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DEL.ICIO.USTuesday Countdown: ‘Frisco or bust
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
OK. So I’m a college football player at Georgia Tech. I think I’m going the Peach Bowl, a bus ride from my dorm. That falls through. Then I think I’m going to the Music City Bowl in Nashville. That falls through. Then I find out that my team has been “stuck” in San Francisco.
OK, tell me again why I’m supposed to be upset. I understand from Tech’s perspective why officials don’t like the perception of being sent to a lower-tier game like the Emerald Bowl, which, being completely honest, I didn’t even know existed. But as a kid on the team, I’m doing backflips over the fact I’m going to arguably the greatest city in the country for a week.
So I’m biased. I lived in the Bay Area. But can anybody out there tell me why you would rather go to Nashville or stay in Atlanta then go to San Francisco for a week? Remember, you’re not a recruiter or athletic director or school president. You’re a player. Blog away.
And about these, “It’s just not fair,” whines. Peeps — this is not a playoff system. Once you get past the BCS, it’s not really a system at all. Bowls are like mini chambers of commerce. Their job is to sell tickets, put butts in seats and promote their event. I’m sorry if you feel the Jackets are more deserving than Virginia to go some place. But deserving is not part of the equation.
Question: When the NHL announced that it has shattered all attendance records, did they take into account unprecedented numbers of freebie tickets, 2-for-1 nights, 3,000 tickets being “distributed” into a dumpster and the fact that “14,587” looks a lot like “6,212”? Because I missed that in the press release.
Saw where Sadaam Hussein’s attorneys staged a walkout. Just wondering: When you decide to be a defense attorney, do you surrender your conscience when you first go to law school, or do they allow you to keep it until graduation?
Somebody said to me that Rafael Furcal made a mistake taking the money from the Dodgers. Yeah. When somebody slides a three-year, $39 million contract across the table and you respond, “No. I just can’t take this,” then get back to me.
In an interview with the Associated Press, retiring model Tyra Banks said she just “wanted to be the girl next door.” You know, a lot of things have rushed through my mind thumbing through a Victoria’s Secret catalogue. Girl next door wasn’t one of them.
What were the odds a few months ago that the Falcons, Thrashers and Hawks might all miss the playoffs?
Just wondering what was going through Arthur Blank’s mind when he picked up the sports section Tuesday and saw his team’s logo going down in flames. I’m pretty sure if I were a sports owner, I’d hate the media too.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Quick Hit
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By ebineezer
December 6, 2005 04:00 PM | Link to this
You are right about the players, road trip baby! The BCS tries to get one game and to hell with the rest. The Braves offered Furcal 32 million for 4 years and LA offers him 39 million for 3 years and John Boy wants to complain about not being able to negociate? To play the game you at least have to be in the ballpark. As far as making the playoffs, given the teams history, the odds were pretty good they wouldn’t make it. Given the hype, it would seem impossible for them not to. Its to early to give up on the Falcons and Thrashers though. Who pays money to see the Hawks?
By Bryan G.
December 6, 2005 04:21 PM | Link to this
Jeff, as a 3rd year law student who wants to be a criminal defense attorney, let me just say that the answer to #6 is easy. I never actually had a conscience when I got to law school. Make sense?
By Ala. Jim
December 6, 2005 04:23 PM | Link to this
I’m with you Jeff. I have to pay a lot of money to go to SF and eat at all those great restaurants.
By Bob in SF
December 6, 2005 06:55 PM | Link to this
I’m with you you Schultzie! Sometimes I miss the A-T-L, but then again I can always go down to Anaheim or over to Sacramento for the weekend and see miles of strip malls, cookie cutter developments and unending traffic on a sea of blacktop and I don’t miss what Atlanta has become so much… As for seeing Tech in the Emerald Bowl, my alumni self and my girl were going to go to the game until I saw how many ducats they were charging for a seat; $40 a pop for nose bleeders and $140+ for decent seats! No wonder the Emerald Bowl is full of fans disguised as empty seats every year. After factoring in parking and the outrageous concession prices at Pac Bell, it would almost be as cheap for us to fly back to Atlanta and catch a meaningful ACC tilt at the Flats next year instead…
By Matthew
December 7, 2005 12:12 AM | Link to this
HAHAHAHA!
They play the game in a baseball stadium?
Whoa.
A half-empty baseball stadium (20,000) or a bursting-at-the-seems Georgia Dome (73,000 +)?
Man, we definately did much better for ourselves.
Here’s the thing Bugs, if all of the “rich” alumni whom you always, ALWAYS rant about in your anti-Dawg blogs (you know, the ones who are supposed to be our bosses, yeah, those guys) actually went out and travelled with your team to a Bowl Game (even one in say, Charlotte? Right up the road a bit) you might have had no problem in getting the Nashville game.
But no, all of your “rich” alumni must be spending all of their money on Mercedes and the new Ipods which come out every week or something, because they sure as hell ain’t supporting your team.
So stop whining. Your fanbase travels even worse than the BC fanbase (talk about a school that got screwed)!
By Dbow
December 7, 2005 07:43 AM | Link to this
Will wonders never cease?!! I agree with you on all of these issues, and believe me, that is a first!!
By mw
December 7, 2005 08:57 AM | Link to this
Yeah, Matthew, we really suck at traveling. We set records for the respective venues at the 1990 Citrus Bowl, 1998 Gator Bowl and 2000 Peach Bowl. Want to talk a lower-teir game? How about the Champs Sports Bowl, where we brought the same attendance as Clemson and NC State. Guess they suck at travelling too.
By Nick
December 7, 2005 09:14 AM | Link to this
Jeff
You are 100% right on the bowl game. You often hear that a bowl game is a “reward” for the players hard work. San Francisco for a week is ideal compared to Nashville. Yeah the boosters that have to pay their own way complain, but as a player they have got to be excited. If indeed the bowl games are for the players, I still can’t understand why the Hawaii bowl is not a destination of choice, over Atlanta, Charlotte, Shreveport, Boise, Memphis just to name a few!
By gdawginkalamazoo
December 7, 2005 10:06 AM | Link to this
Just think you could have easily been back in Boise this year? Ever think about that. You really should thank Boston College. If you want a better bowl win more games and don’t lay down for NC State and Virginia next year. I have traveled to all of the cities on your potential bowl list and you ended up in one of the best (Atlanta being the best). Good luck Bees!
By Alex
December 7, 2005 11:07 AM | Link to this
Just like Buck on 680thefan said the other day…good riddance Furcal. Don’t let the door hit you on the a$$ on the way out. So much for loyalty and him wanting to stay here if the offers were close. The days of the home town discount are OVER. Sad reality of MLB economics. I don’t blame the guy for leaving, but as a Braves fan, I’ve had to watch numerous free agents leave this team the last 4 years. Something has to be done. The Braves need new ownership. Maybe Arthur Blank should have considered going into baseball:)
PS…The Mets are loading up their roster with all star caliber players and the Braves have nothing to show for it. It’s not looking good on paper.
By TDAWG
December 7, 2005 12:13 PM | Link to this
Thanks Bob in SF I needed a laugh today. You actualy used these words in a sentence together! Tech, meaningful, on the flats, ACC tilt!!
Wow eating all that tofu in SF has fried your brain.