Sports Columnists

By JustMe

March 9, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this

That was a disappointing game. I can only hope that the Tech players learn the lesson quickly in time for round one of the NCAA!!!!

I really hope that the NCAA selection committee doesn’t screw the ACC again this year. We should have 9 teams in, if they simply look at everything fairly without playing favorites. For example, how could they let in Perdue or Drexel ahead of Clemson or FSU?

The committee has screwed over the ACC for the past couple of years - they better select fairly this year!

By John

March 9, 2007 12:05 PM | Link to this

GT is definitely not in the NCAA’s now. I said a month ago, the ACC would be lucky to get 5 or 6 teams in this year. The committee has been overly harsh on the ACC the last 2 or 3 years and I don’t see that changing. Even if 6 get in, Duke would go before GT. Add to that the possibility that one of the lower 4 seeds that won yesterday could make a run to the ACC final and get in, and our hopes are all but gone. I, along with everyone else, could care less about the NIT and I hope GT respectfully declines when the offer comes. I wrote Coach Hewitt numerous times telling him to spend 2 hours in practice and just have the players shoot free throws, and apparently he never listened. Millions of high school bball players out there and we can’t find 10 that can shoot a free throw? I knew it would alwasy play a role in a big loss and none were bigger then yesterday’s.

By John

March 9, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this

GT is definitely not in the NCAA’s now. I said a month ago, the ACC would be lucky to get 5 or 6 teams in this year. The committee has been overly harsh on the ACC the last 2 or 3 years and I don’t see that changing. Even if 6 get in, Duke would go before GT. Add to that the possibility that one of the lower 4 seeds that won yesterday could make a run to the ACC final and get in, and our hopes are all but gone. I, along with everyone else, could care less about the NIT and I hope GT respectfully declines when the offer comes. I wrote Coach Hewitt numerous times telling him to spend 2 hours in practice and just have the players shoot free throws, and apparently he never listened. Millions of high school bball players out there and we can’t find 10 that can shoot a free throw? I knew it would alwasy play a role in a big loss and none were bigger then yesterday’s.

By John

March 9, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this

Round 1 of the NCCA’s? No way going to happen. We aren’t getting invited!!

By ben

March 9, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this

I hope the Chan bashers (and I am one of them) will bash Hewitt more for his Wake Forest loss. You’ve got a guy killing you in overtime. Put Mario on him and leave him there. Stop trying to show the world how ** smart you are with your substitutions and shut the guy down.

By The Truth Hurts

March 9, 2007 12:37 PM | Link to this

GT demonstrated an awesome inability to play defense last night. Wake finished 16 for 23 behind the arc, and most of them were open looks. Unbelievably bad defensive effort. To give up 81 points in 30 minutes to Wake? If we could invent a pill for the team’s bipolar disorder, they could make a deep run in the NCAAs. They’re manic on offense, then depressive on defense. What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result?

By jim

March 9, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

Tech as of now is the #7 team from the ACC. I think the absolute most that make the dance will be 7 from the ACC, and it should only be 6. Tech has a losing record in the conference. If FSU wins today or someone from the bottom seeds win the ACC tourney then Tech is in trouble.

By deacon=mr. peanut

March 9, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this

It was just one of those nights. Wake shot 70% from 3 (16-23). It was amazing tech got it to 2 ots in the first place. John, I don’t really think the committee is going to take us out because of this one game. Although I agree with the free throw part, I think this loss just moves us down a couple of seeds from like an 8 to a 10 or 11. We have beaten 8 top 50 teams which is second most in the nation. Also we went 8-8 in a conference where the top team only went 11-5. If you look at the other bubble teams, our resume is a lot stronger than any of theirs (we beat memphis, unc, duke, bc, fsu, clemson). Also, sweeping FSU, beating purdue and georgia really helps us because they are potential bubblers as well. Finally, we finished by winning 7 of 10, which the committee cares about. I mean, Doug Gottlieb said we were still in, so I trust him.

