I’m watching Georgia Tech get thumped in the worst way right now, and it’s making for a pretty lousy New Year’s Eve. With a friend and classmate on the Tech coaching staff, plus my general fondness for Paul Johnson, I’m really rooting for the Yellow Jackets to win. Sadly, the 35-3 halftime score is making that unlikely. So I’m left trying to find a silver lining in this mess. If you’re a Georgia Tech fan… Sorry, I got nothing. Sucks to be you right now. If you’re a Navy fan, though, maybe there’s some hope in all this. As much as I love Paul Johnson, his legend has been really, really annoying this year. Some Navy fans seem to think that PJ is seven feet tall, kills men by the hundreds… And if HE were here, he’d consume Notre Dame with fireballs from his eyes, and bolts of lightning from his arse! This is the standard that these fans use to judge Coach Niumatalolo and his staff. It leads to comments like, “If PJ was still here, we’d win this game!” “We came out flat today. That wouldn’t happen if PJ was here!” “Niumat and Jasper are too conservative! PJ would take more chances!”
Tonight, the broadcast crew won’t stop talking about how flat Georgia Tech looks. And that wild & crazy fake punt deep in their own territory sure backfired, huh? Maybe conservative was the way to go there, wouldn’t you say?
I’m not trying to rip Paul Johnson here. You guys know how much I admire the man. But hopefully, seeing him get his ass handed to him in the Peach Bowl will bring a few Navy fans back into the land of sanity. Maybe the current coaching staff can stop being compared to the fish story that Paul Johnson’s tenure became. Maybe that way, people can appreciate what they have a little bit more.
Bah, who am I kidding. This sucks.
The Birddog 
It was only a matter of time before PJ lost a football game.
Looked like a “dejavu` all over again” of the UNC game earlier this season for Ga. Tech –> Gotta fix those special teams.
GO NAVY!!!
As an ex coach (high school & college) an alum and and ex player, I hope Ken, Buddy, and staff do a complete AAR on not just the players but on the calls the staff made during the game. They will learn from their bad calls and will make 2009 a better year. We are very fortunate to have our AD that insured we kept a solid staff after PJ left. As for the GT game, If you can’t stop the run you will lose. Defense wins champioships, offense sells tickets!
Phat,
Good to see you back posting. I think Christmas got in the way of your overdue EBB review. You need to fix that.
I agree with your comments of the PJ worship!!
I can’t believe Chet missed the opportunity to hire Ellerson last year. He is practically a legend in SA coaching already.
Well, … (with all due respects to “Braveheart”), … I’m betting a butt-ton of Ga. Tech football fans were feeling that PJ was “William Wallace” after this season too!!!
Agree that fake punt call not a good “option” … So I guess the final score would have been 31-3 instead (or perhaps 31-10 if the WR would have held onto that surprise deep post pass on the 2nd play from scrimmage for Ga Tech)???
That is your basis for putting down Navy fans who admire his coaching/game planning/play-calling & wish that he was still the HC @ USNA???
There are extremes of fans everywhere you look … from blind loyalty to varying degrees of “technical” gridiron knowledge. Pretty sure that even you questioned/criticized some of the Navy offensive strategy earlier on in this season. Comes with the territory of being a coach/hi-profile player.
GO NAVY!!!
I don’t think he was putting down Navy fans who admire PJ and his coaching at all……just those who unrealistically remember only the good games but none of the bad.
I think it is pretty clear he is as big an admirer of PJ as any of us. He is just pointing out that every coach (and player and businessman and naval officer) has days when they just get their butts kicked. And at some point “If PJ was here bad things would not have happened” becomes a vacant battle cry, because one he is gone, and two we lost a few games with PJ as HC. His record at Navy was pretty consistent with what we had this year….
I think we’ll know a lot more about KN as a HC the next couple of years. This was a good start.
I’ll say it again, this was the most successful year of Navy football in the PJ era (without PJ). Navy football is in good hands.
