AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > August > 31 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTech, Irish on O’Leary’s mind
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Ten years ago, when Georgia Tech last spent a week on The Flats preparing for a trip to South Bend, Ind., George O’Leary was furious. Seems one of the fraternity houses across the street from Rose Bowl Field kept playing the Notre Dame Victory March at incredibly high decibels during the Yellow Jackets’ practices.
While O’Leary’s face kept getting redder, his hair kept getting whiter.
“Who the heck’s doing that?”
“Hey, go tell them that this is Tech. This ain’t Notre Dame.”
“GET THAT OUTTA HERE.”
O’Leary laughed this week over the phone from Orlando, where he coaches Central Florida football these days.
“I acted like I didn’t know what was going on back then, but I set the whole thing up myself,” said O’Leary, laughing some more at a trick that nearly worked. If not for a long touchdown drive by Notre Dame deep into the fourth quarter, O’Leary’s Jackets would have upset their 13th-ranked hosts.
That was then. As for now, O’Leary will go from late afternoon Saturday through early evening stiff-arming the impossible. He will be in Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh with his Central Florida team, but he also will be at Notre Dame Stadium with Tech against those Golden Dome folks.
All you need to know is that he is part Yellow Jacket, part Fighting Irish and part Golden Knight. So he wasted little time admitting that he’ll spend today juggling the plights of three teams (Central Florida, Notre Dame and Tech) inside his head.
Well, make that four teams, because O’Leary also is consumed with North Carolina State, Central Florida’s season-opening foe.
“I’ll still have an interest in how that Georgia Tech-Notre Dame game is going, and I’m sure that, because Tech is an ACC team, that the stadium announcer [at Carter-Finley Stadium] will be giving the score from South Bend,” O’Leary said. “I’m going to be more involved in our own game against N.C. State. But that’s a game [Tech-Notre Dame] … Hey, I enjoyed my Tech career, and I’m sure I would have enjoyed my Notre Dame career.”
Then O’Leary chuckled, adding, “You know, I was at Tech a heck of a lot longer than I was at Notre Dame.”
Yes, we know.
Everybody knows.
There were O’Leary’s 13 seasons at Tech as an assistant and head coach compared to his five days in charge of Notre Dame’s fabled program. This was the saddest thing, because coaching Notre Dame was O’Leary’s dream job. He grew up in New York idolizing the Irish, but courtesy of inaccuracies (OK, lies) about his football and academic prowess in college, O’Leary spent just one official day in the head coach’s office at Notre Dame.
I was the only journalist around for O’Leary’s one official day, and we talked of dining the next night. He gave me the phone number of his mother, Peggy, now deceased, and he invited me to call her. He spoke with dancing eyes of how she was proud that her Irish-Catholic son finally was working in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus.
Before I could call Mother O’Leary the following afternoon, the son was gone that morning. He was punted away from his dream job in shame. That was six years ago, and O’Leary hasn’t forgotten.
Folks won’t let him.
“I don’t think about it, but I get stopped an awful lot — whether it’s Notre Dame fans or stuff,” O’Leary said. “It’s like, ‘Coach, sorry it didn’t work out.’ And it would have been a good situation up there, but my wounds were self-inflicted. I wish it could have been worked out. But, hey, life moves on. I have no animosity toward anybody, because it was stupidity on my own part, and as my mom said, ‘The good Lord doesn’t close a window unless he opens another.’ “
So who are you cheering for this weekend besides Central Florida? “Well,” said O’Leary, switching his emotions to Notre Dame Stadium. “I hope it’s close, and Tech wins at the end.” He laughed, adding, “As for allegiance, I guess [13 years] is longer than five days.”
Permalink | Comments (25) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech / ACC, Terence Moore
Comments
By TDone
August 31, 2007 7:44 PM | Link to this
Terence, we don’t care what O’Leary thinks about anything. Just like Curry, he left us. Good riddance. In addition, he was the one who got us on probation.
Again, good riddance.