Ben, I agree completely. That Hale guy scored almost all their points in OT. It was so blatantly obvious that we needed to put our best defensive player on him. It was some bonehead coaching, that’s for sure.

By John

March 9, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this

Tell me about it. I was at the Boston Coll game Sunday and there were 500 substitutions! It was insane!

By JustMe

March 9, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

John,

Every predictor, from the USA Today folks to the guys at FOX Sports, are saying that GA Tech is a lock for the NCAAs based on our RPI, win/loss, and wins against top 50 teams. Why are you so down on us?

GA Tech even looks better than Duke!

And, as I was saying in my first post, if the selection committee was fair, the ACC would get 9 teams in. The last four of those 9 would be, in order IMHO: GA Tech, Duke, Clemson, FSU.

If you like, I can state the case for each of those four teams (especially comparing them to the other “at-large” bubble teams such as Drexel, Missouri State, ODU, and Perdue)….

By John

March 9, 2007 12:53 PM | Link to this

Only 6 will get in to the NCAA tourney from the ACC - not 7 !

By Gordon

March 9, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

With 20 wins, a non-losing conference record, a 7-3 finish including wins over NC and BC, and a good RPI, we ARE going to get invited. The only bad thing is that now we will probably be in an 8-9 game and have to play a 1 seed in the second round if we win the opening round. From where we were at the end of January, I’ll take that.

By jacket4ever

March 9, 2007 1:15 PM | Link to this

I am so proud of the jackets. They fought the good fight last night and came uo a little short. Surely since GT plays the rugged ACC schedule and went to the final 2 a few years back, we will be no lower than a 5 seed.

By O. Verit

March 9, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this

Jim, Tech does not have a losing record in the conference…they are 8-8. That, combined with 20 wins overall, should get them into the tournament. Also, keep in mind that the committee likes to see a team with players that can pull off the kind of last-second miracles like Crittendon and Morrow last night. Finally, the tournament is being hosted here so a local team will boost market ratings (don’t forget it’s all about $$$). They will be an 8 or 9 seed (deacon: there is no way a major conference team is lower than 9. 10 through 16 are reserved for small conference teams) and have to play the #1 seed in their bracket if they win their first game. I will say this: I wouldn’t wan to have to play Tech even if I’m a #1 team…they are not well coached, they make too many mistakes, but they just won’t let up and will cause anybody problems. It would be pretty cool to face the mighty Gayturds in the second round and win…dare to dream!

By deacon=mr. peanut

March 9, 2007 1:21 PM | Link to this

Justme is right. John, they don’t look at conference to conference. The committee just tries to get the best 34 at-large teams in the tourney. Our resume is profoundly better than any of the bubble teams (aside from duke, maybe). They can’t leave us out with the number of top 50 wins and big wins we have had. Every predictor agrees we are still in the Ncaas. Go to like ESPN.com and just compare all the resumes, most of the other bubble teams are like 2-4 against the top 50.

By Mark

March 9, 2007 1:26 PM | Link to this

john has been living under a log the last few weeks. Tech is in.

By mike

March 9, 2007 1:27 PM | Link to this

why does everyone think BC is such a good quality win. they are 19-10, lost 4 of last 5, they are average at best.

By yeller jacket

March 9, 2007 1:30 PM | Link to this

wierdest game I’ve seen. Doesn’t matter how well we play defense. If the other team shoots 69% from 3 pt land (after 30 attempts), it doesn’t matter if you defend the interior. They were destined to win. It reminded me of the tourney where Childress went crazy from beyond the arc. Wake could not miss last night. could not miss. disappointing season….

By John

March 9, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this

I am not down on us at all. I flew from Ohio to Atl Sunday to watch a game. I just know how the committe is and if you paid attention the last 3 years - they have been extremely tough on our conference. This, even though in those years, every else thought we’d get in more. This year you all think we’ll get in more but I am telling you the committe will select 6 maybe from the ACC and Duke would get the 6th spot before us. You think we’d ever get it before Duke?

