AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2005 > September > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USConsidering circumstances, it’ll do
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
It didn’t go according to script. It couldn’t have. When your starting quarterback spends the night in the hospital, you wad up the script and just try to ad-lib a win. You don’t attempt to be Sir John Gielgud; as long as you wind up ahead, you’ll settle for being Jim Belushi.
And that’s what Georgia Tech did. There will be no Oscars awarded for beating Connecticut, but beating UConn gives the Jackets a chance to trip the light fantastic seven days hence in Blacksburg, Va. They’ve done what they needed to do: They’ve positioned themselves to have a truly big season at a truly important time for this program and this coach.
This being Tech, the third installment of getting to 3-0 included anxiety unforeseen. Reggie Ball got sick Saturday morning - “took ill,” according to the not-terribly-informative press release - and was taken to Emory. His absence afforded Jacket fans the moment a few of them had been awaiting. They got to see the much-discussed Taylor Bennett actually play quarterback, and what they saw was proof that a healthy Ball has no fear of being unseated.
“He didn’t make any major blunders,” said Chan Gailey by way of semi-endorsement. “If you’re playing your first game and you didn’t go mess it up, you’re playing good.”
Yes, Bennett completed a touchdown pass on Tech’s first snap, Calvin Johnson turning a buttonhook into a 42-yard ramble. That was the good news. The bad: Bennett was 4-for-16 the rest of the half, and Gailey didn’t do him any favors by ordering 17 first-half passes. With P.J. Daniels and Tashard Choice as backfield options, the Jackets could have opted simply to run the ball and play defense. At least they got the second part right.
Down 13-7 after a too-tall punt snap, Tech took a lasting lead when Kenny Scott broke on a weak Matt Bonislawski pass and returned the interception for a touchdown. Tech made it 21-13 barely a minute later, the Huskies fumbling away a kickoff and the Jackets rolling 41 yards, 32 of them on the ground.
Not much happened thereafter. Tech’s next six possessions netted only two first downs, and by then UConn had decided to load up against the run and make Bennett actually complete a pass. Which he did. He completed three of them on a vital third-quarter drive that gave his team a 15-point lead, and that was really all Tech needed this nervous night. Give the understudy credit, if not a full-blown rave: Bennett did enough to get the Jackets to 3-0.
And now, provided Ball recuperates, things get serious for Tech in a way they haven’t under Gailey. Already the owners of one major road upset, the Jackets could well slip into the Top 10 by beating Virginia Tech. They won’t be favored - indeed, they’ll be a bigger underdog than they were at Auburn - but Tech has become a fairly hardy traveler. It seems to play better away from Atlanta. (Maybe it’s the absence of empty seats that stirs the juices.)
Tech has beaten four ranked opponents under Gailey, but none were as imposing as Virginia Tech seems. Then again, the Jackets haven’t looked this good since the latter part of the 2000 season. They have playmakers on offense and a defense so resolute that UConn couldn’t manage a first down after halftime. If Ball is healthy and playing under control, they have a chance against anybody anywhere.
Only once have the Gailey-coached Jackets strung four wins together. (That came in 2003, whereupon they lost to - ugh! - Duke.) If this team gets to 4-0, it will have done more than just complete an impressive September. It will have become the scourge of the South.
Permalink | Comments (43) | Categories: Mark Bradley, Tech / ACC
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By Jeremy
September 17, 2005 11:46 PM | Link to this
The rumor mill in the stands at the game says it’s spinal menengitis(sp?). Hope not. Wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemies.
By RED FOREMAN
September 18, 2005 12:14 AM | Link to this
I HEARD IT WAS A RAGING CASE OF HERPIES…
“TO HELL WITH GEORGIA”
By George
September 18, 2005 12:17 AM | Link to this
Ouch - that empty seat comment is gonna make a mark.
By Jason
September 18, 2005 01:04 AM | Link to this
I sat next to GT SID Allison George tonight, and she 100% confirmed it was NOT menengitis. She would not go into any more details other then to say it was not menengitis, but could have been migrane issues.