By GTFanSinceBirth
August 31, 2007 9:34 PM | Link to this
TDone,
You’re absolutely right… all O’Leary ever did for us was give us a top 10 team, a split with (then) powerhouse FSU, and have an incredible coaching staff with Ralph and Ted Roof.
You’re a freakin’ idiot.
By GTFanSinceBirth
August 31, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this
*split ACC Championship with FSU
By Elijah
August 31, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
I liked O’leary okay. The things yall just mentioned didn’t mean anything though. The biggest thing he did was beat the dawgs 3 years straight. People act like we would be so much better with him here now, but people forget all of his bad years. He was there for several years before he had a good team. He had to start from scratch, so next time you want to can chan, look at the circumstances, and give him a chance. He is building one heck of a program.
By Ohara
August 31, 2007 10:33 PM | Link to this
George was many things, some good, some bad, but one thing for sure: We would NOT have our team embroiled in this Tickle Pile controversy if he were still coaching Tech.
By jabster
September 1, 2007 12:09 AM | Link to this
I wouldn’t call Ted Roof part of an “incredible coaching staff”…we didn’t call it the “Leaky Roof” defense for nothing…go back and look at those high-scoring games…
Bad years? He only had one losing season before launching our current streak of bowls, 7+ win seasons, and .500+ conference play.
By JJacket
September 1, 2007 12:29 AM | Link to this
O’Leary would have stayed at GT had he not been offered his dream job. Probably could have retired here and joined Dodd, Alexander, and Heisman on our list of great coaches.
I wish him success at UCF.
By SickandTired
September 1, 2007 12:38 AM | Link to this
Ted Roof? Good God ya’ll….Ralph was a genius and had to score 42 pts. to win games..Roof was a disaster as Def. Co.
By surfrider
September 1, 2007 2:50 AM | Link to this
O’leary tood over a program that was going 1-10 just four years away from winning the National Championship. He took the Ross formula and started to rebuild. That formula first and foremost is to cut the attrition rates from the 28 that had left in Lewis’s 3 years. He then started to recruit nationally bringing in some great talent. Tech improved each year recruitingwise and yes the graduation rate was dismal at first but that started to improve as well. If Fridge had’nt let 2001 would have been a top 10 year most likely. We beat Ga. 3 years straight. He left the program well stocked only for us to reinvent the curve. Now to Gailey’s credit our recruiting is back to where it was we he came in, very good.
By surfrider
September 1, 2007 3:03 AM | Link to this
People tend to criticize Roof and the defenses of the late 90’s but many forget we lost two incredible LB’s that were play makers and we had a tast of that potential in early 1998. Those two Lb’s were Matt Miller and Matt Urovich both career’s basically were over. That’s why 1999 was so hard defensively. We were top 10 material in 1998 and potentially top 5 until these two injuries…We have yet to be ranked since O’leary left. Hopefully that will change this year plus we will start beating Ga.
By HAL
September 1, 2007 6:32 AM | Link to this
George did a lot for the Tech program and he will always have my respect as a Tech coach. He is doing a great job at UCF but he not only has to build a team but a tradition which is much much harder when you have three football powers in the state. Some people will be upset because he left Tech but college football is not what it used to be form a loyalty stand point. You can bet the LSU fans are upset with Saban and don’t wish him well. I will always wish George well.
By TDone
September 1, 2007 7:11 AM | Link to this
Again folks, he left us for what he thought was greener pastures. Good riddance.
He got us on probation. We should have won the national championship in 2001, but we didn’t. We were on the decline folks because the secret of success under O’Leary was Friedgen and/or Joe Hamilton. After they left, we lost a lot of games in a very stupid fashion: 2001: Clemson, Maryland, Georgia, and Virginia, need I go on.
I lost confidence in O’Leary and was not upset to see him go and even more for him not to be invited back.
See you in South Bend…
Go Jackets!!!
By billy
September 1, 2007 8:27 AM | Link to this
could you imagine if we had fridg and tenuta making the calls i think we could then give anyone a run for their money !!