By GT80

March 9, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this

John, you’re an idiot. You are probably one of those that were calling for Hewitt’s head earlier in the year.
That being said the ACC could certainly get screwed and Tech would be left out. But we should be in over Duke, FSU or Clemson. My guess is FSU & Clemson get left out. And none of the teams that won yesterday will pull upsets today (NC State has the best chance). They just blew their wads yesterday.

I’ve said this before and I’ll repeat it now…there are a handful of really good teams in CBB this year, and a lot of good teams. And the good teams can step up on any given day to knock off the really good teams. Did you see UCLA get beat yesterday? Does that mean that they should be left out of the NCAA tourney? Of course not. The problem is there are more good teams than places available in the NCAA field, and the comittee will need to screw over somebody. I don’t think it will be Tech.

By GT

March 9, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this

Wake ain’t chopped liver this time of year. They polished off Virginia the last game of the season and shot in the 60es against us. I dealt most of us including Jeff Schultz could shot 60 plus percent of our lay-ups not being guarded more less with Wake or Tech draped all over us. As usual we take out of content the solar system Tech operates in and pretend a lost to Wake is a lost to a “mid major”. And for us not making the dance you need to lay off that crack pipe. First of all we are not all of a sudden seventh in the ACC, Duke lost last night too. We have a new thing in college sports; the SEC saw it in football. It may be called parity, but not in conferences, in teams in the conference. Our ACC could take all 12 teams and play in the NCAA’s and with a little luck all 12 teams could win at least one round, most would do better. We have the highest competition in the country. That is why every team in the ACC has multiple losses and no one team has produced these losses it is spread around with Miami beating Maryland yesterday underlining the point.

By Schultz is a moron

March 9, 2007 1:47 PM | Link to this

Hey Schultz,

So what is your point with this article? You fail to recognize the fact that Wake would have beaten any team in the country last night. I’m sorry but I’m just not seeing why any Jackets fan should be hanging their heads right now. I hate to lose as much as anyone, but it is hard to win with the other team raining 3’s like they were. And the officating didn’t help, either. I’m surprised no one has mentioned that. Those officials need to re-read their training guides to learn what an offensive foul and/or moving screen actually is.

And to the other idiots on this board speculating that Tech is out of the NCAA tournament, go back to your sorry SEC blogs. Tech is in, take that to the bank. ACC will have at least 7 but should have 9. Wake’s performance last night is simply a confirmation of what we already know- the ACC is the best conference in the land.

By deacon=mr. peanut

March 9, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

O. Verit, NC State was a 10 seed last year. That was mainly the basis for my reasoning because NC State had a similar season last year to our’s this year. Also, Texas AM was a 12 seed last year. So there is not some rule that 10-16 has to be a mid-major. Other than that, I agree with you.

By Old Dawg 55

March 9, 2007 1:59 PM | Link to this

It’s PURDUE folks…get it right…like saying Georgia Tuck!! And, yes, they come from a basketball conference, too! Having taught at Indiana, and being a Dawg fan, I am torn between who to dislike more, Tech or Purdue! No way nine from the ACC…but then again, it is a basketball conference..not a football one, ha!

By deacon=mr. peanut

March 9, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this

Yeah, a basketball conference with the most first round picks by one conference in the history of the NFL draft last year.

By in the round 1980

March 9, 2007 2:17 PM | Link to this

I agree with you GT. That was one heck of a ballgame and to create a record for score and perhaps time too, I don’t think the “committee” will hold it against GT, especially if any one of them watched it. If I was a coach in “the dance”, GT would be my last choice of whom to play first.