By Bingo
September 18, 2005 03:35 AM | Link to this
Attendance actually is up from previous years, but genious Braine and O’leary decided to build that monsterous north endzone to add more seats when we barely could sell out 48k. Should have never added the upper deck to that endzone and just kept capacity constant.
By doc
September 18, 2005 07:35 AM | Link to this
guys dont worry about attendance,that is an easy target for sportswriters in this city whether it be braves, hawks, thrashers, falcons, golf, gt bball, etc. maybe they should be more concerned with their own readership numbers and quality rather than insulting the fans that go or cant go because of other obligations, like children playing soocer, living lives or being a discriminating consumer. i listened to the game the old fasioned way by radio enjoying van note on the radio and was pretty impressed by the noise i heard in the background.it seemed people were into it pretty good.
they even had over 30.000 walkouts at the ga game by halftime because of the heat. the dogs didnt cover their bets so they must not have had enough interest or confidence in their team to bet their team to cover whereas, tech at least covered with the first string qb in the hospital. i wonder if the big M will grace this site this week with redcoat pride or whether he will be gracious in “defeat” this week against lowly, now what was the name of that team …. nw. ne, se or upside down, long lost u of la …oh well never heard of them.
for tech to get 40k into that parking hell is pretty good against a team like u of conn. it’s a cheap comment and really irrelevant to the story line, mark usually sticks to the real storyline and writes well enough that he doesn thave to go for easy filler.
now i just hope ball is okay, the hipaa privacy codes have really afffected the way teams can report injuries and illnesses, it is probably for the better but it does allow a lot of conjecture and rumors that turn out to be way off base.
By scott
September 18, 2005 11:30 AM | Link to this
bradley is realy good at the look down his nose so called compliments. He just can’t hide the love for the dogs. he just has to take the jab at Tech he can’t resist.
By Adam
September 18, 2005 11:51 AM | Link to this
Mark I couldn’t agree with you more. Tech fans need to get off their butts and support this team in person. It’s six Saturday’s a year. The schedule comes out well in advance. There should be NO other obligations. Plenty of people I know have kids and they make arrangements to still make the games. An excuse is what you make it.
On the bright side I even admit that 48K plus for UCONN is a step in the right direction. If we can pull off the upset in Blacksburg the NC State game will be completely packed!
By Jason
September 18, 2005 12:37 PM | Link to this
Adam I think Tech fans are doing their part. It’s the city of Atlanta that needs to get off its butt and support its only D1 college team. With only 37,000 alumin in metro Atlanta per the AJC you’d think these morons could do the math and stop blaming the Tech fans. This is a tired argument.
By Ogre
September 18, 2005 01:31 PM | Link to this
Jason, you’re the one who needs to step up and do the math. 37000 alumni (not “alumin”, you moron)in the Atlanta metro area should mean 37000 spouses/significant others and several thousand children which should be plenty to fill the Joke by Coke. Wait, I forgot we’re talking about Tech alumni. My bad; hard to find girls interested in the subtle nuances of Star Trek. NERDS!
By Ogre2
September 18, 2005 01:49 PM | Link to this
Ogre, you’re the moron, it’s “… moron) in…”, not “… moron)in…”
By Jeff
September 18, 2005 01:50 PM | Link to this
Another genius comment by a UGA fan. Thanks Ogre, we are all dumber now after reading that.
By Old Gold Jacket
September 18, 2005 02:05 PM | Link to this
For the real Tech supporters, whether behind Gailey or not, the only credibility you have for your post season argument is to have provided our team every support you could during the season. I am an alumni way out in California, but, I’ll pay scalper prices in Balcksburg to help get us over the hump. Then, we’ll know that we, as REAL Yellow Jackets, did all we could to help win before we look for the further answers to for us to advance. Personally, I hope Coach Gailey and the team dominates in every game to eradicate any remaining concerns I may have regarding his tenure. Now, especially with Ball down for a time, we need to get behind each of the players to let them know the quality of Institution they are representing.
