AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2006 > November > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USForecasting a 20-win season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ll stick with basketball today, and then a little sidelight.
I’m going to be very surprised if Tech doesn’t win at least 20 games, and perhaps 22 or more, because I think the Jackets have every ingredient: perimeter offense, post game, defensive ability, a point guard, and heart.
Now, I’m not saying all this is tried, true or proven. Tech obviously will be tested more than so far, almost certainly as soon as Maui. But I think they’re a solid two-deep or better at every single position (I’m counting some players in multiple positions, like Peacock at center and power forward).
And for the record, I think Lewis Clinch is the most underrated, or least appreciated, player on the team. More to come from Maui; I get there Sunday.
I hated Bo Schembechler when I was a child. That was part of the curriculum growing up in Columbus, Ohio, as I did in the ‘70. Hated him. And his team. And the “M” on his hat.
But then as a child, everything in the world of sports that I didn’t like, I hated, to use a word and emotion I rarely seem to use anymore. Loathed Ali. Despised the Yankees. The Redskins. The Celtics.
Mostly Michigan, and Bo.
It seems very strange to think back on all that now, and not just because Schembechler died Friday. I’ve reflected on these ancient emotions before. Yeah, I was a kid, but it’s so foreign to think about how personally I took things when I was a lad.
I still have some favorite teams, none pulling at my heart more than Ohio State, and pull for them. But when they lose, I don’t feel resentment, or anger, as I once did. Sometimes, I’m indifferent (never with the Buckeyes), sometimes I’m disappointed. I never loathe anymore, at least not teams, athletes or coaches.
I respect, or I don’t. That change came years ago, most notably in the latter years of Ali’s career, when I began to appreciate what he meant to his sport, to society, even if some of it was circumspect in the eyes of others. My love of Joe Frazier didn’t wane; my appreciation of Ali simply grew because of his drive.
Same with Schembechler. He had that passion to the day he died, railing about Ohio State to the end. In a way, it was humorous, and I smiled a few times this week reading his comments. Some might construe his attitude toward the Buckeyes as hatred. It wasn’t. It was respect. It was about wanting to compete at the highest level, and win. We all have certain measuring sticks that matter most. To Bo, that measuring stick was most important, just as Woody Hayes cared most about beating Michigan.
I’m not saying I teach my children to approach rivalries, or competition, like Woody and Bo did, but I won’t teach them not to go about life this way, either. I suspect their surroundings, and upbringings, won’t produce fuses like Woody and Bo had.
The best thing about Bo, whom I’ve heard many tales about over the years from former coaches, players and fans, was that he was genuine. I’ll take genuine every time, temper or not. That man was the real thing, no gimmicks, no manipulation (although he was prone to gamesmanship). What more can you ask for?
Rest in peace, Bo. And say hi to Woody, another genuine — and bombastic — article.
Comments
By ben
November 17, 2006 04:24 PM | Link to this
Bo who?
By Bill
November 17, 2006 04:36 PM | Link to this
Nice article.
By GTA
November 17, 2006 04:37 PM | Link to this
ben, you’re an idiot. Bo Schembechler, the greatest coach in Michigan history and a very very good coach. RIP Bo, we’ll miss you.
By scott
November 17, 2006 04:40 PM | Link to this
this is the dawg killer,the dawgs will go down next sat. at 3:30 on cbs on national tv and will love every minute of it,and so they got caleb king so.
By scott
November 17, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this
UGAsuxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and you hear there students talk only about football because they can’t chat about basketball or baseball ,true they made the world series along with georgia tech but there not there like we are every year we own georgia in every sport accept womens bball and it’s close in football.
By SportsFan
November 17, 2006 04:47 PM | Link to this
Hey Ben…show some respect you ignorant. I’m not a UM or Big 10 fan, but you have to respect what he did at UM.
By scott
November 17, 2006 04:49 PM | Link to this
stop living in the past dawg fans 1980/81 was a long time ago
By scott
November 17, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this
GT is ranked in football,basketball and womens basketball uga can’t say that
By scott
November 17, 2006 04:52 PM | Link to this
yo yo
By jjgrogan
November 17, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this
Matt: I enjoy your updates and appreciate the personal insights in this one. Great job! Thanks!
By scott
November 17, 2006 04:55 PM | Link to this
yo
By Gordon
November 17, 2006 05:56 PM | Link to this
It’s true what UGA says about us: they’re our big brothers. I wish just once we could have a blog where UGA wasn’t mentioned. Nothing in the article had a thing to do with UGA, but you can’t go very far into a Tech blog without someone bringing them up. Who cares if UGA is ranked in basketball? I don’t think even they care.
By mountain_jim
November 17, 2006 06:24 PM | Link to this
Nice blog Matt. RIP Bo.
Concerning Tech Bball - I look forward to seeing some games on TV soon. Up here in NC they show ACC games, but black out all the Hawks games to try and force me to buy the NBA Season Pass.
I want to see Tech knock off the near top-ranked NC team so I don’t have to hear it from my inlaws this year.
By GTGreg
November 17, 2006 06:54 PM | Link to this
Nice Article. Bo is in the same class of coaches as Woody Hayes, Bobby Dodd, Vince Dooley, Joe Paterno and Tom Osborne. It’s always sad when a giant in the college game passes.
By halfmetaljacket
November 18, 2006 11:30 AM | Link to this
Excellent piece, Matt. Interesting and thoughtful.
Good to have a care with that ‘hate and loathing’ stuff. As your childhood icon was Woody and the Bucks, mine was Dood and the Jackets. So naturally I hated and loathed UGA.
You reap what you sew.
With time, passion for the Jackets hasn’t dimmed, but hate of the dawgs has. However, my long ago negative passsions were absorbed by wife and daughter. They both don’t understand my latterday coaching to have perspective and to temper the hate.
It seems strange for me to hear myself saying words to tamp down the ‘clean, old fashioned hate’… So rest in peace Coach Butts, Woody and Bo.
By The Man
November 18, 2006 10:11 PM | Link to this
GTGreg,
Damn, Son. That is, “Reap what you SOW.” Where ‘n the hell did you go to school? The Man has spoken - the world is a better place.
The Man
By G.R.E.G
November 19, 2006 09:12 PM | Link to this
GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS GO DAWGS 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By Steve
November 20, 2006 01:09 AM | Link to this
Greg, your blog should keep UGAg fans busy for several hours.