Richt did Saturday night. A little self awareness might do you a world of good.
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I’ve seen Grantham do this in other games.
What does Florida think Irvin is doing when he calls a timeout before the opposing team tries a last second field goal??? I will never forget when Corch had the ref signal a timeout the second before the ball was snapped against Auburn in 2007. After the Auburn kicker made it again, it was beautiful as he ran off the field doing the gator chomp.
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Still not sure why UF wasn’t flagged for storming the field between OT possessions. They should’ve started from the 40.
Wait, scratch that. WLOCP precedent was set in ’07 so they should’ve started from their own 45.
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This could be the stupidest thing I’ve ever read. I want my 15 minutes back.
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+100
Anytime someone calls out an entire fanbase it’s time to stop reading.
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My son’s baseball team uses this signal at least three or four times a year. It’s the signal for a “suicide squeeze” and it one of only two signals that are “live” with or without an indicator. It’s easy to do, easy to see, and that’s why it’s used for such an important and risky baseball play.
I can’t say that is what Grantham is doing, but it certainly looks like he’s calling something to me.
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Re: This whole thread and argument between opposing fan bases: MDWM
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That’s the hand signal for “Time to Die Bitch”
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Grantham should have gone out and poked that kicker in the eyes. Then, it would have been OK with the UF fans.
Fairly certain that’s a call, not a taunt.
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You may be certain, but you’re also wrong.
http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/11/02/richt-on-grantham-choke-sign-people-do-things-they-probably-wish-they-didnt-do/
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Who gives a shit, we lost.
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+1 😦
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+1
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SEC fan bases arguing they’re classier than each other is an argument between two overweight 45ish trailer park alumni in two different colors of bib overalls.
Still, the funniest thing I’ve ever seen is elderly men carrying rolls of toilet paper stuck on detergent boxes. I guess that’s all you need for a weekend in Tuscaloosa.
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“UPDATE: Good Lord, has everyone gone batshit insane over that stupid pic?”
Yes and the good news is that Paul Finebaum will have Charles from Reeltown, Mike Slive, Pat Dye, Phyllis from Mulga and a translator for a conference call symposium on the bioethics of right-to-die sideline signals and defensive calls.
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Well we know what will happen now:
The choke will go down as a bad deal, which will forever be on the mind of Urban Meyer and the mind of his football team.
Sweet.
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I am done supporting the AJC. This is ridiculous.
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Got there a few years ago. They are horrible.
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I just wish Grantham would have yelled “Time to choke, Bitch!” while making the jesture.
F Henry
F the Gators
and F every single one of their fans.
They can all choke on it as far as I am concerned.
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or Gesture. F me too.
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“I just wish Grantham would have yelled “Time to choke, Bitch!” while making the jesture.”
That’s just what I was doing while we were beating Navy 34-31.
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To quote the Corch, “That Grantham, he’s a badguy”
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What? No “It will forever be in the mind of Urban Meyer” jokes yet?
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so #58 intentionally knocks King in the head as he sprints by to embrace Hill. Like the freshman bitch that he is, Center Nick Alajajian from Naples, FL gets his cheap shot in undetected. But wait Nick, it’s on film now.
Hate is so far off to describe how I feel towards FL that it’s not even in the same hemisphere. The day of reckoning will come one day. It will most certainly come.
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I totally agree. That is utterly classless. I don’t give a damn what anyone says, excitement is no excuse for that. Great coaches *cough Bradley* don’t let stuff like that happen. Who wants to bet NOTHING comes of this?
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wonder if UF starts their OT possession with a personal foul and starts from the 40 instead of the 25? Think Henry makes that kick? I certainly have grown so pessimistic that when I saw this happen I knew it would not be called.
we didn’t lose the game because of the refs, or this call, or because it is in Jax, or because CMR didn’t wear his lucky briefs…but still I would love for UF to be penalized for playing without discipline. I know we have.
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I’m just thinking that if the league is taking a serious look at dangerous hits, shouldn’t cheap shots also be reviewed? That wasn’t exactly a punch, but it was much firmer than a slap. It’s illegal, and classless.
But yet probably no worse than eye gouging.
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On this note, shouldn’t it have been an excessive celebration penalty since the call on the field was that the player didn’t score and that the game wasn’t over? And yet well after the officials marked it at the 1 Florida players are still running into the corner and dog piling…
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Yep, that was classless. Just like that “bitch” Rambo throwing an elbow to the face of Omarius Hines, knocking his helmet off. Completely classless.
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The Florida fanbase’s collective pride is hurt right now after losing 3 straight, then only defeating their whipping boy UGA by 3 in overtime in Jax even though they sold their souls by supporting Rainey’s reinstatement. Their football team is down so they need something else to make them feel superior, so we get the righteous indignation over a screen grab of Grantham.
Just Florida being Florida. Move along folks, nothing to see here.
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yeah, just FL being FL and beating UGA again.
In two weeks no one is going to give a shit about Grantham and will only remember the score.
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Who GAS. I would pay money to see him choke the living shat out of Squirrel Head and his kicker too.
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FU and their fans are the Eddie Haskells of college football.
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I thought the entire incident was hilarious. The point was to take a big poke at the arrogant, supercilious twit on that other UGA blog. I also find his holier-than-thou attitude off-putting for a college football blog. One reason I like this blog and occasionally post here is that I respect the attitude. You’re fans of your club and you make no apologies. No pretensions of moral superiority. That’s the way it ought to be.
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And for this you want to punch us in the face?!
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“The point was to take a big poke at the arrogant, supercilious twit on that other UGA blog. I also find his holier-than-thou attitude off-putting for a college football blog.”
You’re talking Kyle, right? He does come across as pretentious. Plus he takes the maximum number of words possible to try to make a point. His blog is like PBS.
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What do you have against PBS?
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There’s some funny stuff in the replies. I was wondering why Henry came over to our sideline to taunt us after making that kick. Does Grantham have any eligibility left? Maybe he could stir up some trouble on our D line.
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Just being honest, there are no winners coming out of this game. There were too many cheap shots and dirty plays that the refs missed.
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