By feng_shui_ed
September 18, 2005 02:50 PM | Link to this
Hey Old Gold, Well put! California boy, as well. I’m considering a trip to Blacksburg; any idea on how to secure some tickets?
By DJ
September 18, 2005 03:51 PM | Link to this
you people are so caught up in catching each others punctuation and grammar errors its ridiculous. Ever heard of a typo? Just support your team and thank God you’re not in New Orleans.
By Ralph
September 18, 2005 04:05 PM | Link to this
From where Bradley sits, he can’t see where the stands were full last night. The only areas not full were the North upper level which is for visitors and the stadium sea+ts which are unfortunately in view of the television cameras.
I live in Northern Virginia and travel to all Tech home games and most road games. So I will be in Blacksburg Saturday just as I was in Auburn earlier this month.
As for parking, I was not impressed by Muttland or the Cow College at all. Where I park for Tech games requires a 20-minute walk. I think I can handle it. It seemed I was parked halfway to Opelika when I was down on the Plains earlier this month.
Tech alums and fans do support the team. It’s the Greater Metro area which has not and I think that has a lot to do with the media bias in the city for the Muttlanders. They can’t comprehend the the idea of a national alumni base vice a regional one. I have found Tech travels well.
By the way, it’s not the quantity of the fans, but the quality of the fans that count. By that measure, Tech has Muttland beat by a country mile.
By Brenda
September 18, 2005 06:02 PM | Link to this
If you removed all of the tobacco spitting, cut-off jeans/tank top wearing, redneck drunks from the UGA stands, they wouldn’t have as many fans left as Tech does. I would prefer class over crass.
By Wanker
September 18, 2005 07:55 PM | Link to this
I think every team in the South fills up their stadium except Tech. Even VANDY!!??!! Good luck next week…wankers….have a sell out once this year besides the UGA game.
By wes
September 18, 2005 08:18 PM | Link to this
Saturday is going to suck without Reggie. Maybe Bilbo can make one last curtain call?
By John
September 18, 2005 09:13 PM | Link to this
You know Mark, it would not do you any harm to give Tech a plug yourself. You could have easily gone to Gainesville to see UF/UT. Instead you stayed home and went to Tech/UConn.
You might write that this is a pretty good team to watch and worth the trip downtown to see. There are lots of football fans in the Metro Area and getting tickets to UGA games is next to impossible with all of their pickup truck fans converging on Athens each week. We have plenty of seats to fill, but the downright hostility given to Tech by the local media makes it look like Ga Tech is on the doorstep to hell.
Why not write a column on Tech football being a positive experience? Describe the beautiful nighttime scenery with all the high rises glittering? Describe our new, renovated stadium with good sightlines?
We do have a small fanbase and we acknowledge that. Our own marketing department is pretty inept at selling tickets. I think the AJC and writers like yourself could help out quite a lot by portraying Tech football in a positive light instead of taking cheap shots at us every time you get a chance.
John
By mtraininjax
September 18, 2005 09:59 PM | Link to this
Poor Bradley, couldn’t get a ticket to the UF/UT game so he had to beg for one at our game. Just our luck!
Speaking of luck, who was lucky enough to sit at the top of the north end zone? What a view of downtown, especially in the 4th quarter when neither Uconn or Tech cared much for the game by then.
I sure hope Ball gets better, but c’mon we all know this is nothing more than Mono, they call it something nastier now, but Reggie has been milking his success, and rightly so. I hope he feels better, but let’s call this what it is. Symptoms reported call it what it is, a kissing disease.
I remember a trip in 1990 when Tech travelled to UVA to take on then #1 UVA. I remember my 4 frat bros getting in on the generousity of fellow Tech grads. Believe me, if you want to go, you will find a way to get in. It should be a good game, but to win, we need Ball.