I thought Air Force played well and they look to have a nice future – they could be a problem for us the next few years dont ya think?
I mean they even let their QB toss the ball.
“Toss the ball” – which by the way we better learn to do more and well- before that Ohio State game.
Whats opening line for that game- about 28- I would think.
Well said – next time you visit the asylum, you should post that. PJ is legendary in these parts, but he was not perfect. We lose PJ, as well as several experienced assistants, are forced to a revolving door at QB, play the toughest schedule yet, beat Rutgers, Wake and AF in successive weeks, and have to read about the shortcomings of KN and IJ in particular.
We have read and will probably continue to read similar comments about the legendary “healthy” Kaipo. Poor Ricky.
Yes, Yellow Jacket Nation learned that Paul Johnson is actually human last night.
This was the one bowl game I really wanted to see besides Navy/Wake. I was really disappointed it degenerated into such a blow out. I thought Les Miles calls for the onside kick/fake punt were in character for him but the punt so late in the game was really crass. I’m curious on your thoughts – was it an issue of preparation or crappy execution? The turnovers and horrid special teams play certainly didnt help.
Gary:
In re: “tossing the ball”, I think we better make we pass it well, before we pass it more. In other words, more effectively. Just my $.02
And he gave us our “FREEEEEEEDDDDOOOMMMM”. :)
i’m actually excited about next year. obviously there are many holes that need to be filled. and there’s a very tough game in the opener. but i’m looking forward to the season. i think the oline(which i’ve been critical of all season) should be improved…cross your fingers, i think there needs to be depth at the qb position, and people need to stay healthy. they also better block better on the perimeter and tackle better on defense. but, again, i’m looking mforward to next season.
I agree that people should stop comparing Mot to PJ. But I can guarantee that PJ would have benched Jarod Bryant and played Dobbs against ND! lol.
Phat:
I totally agree with you. I had the same thought. It is amazing what people remember and think they remember.
I finally got fed up with gomids. I couldn’t take the innane comments over there anymore.
Gary-I think you should take my place at gomids. They will love you over there.
Insider– Welcome to the dark side.
Dark side? It is so much brighter over here (in more ways than one).
LSU killed Ga Tech at the line of scrimmage. It looked to me like a physical mismatch and a major gap in talent between the two teams.
Goalielax was at the game. That’s almost exactly what I texted to him.
There were times this season as I watched our games on TV (I think Navy and ND were the only schools that had ALL of their games televised live.) when I thought, “We need to open up this game with a few passes just to screw up all of the other teams defensive preparation.” There were times when I thought, “PJ would have gone for that on 4th down!” (and of course made it). There were times when I thought, “Where are the 20+ yard gainers. This 4 yard fullback run time after time is a bit boring. There were times when I thought, “We need to try more trick plays.” Next season, I’ll think about LSU vs GaTech and push those thoughts out of my mind. I’ll remember how nice it was in 08 to score on our first possession – didn’t we do that 12 of 13 games – and give the opponent something to think about. I’ll remember how hard it is for a team to “come back “when the trick plays fails. I’ll remember that when their defense success in stopping such a play, their offense is UP and our defense is DOWN.
Mike – your comments were right on target. I’ll celebrate when PJ wins a national championship but it is time to fully appreciate what we have without him. Coach N is EXCELLENT and I hope we keep him for a long time. I’m also encouraged by the interest shown in our asst coaches – and by their reluctence to leave. BEAT OHIO STATE!
Dear Insider-
Ummm I dont know about that as I am truely loved and appreciated here and to make a new home would be kind of tough.
Besides nobody here would want me to leave as I bring so many “interesting and unique” perspectives to the site.
Gary:
LOL. At least you didn’t whine and cry about me being mean to you and took it in the spirit it was given.
I try to maintain some dignity in this sometimes “salty” atmosphere.
Its IS the best place to come and discuss NAVY athletics-bar-none.