By Keepin It Real

March 9, 2007 2:42 PM | Link to this

Here’s Tech Biggest Problem…

C R I T T E N D O N- 50% of the Problem. The kid is not ready for prime time or to be a point guard. Too many times I see him leave players out on the perimter and does not go back for the ball; not to mention, he isn’t the smoothest of Passers and he often looks lost. I know he’s just a freshman, but technically he should be playing better,especially as a highly regard player in the ACC. This is half the reason there are sooooo many turnover.(turnovers with this team didn’t just start this year) ; however, when he’s on his game then he’s on. But he’s just too inconsistent and I partially blame it on Hewitt. Which is the remaining 50% of Tech’s Problem.

Also last night I noticed during several instances where there were fouls and turnovers by us the players there was no sense of leadership nor sense of responsibility. Guys would argue about who was in what position and what went wrong. This is a coaching problem.

Bottomline:

My gut tells me GT is in because of the “thriller ending”; however, I got this strange feeling that Tech might’ve just reminded the Committee why they SHOULDN’T be in.

By the way, can somebody tell how many confernence games have we won on the road since 2005??? Ouch!

It could be a very sad day evening in the ATL on Sunday!

By deacon=mr. peanut

March 9, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this

I just don’t understand why people think we wouldn’t be in. You guys should look at the rpi or turn it on espn. They teams that are really on the bubble are teams like Purdue and Illinois who have a combined total of 5 wins over top 50 competition. Tech has eight. Every expert still thinks we are in regardless. We’ll be one of the last 10-12 teams to get in, but not close to the last 1-3. Do you guys have any basis for not thinking we’re in other than your “gut”. I mean there is no argument that would leave us out of the tournament over other bubble teams. Who do you guys think will get in over us?

By fred

March 9, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this

No commitment to the sacrifices necessary in order to win. You win as a unit, you go home as individuals.When I heard the “sounds from the floor” early on followed by “playground” passes I was waiting for Sweet Georgia Brown to be played so the Jackets could become official “Globetrotters”.

We comlained about RB’s unconscious QB imitations—-same problem. A time out with reserved bench seats would have helped.

Where are today’s real men/coaches???

By John

March 9, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this

You don’t understand. I am a huge fan and I think we should be in. I have just studied the NCAA committe and their selection process the last few years. It has been anti-ACC as of late and I don’t see why that would change. We are the same conference we were the last few years. They are going for more small conference colleges. I don’t see them selecting 7 teams from our conference. Duke was ranked 21st in the last poll - we weren’t. Duke is Duke, we aren’t. Translated….Duke is 6th team in and we are #7 and left out.

By deacon=mr. peanut

March 9, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this

Take a look at this . We are a “should be in” and there are still 6 more teams that can get in.

By deacon=mr. peanut

March 9, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this

I know what you are saying, but I don’t think the committee is going to be like “we can only let in 6 acc teams.” The selection process just doesn’t work like that. The ACC has gotten screwed over the last couple of years, but every year is different. As I’ve already said, our rpi + wins against top 50 + wins over other bubble teams = tourney birth. Your reasoning about the ACC is why FSU and Clemson will not get in, not Tech. They aren’t going to be like, “We could let this ACC team in that has a solid Rpi and a lot of good wins, but their in the ACC and they already have 6 in, so let’s let drexel in instead.” The committee isn’t out for the major conferences. It just tries to be fair, and that means they have to let tech in.

By stings to lose

March 9, 2007 4:12 PM | Link to this

Hale of a loss!

By Hairy Dawg

March 9, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this

Wake would have beaten anyone last night. Sure. They would have beaten anyone that didn’t play any semblance of defense and allowed them to shoot nearly 70% (16-23) from beyond the arc. Very astute observation, moron.

By willfromwake

March 9, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this

WAKE OWNS TECH!!!!!!!!!!LONG LIVE THE DECONS…maybe you have a shot at tiddly winks///not in round or oblong ball!!!!!!!!!!!

By alciraldo

March 9, 2007 5:14 PM | Link to this

learn how to spell will…ON THE RIM…GOOD!!!!!!!!!

