AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2006 > November > 22
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Cover Tech a thankful job
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some of the things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:
That I get to cover one of the best football teams in Georgia Tech history. Sports writers aren’t fans, but they love a good story, and this team has been an excellent one. Plus, I watch every game, and good football is a lot easier on the eye than bad football.
That I get to see Calvin Johnson’s amazing feats. No explanation needed for this one.
That I get to work with Matt Winkeljohn, a guy who cares passionately about what he does.
That the players I interview week after week not only have the patience to answer my questions, however repetitive or poorly worded those questions might be, but also that their answers are in complete sentences and sometimes insightful.
That I have a job doing something I enjoy doing, and that I still enjoy doing it after 21 years in the business.
That you read what I write and sometimes share your thoughts — up or down — on what I wrote. Without readers, there would be no AJC, in print or online. Thank you. Thank you very, very much.
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Upperclassmen come to the rescue
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m sitting here about 15 yards behind the baseline watching UCLA play Kentucky, the Bruins uber-blonde cheerleaders right in front of me buried in makeup leading a raucous timeout cheer, “UC . . LA,” which fans love. This is surreal.
But it ain’t as unreal as watching Georgia Tech freaking flip out and beat Memphis. Folks, that was sick. I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it.
Honestly, we all knew this would happen, but Javaris Crittenton suddenly became a man without a plan, a player without a handle, and Tech’s offense was all out of whack. In the first half, they were taking crappy shots, and half the time getting them blocked (six) in great measure because Crittenton, who’s been so good, wasn’t running the offense. He was merely in it, when he wasn’t getting picked clean or forcing a pass into a double team.
“I was frustrated that we were going no passes and a shot, one pass and a shot,” Hewitt said.
So in the second half, about two minutes in when Hewitt wanted the ball to go into the paint only to have Crittenton force a drive, that was it. Enter Mario West. Crittenton still played plenty, but usually off the ball.
And West, who combined with Ra’Sean Dickey to do most of the halftime pep-talking rather than Hewitt, ran the show.
Now, it helped a tad (or a ton) that everybody was crashing the boards like rabid animals in the second half (29-9 edge, are you kidding me?), but if the offense hadn’t calmed down, even that might not have been enough.
How about Mario West? A former walk-on, he’s graduated already, and came back this season after Hewitt practically tried to talk him out of it. “I told him if he’s coming back just for basketball, don’t,” da coach said. “Because I can’t guarantee you’re even going to play.”
West, though, said he returned not only to work on furthering his education, but, “to make a difference on this team.”
Uh, that’s happening, huh? Better believe it.
The upper classmen bucked up today. Jeremis goes 21 and nine, Dickey 14 and 10. And we’re talking about some major muscle buckets, almost all hotly contested.
The Jackets are still looking for Anthony Morrow (one of seven from the field), but they’ve found plenty more.
Though Hewitt let West and Dickey - despite losing his starting job - do some of the principal halftime administering, he had a major hand in this one.
Handing over the keys to West, re-calibrating on defense in the second half, and more. It all mattered. “We backed off the defense because they were beating us off the dribble,” he said. “It was more about playing intelligently than playing emotionally.”
In the interest of accuracy and balance, Memphis helped. Even when the Jackets backed off a little, the Tigers - like Tech a young team - didn’t react very well. “We tried to drive in the second half, when we had some open [jump] shots and didn’t take them,” said Memphis coach John Calipari. “It was not pretty.”
Mostly, though, the Jackets worked over the Tigers. “I don’t want to take any shots, but last year happened. From coaching staff on down we didn’t have the mindset that we were tough enough to make things happen, and to make things happen down the stretch.”
Smith would second that emotion. “It’s just about grinding up. Last year we didn’t’ win because we didn’t play hard in last five minutes,” he said. “This year we can win games because we play hard.”
I’m curious what kind of pep talk Hewitt feels he needs to give Crittenton to get his psyche ready for the title game. And I do think the coach has to go on feel for that one, not over-think it if you know what I mean. Sometimes, it’s about thinking, sometimes it’s just about doing.
I don’t know the answer, but I know this: Play hard AND smart, and very good things happen when you’re talented and deep.
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