AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 26
Friday, October 26, 2007
Feathers a flyin’; world seems ablaze
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kind of interesting that some Tech fans seem to think I must be a “booster” for another school because surely I graduated from some where, and I must have donated some money, and that by extrapolation if I qualify as a booster for another school, and I’ve affected Tech recruiting with my writing, there is, what … a lawsuit pending or something? An NCAA violation?
Really, I’ve seen suggestions that Tech should file a complaint about me with the NCAA, that legal action should be taken, that someone should send a goon squad after me.
Lighten up, Francis! You folks are acting like Georgia fans.
Anyway, since the story isn’t running until tomorrow’s paper, and not going on-line until this evening (or a full 24 hours after it was originally supposed to, which is why I blogged on the topic yesterday), I’ll include a few excerpts later in this blog.
It qualifies as a story because A.J. Jenkins said part of the reason he broke his committment to Tech was the Gailey rumor - whether true or not. Likewise, I’m not writing about the validity of the rumor (Knobler talked to D. Radakovich and C. Gailey last Saturday), and when the paper reached Dennis Dodd via e-mail, he offered nothing about the nature of his source, and said only that “it did not rise to the level of a news story.”
Whether Dodd’s blog has legs or not is not my story. My story raises a question: has his blog had an effect? The partial answer is a little. It was one of the final straws for Jenkins.
“I re-opened my commitment,” Jenkins said to the AJC. “I just want to make sure I make the right decision. [The blog] didn’t change my mind, but it did make me sit down and have a discussion with my parents about it. I don’t want to deal with a coaching change.”
Without Jenkins, Scout.com consider Tech’s current class of 14 committed players to rank No. 17 nationally. Rivals.com ranks Tech No. 31.
“I hadn’t heard about it. It would not change what I’m going to do,” said Blountstown, Fla., defensive back Jon Lockhart, who committed to Tech last summer. “They have a good program, and I really like the academics. I may ask about it, but maybe not.”
“We’ll tell the kids you’re talking about a coach [Gailey] who’s coming off playing for the ACC championship, who has a number of years [three] left on his contract, and is as secure as anybody in the business,” said Tech recruiting coordinator Giff Smith.
Jenkins said he has received offers from Tech, Florida, South Carolina and Illinois, and that the blog was not his deciding factor. But it came into play. He has not scheduled official visits, saying he wants to make one to Tech.
“Definitely,” Jenkins said. “And Florida, most likely. It’s close to home. I might look at FSU, Miami, South Florida. [The blog] kind of caught me off guard, but I wanted to de-commit anyway to make sure I don’t make the wrong decision.”
The sky is not falling people.
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