By doc
September 19, 2005 12:19 AM | Link to this
mtrain you must have gone to public school in jax, viral meningitis is not mono, but you better hope it aint mono because his season is done if it is. mono makes the spleen large and it puts people at risk for rupture to getting hit which is life threatening in football so no doc worth his salt would sign out someone to play under those conditions. hopefully, for all it is a mild case of the illness and clears quickly.
by the way i think they play va tech not uva next in blacksburg not charlottesville before you make your reservations.
By Jackets fan
September 19, 2005 12:49 PM | Link to this
Kudos to Taylor Bennett for doing well for his first start. Even Reggie who’d had all camp as the starter didn’t win his first game against BYU. Taylor had less than 24 hours to prepare and most of that was sleeping time. He wasn’t spectacular, but I prefer incompletions to interceptions (some of those were drops by CJ, left handed spin must’ve fooled him?). He converted some 3rd downs that were huge. He only fumbled one ball, and fell on it immediately. Most young players would have tried to pick it up and throw it. That leads to worse things. He didn’t hold onto the ball too long as he wasn’t sacked. I feel much better now, knowing we have someone who won’t throw the game away if Ball has to come out anymore.
Hopefully Ball plays against VaTech. If he’s not bedridden, I think Gailey will have a hard time keeping him off the field. But I’m concerned that Eric Henderson won’t play. He sat out against UCONN and I saw him hobbling up and down the sideline. He didn’t look like he could run. Maybe he’ll heal up this week. They’ll need him to help contain Marcus Vick. That may be even more important than who plays QB for GT.
By Bert Lawson
September 19, 2005 12:58 PM | Link to this
Just wanted to say Happy Birthday from a former UK grad.
By Konark
September 19, 2005 01:13 PM | Link to this
There’s a reason his nickname is “Bark Madly”, cause thats about all I ever get from his columns. Might explain why the “Pay site” for the AJC fared so well.
The AJC is the worst example of a hometown newspaper I’ve ever seen, and for everything its writers say about Atlanta and GT fans… they’re a good representation of the same.
By Mark Bradley
September 19, 2005 01:24 PM | Link to this
Why, thanks, Mr. Lawson.
By Jess
September 19, 2005 01:59 PM | Link to this
Brenda: It is very obvious that you have never attended a game at the Sanford Stadium. We Dawgs can take a joke or critism, but at least be somewhat realistic. Men don’t chew, women don’t wear cut-off jeans or tank tops( some Florida girls do in Jacksonville). People at UGA games are very well dressed and no more intoxicated than other places.
By calhounyellowjacket
September 19, 2005 03:55 PM | Link to this
Thank you to who ever called and offered tickets to me for the game Saturday. But had to work till 6:00. I am getting off in tine for the two Thurs. night games for anyone who has extra tickets or can’t go please call 706-629-4908 and me and the wife will go be loud and proud for ya!
By GT
September 19, 2005 05:08 PM | Link to this
There are some great new restaurants mixed in with the new convention center at Tech. Take in the game, an easy stroll through the college campus on a full moon night. I parked my bride and myself in front of a outdoor table in view of the television, where Florida and Tenn. were playing. Had a little wine and a nice dinner. Watched Fulmer toss his clipboard in discuss, on the way to a loss. Got to our car, very little traffic. Was home in 20 minutes. Atlanta looked beautiful, my wife looked beautiful and Tech won, now where is the problem?
By Donald King
September 19, 2005 05:14 PM | Link to this
We’re 3-0. That’s all that really matters… More wins will mean more fans in the stands…So long as the team plays hard every week…that’s all that matters…writers can write…critics can opine…won’t affect the results….which are determined on the field …. and only on the field… GO JACKETS!!!!!
By Brenda
September 19, 2005 08:56 PM | Link to this
Jess: I have attended way too many games at Sanford Stadium and I have observed your typical fan. Yes, there are those who are well-dressed and well-mannered, but there are a boatload of obnoxious drunks as I said before. The only place I have seen more crude behavior is Tennessee.
By Kevin
September 19, 2005 10:53 PM | Link to this
Brenda, wasn’t it your drunk fans that attacked the Maryland band several years ago??
