AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 22 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBasketball, baseball and juvenile justice
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was only Wake Forest, you say. I’m not buying that.
Tech played very, very well in the first half last night on both ends of the court, but the best part of that game, I thought, came after Wake cut the margin to four points.
Not only did Tech respond, but several players pitched in. Dickey had a couple big rebounds, a nice jumper from the baseline, made a great no-look pass to West for a dunk. Morrow hustled back on a break, disrupted a point-blank shot, Alade blocked the putback attempt (at least I think it was Alade), Young made a few nice passes, Crittenton made shots and passes, Smith was all over the place.
If Critt keeps playing as he has over the past six games, if the Jackets keep defending, and Young finds a way to play the way he did in the first half more often, Tech’s a pretty good team. Crittenton is the engine, but Young can jack up the horsepower.
Talked to Hewitt today, and he said the fact Virginia has the best backcourt in the ACC with Reynolds and Singletary doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to change playing time, i.e. put defenders West and Bell out there more.
So what’s going on with the baseball team? Is it as simple as a pitching dropoff? I don’t think so. Tech lost a ton of talent from last year’s team, and not just in pitching. A ton of talent. Still way to early to draw conclusions, but I wonder if Payne and Wieters are going to be called upon to pitch more than Danny Hall had in mind?
Was going to go out of bounds and blog about my trip to juvenile justice yesterday, where I had to sit in on a ‘mediation’ with one of the eight to 10 young men who jumped me in Centennial Park in December when I took my kids ice-skating. They were clobbering a guy on the ground, and I made the mistake of trying to stop it.
Some have given me a hard time for “ratting” on the kids, which I find ludicrous. Others have suggested I’m crazy for another reason, that they’ll find my address and come after me or my family. Deep, depressing thoughts. I feel terrible today, though, so maybe tomorrow. Not a warm and fuzzy story no matter how you slice it.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Basketball
Comments
By it's not easy be'in green
February 22, 2007 04:10 PM | Link to this
Kudos to you Matt. More people should step up when they see injustice. That’s what this country was founded on and too many people have forgotten. Keep up the good work, I enjoy your work each day. JG
By Ramble On
February 22, 2007 04:17 PM | Link to this
We have a basketball team? I thought all athletics was disbanded???
By SanDiegoJacket
February 22, 2007 04:22 PM | Link to this
Matt Good on you; I’m a nuclear engineer and know how to make bombs; just give me the word and I’ll give you the ultimate protection device!!
By EdoRiver
February 22, 2007 04:46 PM | Link to this
Matt, I’m hopinbg you have the resources of the Tech blogging community to help support you. I can understand how you feel. You won’t rest completely easy for a while. I suggest prayer too to ease your mind. You did the right thing. You did the right thing. I know you did.
By Dustin from Dville
February 22, 2007 05:10 PM | Link to this
Matt my cudos to you for trying to help someone out…you did the right thing. If it had been me instead of you thou i would of shot one of those little punks in self defence with my .357 mag i carry in the back of my blue jeans at all times.
I hope u stay strapped man if your going to be walking around atL…theres definitly some fools out there. This comes from someone whos been carjacked before, setup, and had guns pointed at my head while only doing my job (cable tv sales) in downtown atlanta and clayton/cobb/dekalb county. With my streetsmarts and Gods blessing i was able to outsmart all my attackers and never had anything taken from me except a cell phone when i was working in bankhead courts one day back around 2000. I wish i was in your position id give those punks my home address and pray they try and break in my house so i could take em out and save the world one less punk. They have no respect for other pples lives…there for why should decent citizens like you and me care about theres? I know i probably sound like a violent person for saying that but its the truth…and i pray i never have to pull that trigger…but i will if pushed! especially if it could save someone elses life down the road. oyea…Go Tech!! Falcons!! and Braves!! screw the hawks those bastards traded nique.
By GT-buzzbait
February 22, 2007 05:34 PM | Link to this
Matt, you did the right thing trying to help the guy getting roughed up by the gang of thugs. Don’t let the cowardice of others make you start questioning yourself.
When it seems our society is focusing more and more on short-term gratification borne of self-indulgence, it’s good to know there are still some stand-up people in the world.
You were already strong for the victim of the attack. Now, be strong for yourself. Hang in there. (And btw, thanks for all of the great coverage of the Jackets.)
By GreenJacket
February 22, 2007 10:19 PM | Link to this
Matt, The Good Lord has His reasons for everything and you were put in that situation for a reason. I applaud you for doing the right thing. I have my fingers crossed for the basketball team and these last three games + at least one ( ACC Tourney ).
By Ty
February 22, 2007 11:11 PM | Link to this
Alright, it’s not the current blog, but I can’t let it go unsaid…..
Watching Duke handed ANOTHER ACC WIN just makes me wonder….”Can’t the zebras just give Duke the ‘W’ and not have them waste time travelling to road games?”…… Watching yet another travesty, I’ve seen 10 points given to them (between a voided offensive interferance that wasn’t, two travels that weren’t (one for score), two Duke travels uncalled at a key moment, and a back-court ruled a foul instead….just to name a few)….
Can’t the league accept that Duke is capable of a ‘down year’…. I guess I should be happy, since it helps set-up the Jackets for a possible berth (with the Clemson loss), but really????
When the announcers have trouble avoiding criticism of officiating….well, there you have it.
And, lastly, in the end, if these idiots in stripes would just ‘call the game’ instead of ‘orchestrating’ the game, they wouldn’t get into these situations where one bad call leads to a run by the dookies…that then leads to a couple of ‘bad calls’ the other way to ‘even it up’….doesn’t work in a momentum game like b-ball….. I don’t see this in watching other leagues (and, NO, I’m not a Clemson fan…just ashamed at the nightly soap opera we call ACC officiating).
Okay, I feel better now…..
By GT
February 23, 2007 08:58 AM | Link to this
Good job Matt. We live in a society where violence is a common place thing. A kid says a curse word and no one cares, then he moves up the disrespect latter. No one says anything and the next thing you know a bunch of thugs are shooting it out in board daylight thinking this is cool. And what the hell are they fighting over, some soap opera crap that only people without a life have time to think about in the first place. I use to think there was a universal agreement on what stupid was and that most of us were trying to rise above that condition. Now I find myself being questioned on the most elementary foundations of conduct with always the why. Why shouldn’t I flip that guy the bird? Why shouldn’t I travel with a loaded gun? We are a generation that never grew up and what you did Matt was a grown up thing, no wonder no one understands it
By Ramble ON!
February 23, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
Way to go Matt!!!!! someone fleabag is trying to steal my ID…
I hope you got some good shots in, and pressing charges.
By StraightJacket
February 23, 2007 07:59 PM | Link to this
Hey Matt, You had what is called a “divine appointment” - it was NO accident that you were there; and you did the RIGHT thing - regardless of the risk. It was NOT a mistake - and for your kids to see that… well,… that one incident may have a impact to last a generation - or two.
At the risk of invoking a Biblical fable here, I’ve got two words for ya Matt: “Good Samaritan”
Thanks for what you did - I hope you can find a way to feel better about it. Fast. You never know: You may be compelled to do it again someday soon.
As for GT? In my mind, the key is turnovers. Defensive communication and execution seems better. Keep the turnovers to a “medium” amount, and this team could beat UVA and BC.
Enough craziness,… now back to my,…
…-StraightJacket