By ga_tech_92

March 9, 2007 6:24 PM | Link to this

I’m not going to comment on if we will get in or not, because I honestly don’t know. I’ve heard many good arguments that we will and many that we will not.

We lost this game, in my view, because we slipped back into the same bad habbit we had earlier in the year…that bad habbit is leaving the weak side 3 wide open, so we can ‘cheat’ down to cover the lane a little more. You cannot leave ACC people wide open for 3 over and over and expect to win.

By steve

March 9, 2007 6:30 PM | Link to this

This columnist is way off base!!! Tech really did play great last night, but Wake had a point guard and a center that were spectacular, and the team hit 16 of 23 3 pointers at one point. That is 69% from behind the arc!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wake would have been able to beat any #1 seed last night, and Tech matched them every step of the way.

The reason we lost is because Dickey fumbled a chippy under the basket in overtime that would have put Tech up, but instead Wake went down and hit a 3 pointer - a 5 point swing.

By gtne80

March 9, 2007 6:32 PM | Link to this

Every analyst that I’ve heard talk about Tech points to our abysmal road record. The selection committee is probably thinking the same thoughts.

Losing to Wake in the first round of the ACC tournament has got to leave a bad impression.

We may make the NCAA. I don’t think so, but miracles happen. My feeling is that whether we get in or not, we really don’t deserve to be in. How can you look forward to a national championship tournament when you can’t beat the team that’s next to last in your own conference?

Disappointing.

By dadgum

March 9, 2007 7:45 PM | Link to this

John…and whomever else…the loss last night (while a tough one at that)actually boosted our shot at a solid NCAA selection. That was a game for the history books. The highest scoring game in ACC history. Two teams decking it out. Like Ali/Frazier. Pardon the analogy. GT should be commended ditto Wake. Wake shot 62% for the GAME!! 69% from three point land. Gt was 55% for the game.

Folks say what you want but this game was a classic. If it was the championship game it would have rivaled the NC State/Md. game from 1974. GT will be seeded around an 8-9 seed and Wake played their way into the NIT. Congrats to both teams on an exemplary display of basketball. Hewitt was incorrect in his observation of why GT lost. He mentioned free throws. No that was not it. Wake was worse there. Simply Wake deserved to win as Hale and Skeen just flat hit the threes. Saddled with foul trouble we allowed too many stick backs. We kept fighting back though. Great game in fact as memorable a game as I have ever witnessed from GT. Even the announcers were speechless. Now we are a slam dunk for a solid seed from the NCAA. Yes even in defeat you can solidfy your position and everyone watching last night was certainly impressed.

By bh

March 9, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this

What? Lost to WF? I suggest GT santion theyself not to go to NCAA tournament.

By John

March 9, 2007 9:23 PM | Link to this

How many times I gotta say it?? We won’t be getting into the NCAA this year. I am sad but I am a realist. Top 6 get in - with the 6th team being Duke. If NC ST or WAKE win the tourney - 7 get in…with #7 being one of them as automatic bids for winning conference tourney.

By GT Jim

March 9, 2007 11:38 PM | Link to this

Calm down, Tech fans. GT is going to the NCAA tournament this year. I’m more concerned about how long we’ll stay there. Every mediocre high school team in the country can break a press, and make a team pay for full court pressure with easy baskets. We pull up at half court. Why? There’s no excuse for being a poor free-throw shooting team. I hope we’re already back home installing an aggressive offensive attack against a full-court press, and shooting 100 free throws a day - minimum. If so, we’ll make some noise in the tourney. Go Jackets!!!!

By deacon=mr. peanut

March 10, 2007 1:21 AM | Link to this

How many times do I have to say it? We are getting in the tourney. John, I’m glad you’re a fan, but seriously just flip it on espn or go to espn.com. We are in every bracket they have predicted. We are not even in the discussion of being left out right now. There is not some rule that the ACC can only get 6 in. The discussion now is if 7 or 8 teams (FSU) will get in. I’d be willing to bet you a 6er (of which I have had a couple tonight) that we get in. 34 at large bids. You cannot name 34 teams that won’t win their conference tournament that are better than us. I asked it before, but you didn’t give an answer. What is your basis that we won’t get in (other than you think the committee has a bias against the acc)?

