“I don’t want to say the wrong thing, but…”
That’s how UF safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson started off his postgame press conference following a 41-14 drubbing of Florida State. Those were his first public words after trying to plant a flag square in the middle of the Seminole logo at midfield of Doak Campbell Stadium. Those are the words we all use when we’re about to spill some tea.
Gardner-Johnson had spent the previous four hours trolling FSU in different ways. On one play, he pointed toward the opposing sideline and motioned at the Seminole formation. He was trying to tell FSU coach Willie Taggart his team was missing a player.
“I’m like, ‘How y’all think y’all can come beat us, but y’all not prepared?’” he said.
It was a masterclass in gamesmanship. It was Michael Jordan telling Dikembe Mutombo, “This one’s for you,” before sinking a free throw with his eyes closed. It was Cam Newton shouting out to Clay Matthews, “You’ve been watching film too, huh? That’s cool, watch this,” then throwing a touchdown pass in front of him.
Gardner-Johnson’s antics carried on as he reached midfield after the game, giant flag in hand with the intention of claiming that spit of land in the name of UF. If not for several factors, he would’ve gotten away with it.
For one, Taggart had his fist wrapped around the flagpole, impeding Gardner-Johnson’s quest as the safety smiled back at him. There was the swarm of FSU coaches and players surrounding the logo.
And then there’s UF coach Dan Mullen. He’s usually a fun guy. He has given a press conference with a victory cigar after wrapping up a 5-7 season at Mississippi State.
Not Saturday. He left his on-field interview with ESPN to insist Gardner-Johnson and his teammates go celebrate with UF fans and “show some class.”
Mullen was entirely wrong. Gardner-Johnson should’ve slammed that flag into the ground with all the pent-up rage five years of losing to your rival will allow. Mullen is a fun coach with a fun offense to watch, but his priorities were out of whack on this call.
I get that there’s a “culture change” going on within UF’s locker room. I get that Gardner-Johnson’s actions probably aren’t the image a head coach wants to be connected with, especially when it’s all happening in the background of your interview.
He should’ve let it happen anyway. This game is all about that, and so am I. Patrick Henry once said, “Give me Baker Mayfield trying to plant an Oklahoma flag in Ohio State’s turf field, or give me death.” Or something like that.
Of course FSU coaches and players would feel differently.
“That’s disrespectful,” Taggart said afterward. “Especially right while we were standing right there.”
Excuse me? That’s exactly why Gardner-Johnson should’ve done it. Everything about this rivalry is disrespectful. Besides, think of the children!
“It kind of hurt me,” Gardner-Johnson said, “because I really couldn’t plant it at midfield. Every year, every time they beat us at our home field, they’ve always got the gator head.”
Fair is fair.
Morgan McMullen is the sports editor at The Alligator. Follow him on Twitter @MorganMcMuffin and contact him at mmcmullen@alligator.org
Florida State coach Willie Taggart stops Florida safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson from planting a UF flag at midfield following the Gators’ 41-14 win over the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday.