By WFC
September 1, 2007 8:33 AM | Link to this
O’leary had his issues but I’ll always appreciate the fact that he restored GT to respectability after the “meltdown of ‘94.” His 95-97 teams weren’t great but they played hard and usually smart. And the 98-00 teams were very good and FUN! Yeah, I know that Ralph had a LOT to do with that but the “buck stops at the head man’s desk” good or bad. It’s difficult to blame O’leary for taking the ND job. GT has great tradition but ND? Who wouldn’t want to follow in Knute and Ara’s footsteps?
By Say what?
September 1, 2007 8:39 AM | Link to this
Good riddance? Just remember that he was the head coach the last time we finished ranked, the last time we finished in the Top 10, the last time we won a conference title (and when UNC, FSU, and UVA were all still darn good), and in general, the last time anyone feared us, and talked about us. Oh yeah, and the last few times we lost fewer than 5 games. He left for the one job that could take him away, which we all knew was his dream job. Not to mention, took us from 1-10 to Top 10 in four years. Good riddance? I’d take him back in a heart beat.
By Terrible Truth
September 1, 2007 8:46 AM | Link to this
So it was you that orchestrated the playing of the ND fight song at practice while feigning anger and frustration? Probably another lie. That’s what happens when you shoot the hell out of your credibility.
By Matthew
September 1, 2007 8:59 AM | Link to this
Woulda, shoulda, coulda…
The Georgia Tech saga continues…
Go DAWGS!
By Dizzle
September 1, 2007 9:15 AM | Link to this
O’Leary was a great coach. He took over a terrible team from Bill Lewis, eventually turned it around, beat UGA, won bowl games, had a Heisman candidate, won 10 games, etc., etc. Stop hating on O’Leary. Ask any player who played for him and they will tell you the man was fair and a helluva coach….
By GARY
September 1, 2007 9:17 AM | Link to this
THE BEST THING OF O’LEARY, WAS HE WASNT INTIMADATED BY UGA OR MARK RICHT. THREE STRAIGHT WINS OVER THE DOGS UNDER O’LEARY, 5 STRAIGHT LOSSES UNDER GAILEY—-I’D TRADE ANY DAY. ALSO, REGGIE BALL WOULD NEVER HAVE SUITED UP AS A QB UNDER GEORGE.
By GTNC
September 1, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this
Amen GARY! At least O’Leary and his staff could beat UGA. Just ask the coahces who couldn’t do that before and after him. But I do believe that Gailey divorcing Reggie Ball is going to allow him to finally walk those Dawgs out of town. If not, he better reserve a back seat w/ Staffod so they can make out on the way back up to Athens b/c his welcome matt will be worn out at Tech.
By Have U Kick a DAWG today
September 1, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this
TO Matthew - Umm .. let’s think for a minute - Last Nat’l Football title by UGA or TECH - I think it was Tech
By IWrecken
September 1, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
GOL DESERVES praise for what he accomplished at Tech and this is one fan that will be forever be grateful for him being here.
When I look back at the good coaches he stands with Dodd, Ross and then GOL! Unlike Chan, he took over an absolute disaster and made us all proud to be a Tech fan again.
I will follow is career at UCF and root for them everytime the hit the field.
Thanks George for making TECH one of your stops along the way in your career!!
By Sunny
September 1, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this
Georgia Tech has never won a “CONSENSOUS” National Championship. Just like everything they do; “they are Half Assed”. Try counting National Championships like UGA: HONESTLY
By Darren in the Springs
September 1, 2007 5:47 PM | Link to this
Hey Sunny “Football” championships are someones opinion. When you look at the championships NCAA teams have won you will see that no D1 team has ever won an NCAA championship in football. I am sure you already knew that though (HONESTLY)…
By played 4 Oleary
September 3, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this
I played for oleary from 95-98 all he did was -finish in the top 10 -beat UGA 3 consecutive years, 1st time since dodd -finish the season ranked in 97, 98,99,2000, and 2001. -oh and his comnined losses to UGA dont equaly gaileys 4ever worst drubbing 51-7, mind you we had beat them 3 of the past 4 years before that game!