By WFC

March 10, 2007 7:36 AM | Link to this

The Tech-Wake game on Thursday was an ACC tourney classic marred only by the fact that GT lost. Crittendon critics seem to overlook the fact that he brought us back from sheer doom and made the play on the missed free throw that got Morrow an open look. Wouldn’t any GT fan take an open shot from Morrow whose clutch shooting saved us several times? Great game! Hale simply was “in the zone” as he will probably never be again (witness the Wake-VT game on Friday.

The good news: GT is probably in. The better news: next year. I watched Norcross win the state 5AAAAA TOURNEY and Tech’s recruit Gami ? is a stud… think Brandon Wright. If all the Jackets come back (Critt and Thad would be stupid to go NBA) and Clinch returns, GT will be a “top ten” team in 2007-2008 going twelve deep.

By Jim O

March 10, 2007 9:25 AM | Link to this

How many times has the Big 10 had more teams in the tournament than the ACC? too many times to count!

How has the ACC done against the Big 10 every year? Great.

What is the ACC’s tournament record compared to the Big 10 or any other conference? The BEST!

But the selection committee doesn’t seem to consider this at all which is very strange to say the least.

Tech has played a tough schedule and deserves to be in. More importantly, the ACC should get more teams than the Big 10, but I wouldn’t count on this.

By the hawks r cursed for trading Nique

March 10, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this

Tech shouldnt be punished for wake being in the zone like that….they just had a good night and in basketball….any team can win on any given night! Go Jackets…i think were i the NCAA’s. and your right…next year will really be techs year….even if young leaves.

By John

March 10, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this

The UNC and Boston College games are long forgotten by the NCAA committee. They do remember our last game though, and that was a hideous loss. GT out. Duke in and the 6th team from the ACC to get in. 7 teams will NOT be selected by the committee. Please, you can all praise me later Sunday night. I have tried to explain this so many times/

By atlShawty

March 10, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this

GT is in. That was probably the worst defensive display that I have seen in a long time. We play good defense for 1 minute and get 1 stop and we win the game. If you allow team to shoot 64% you deserve to lose. They would probably shoot like that if they were on the floor by themselves. Anywho, TECH is in but it would have been nice to erase all doubt. Oh well, we’ll see on Sunday.

By Tech to Dance

March 10, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

Hey Will from Wake!!

I’m glad you finally got to get a good one in on the Jackets! You are right, you guys beat us after the season in football and hoops. But that’s all you did. You lost your coveted Orange bowl and will not even get into the NIT because you could not even beat USF in the same building that Skip scouted to get an “edge” for the tourney. now that’s a scared coach! Hope you have a good day but at least we get to jaw about making the NCAAs (which we will) and you can’t even get invited to the NIT b/c you are not .500. Really glad to see Visser go.

And that guy who says Crittenton is a lousy passer and can’t play…..what planet have you been watching games on? Crittenton will be more of an impact player than Jarred Jack in the NBA. Any player who has a signature move since he is 12, juking folks with that almost behind the back pass to clear the lane knows how to hoop it up. I have never seen a move like that used consistently in college and I have watched plenty of ACC hoops with DUKE and UNC alums in the family. So whatever you say about Crittenton being the problem is crazy. Crittenton got smothered b/c that’s how Wake played it.

And “Will from Wake” that’s the last time you beat Tech this next 14 months in football or hoops. We’ll see what happens Sunday but we know one thing. Wake goes nowhere!

By John

March 10, 2007 6:15 PM | Link to this

I might have to take it back. 7 teams may get in with #7 being NC State! Any way you look at it though - we definitely are NOT in. And the NIT is just the most boring, worthless tourney. I wish we would respectfully decline.