By Drunk Dog
September 20, 2005 10:35 AM | Link to this
Kevin, weren’t they also the ones who tore up the Hedges in ‘98(?) as well? I guess in Brenda’s world sober, quiet fans make for a real homefield advantage. The sobriety of LSU fans is precisely why their night games are so intimidating; give me a break. With sobriety police like Brenda it’s no wonder nobody goes to Tech games.
By Brenda
September 20, 2005 03:44 PM | Link to this
Kevin/Drunk Dog: I never said Tech did not have any drunk fans, and as you so eloquently stated, it was the “drunk” fans that did those stupid things. But your comments prove my point and you are a typical UGA fan. You think sobriety is a bad thing. You think you can’t cheer on a team if you are sober. How pathetic!
By Kevin
September 20, 2005 08:12 PM | Link to this
Sounds like somebody’s still a little ill about four UGA wins over the bugs.
By Kevin
September 20, 2005 08:15 PM | Link to this
What I meant was it sounds like somebody’s still a little ill about four UGA wins IN A ROW over the bugs. Eleven out of the last fourteen if you’re counting. Go Dawgs!
By Mike
September 20, 2005 09:26 PM | Link to this
Georgia hasn’t beaten or played a team this year that has won even a single game. Their ranking is a joke. They always schedule a bunch of patsies early in the year. It gives their fat white alumni something to suck on for a few months. Then reality sets in. The last national champion from this state had a Yellow Jacket on it’s helmet. So will the next one.
By Drunk Dog
September 21, 2005 01:48 AM | Link to this
Brenda, I never said sober fans couldn’t cheer on their team. What I was saying is that young fired-up, somewhat intoxicated fans DO raise more hell and make more noise than the oldies in the stands and the corporate types in the boxes (can’t hear them even if they made noise, which they don’t). Make Grant Field a more fun venue to watch the game and both alum, and maybe even non-alum fans, will show up. Also wouldn’t hurt if the Techies were less hostile to UGA’s large, but non-majority contingent of non-alum fans. Makes y’all look like snobs detached from the reality of the state in which you live. No wonder you have no sidewalk fans like us.I know plenty of people w/o college degrees who make very good money and in turn support the University greatly through donations despite having no allegiance to UGA outside of football. See, you have to give money to buy the RIGHT to buy tix to Sanford, unlike your 3-tix packs with coke/hot dog coupons.
BTW, great way to open the season,Tech
By Drunk Dog
September 21, 2005 02:13 AM | Link to this
To further my point, I remember seeing plenty of pick-up trucks with GT stickers growing up in South Georgia all through the 80’s through the early 90’s. Now I see none. Your Athl. Assoc. has done nothing to make these people feel welcome in one of the nation’s most attractive stadium environments (the view of the Midtown/Downtown skyline is unreal). Get back, GT. We need two great football atmospheres in this state.
By Kevin
September 21, 2005 10:10 AM | Link to this
We already have two great football atmospheres in this state—UGA and Georgia Southern!
By wes
September 21, 2005 10:29 AM | Link to this
Yeah, Southern. Nice L to Wofford last Saturday. One thing about obnoxious fans. I wish Tech had more. Tech has few, but at least they’ve never torn up their own stadium like the mutts did after they finally beat UT.
By Mike
September 21, 2005 05:46 PM | Link to this
Drunk Dog,
It’s a 4 tix pack, with Cokes/Hot Dogs and caps. You just can’t beat it.
By Brenda
September 21, 2005 10:39 PM | Link to this
Drunk Dog: I’m one of the “corporate types” you so negatively describe and I CHOOSE to sit in the stands rather than in the boxes. I do scream and yell for my team, even though I am not intoxicated. I am glad to see the “oldies” attending the games and hope that I can still go when I am their age even if I can’t yell. I agree that we could use more fired-up fans….they don’t have to be young or slightly intoxicated. I agree that our Athletic Association could do a much better job of promoting our football program. I agree that we have the most beautiful setting for our football stadium, and I think the AJC could do a much better job of recognizing the home-town team.