By Tom

October 26, 2007 11:35 AM | Link to this

Lighten up, Francis! You folks are acting like Georgia fans.

Ok, Matthew, now you’ve crossed the line! ;-)

By GTech

October 26, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

The Hive whiners like to tell anyone who questions Chan that the sky is not falling. Now, that there are blogs, and they can’t police everything that is written, they are crying like babies. Most are arrogant enough to think that what they say on the internet has impact on recruiting. They need to get a life. Keep up the good work Matt!

By Truth

October 26, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this

GTech, Matt will keep humping you; you don’t have to come out publicly and support him on every blog. Stay in the closet; don’t ask, don’t tell.

By Burdell's Brother

October 26, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this

Matt, Keep up the good work!

Anyone that is worth their salt knows that Jenkins will probably end up at FlA. The kid’s father is pounding him to go there, has been and will do so until he wears orange and blue.

Furthermore…if I am a top wide reciever recruit, would I consider a school that has shown it’s offensive strengths and focus to be running the ball, and the inability to develop a QB to get me the ball?

The bigger focus here is the lack of offensive production during Gailey’s entire tenure. THAT my friends will have a bigger impact on our offensive recruits than anything.

Think about it, defensive players WANT to play in Tenuta’s system and say so openly, when was th elast time you heard an offensive committment say, they have an explosive offense I would really look forward to being a part of……not since the big man now at Maryland roamed the sidelines has that happened.

Face facts, the problem is Chan, has been and always will be.

By YeOldeMtnWuss

October 26, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this

You tell him truth. We’ll get together when my ovaries are better. Bring protection.

By DawgPile

October 26, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this

For Tech, the sky is not falling. It has the reputation of great football and great academics. With or without Gailey, Tech is a great place. I honestly don’t recall any recruit over the past years saying that they came to Tech because of Gailey. Does anyone?

By Frank

October 26, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this

The athletic director says the report is false. The coach who supposedly made the statement says it is false. Yet, you still choose to treat it as credible to drive a few hits and comments to the website? You never even mention that the report was refuted? Nice.

Season ticket sales are up more than 30% since Chan arrived (18k-25k). Overall ticket sales and revenues as allocated to football are up even more than that (40%+). Even the smallest games are selling more tickets than there were even seats in the stadium before Chan arrived.

Tech has the second best ACC record over the last three years. Tech is coming off an ACC Coastal championship, a Gator Bowl, and has a shot at finishing with a second consecutive nine win season. The team has been to a bowl every year that Chan has been here while surviving coaching transition, flunkgate, probation and loss of scholarships. The team has improved every year since bottoming out with flunkgate in 2003.

Tech is still a year away from having a full roster with as many players as its opponents (thanks, administration); but, last season was considered by many to be Tech’s best recruiting class in decades; and, the next two are already taking shape to be as promising. This is all in a program that can no longer recruit the same kids that the previous coaches were able to recruit (think Kelly Campbell, Darrell Smith and many others).

And, even if the AD was stupid enough to want to fire Chan after all that - and he is not that stupid - Chan still has four years on his large contract that would be very expensive to buy out.

How could the AD possibly fire a coach at Tech in that case? Is there any chance that the athletic board and Dr Clough (who love the kind of kids Chan is recruiting) would sign off on any change? No matter how much a few sad people on the internet try to convince themselves by saying it over and over: Chan will not be fired.

Matt, you know that. You know that the blog report was refuted credibly. So - the question is: why continue to fuel the fire? If drawing hits and comments to your website is more important to you than journalistic integrity, then you are no doubt right on.

The part of your story that was unprofessional and irresponsible is that you know the report is not true - and you still run the story as if there may be some basis behind it.

If you reported the same story - but indicated that the CBSSportsline report was completely discredited by both involved parties - that would be responsible journalism. Instead, you say: “I don’t think there’s enough smoke at this point to spook of many of the kids Tech is recruiting.”

That is where you went wrong. That is why you are so touchy about all this. Truth hurts. Sorry.

And, when you start calling recruits and telling them about a report that you know has been discredited, it is intellectually dishonest to tell them about the report without also telling them that it has been debunked. I hope that you told the recruits that. I sure hope your integrity as a journalist means something to you.

Finally, while I (and obviously some other Tech fans) are annoyed by your irresponsible actions, it seems like perhaps yours are the feathers a-flyin’ the most. I wonder why that is?

I can see that you are just doing your job. I think it is sad that you would stoop to this. But, in any event, I still think your coverage this season has been better than from the paper in past years.

By Jerry

October 26, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this

Jenkins is a good player but may not be ranked high enough to warrant an offer from Florida due to the limited number of scholarships they have to offer this year. They are pretty well full with a couple of receivers already committed who are ranked higher than Jenkins. Florida needs defensive help and a running back plus they have to hold a scholarship for the RB transferring from USC.

I think if Florida was going to offer Jenkins they would have already done it. That means he will probably end up somewhere else or rethink his decision and decide Tech is the best place for him.

Recruiting is a crap shoot anyway, so I would not get to emotionally engaged in what these kids decide. He may win the Heisman but odds are like most of these kids he will show up play some and move on.

By Josh GT

October 26, 2007 12:37 PM | Link to this

Matt,

Take heart in knowing that those of us who think that you are doing a great job have brains. We have more important things to do (like jobs..and in my case grad school) than sit around on a blog defending you. However, we are out here, and we are paying attention.

Josh

BSChBE ‘05 MSChBE ‘07 PhDChBE …

By Matt Winkeljohn

October 26, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this

Frank,

Again, I’m not writing about whether the blog by Dodd was valid or not. We won’t know until the season is over, unless there’s a heck of a surprising development soon.

I’m writing about whether the blog has had an affect. It has, as Jenkins’ comments say.

You’re merging ideas.

Matt

By Why

October 26, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

why do you take other peoples comments to heart, so much you have to address then in another blog?

Man dude…write something, and let it go. You are letting people get to you.

Do I agree with your original blog, no, but who cares what I think. No one on this darn thing elicits multiple responses. Take a note from Terrance or Bradley who never respond to these things

By why part 2

October 26, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this

heck the only reason I responded the way I did to your original blog is I knew you would read it, it may get under your skin, and you would respond.

I was write about all three. Do you really want to be that predictable?

By Tom

October 26, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

As an aside, I want to ensure everyone that I am not, in fact, Thomas Stinson. No hatchet-jobs on Bobby Cremins are forthcoming.

;-)

By Tom

October 26, 2007 1:06 PM | Link to this

LOL…..that s/b “assure”, obviously.

“why” is starting to rub off on me, apparently. ;-)

By Frank

October 26, 2007 1:12 PM | Link to this

Matt,

Thank you for your reply and consideration.

You seem to be missing my point: if you base a story on an internet blog rumor (that was third party, anyway) that has been discredited, you have to point out that it has been discredited. If you start telling recruits about a rumor that has already been disproven, then you need to at least point that out.

You keep saying that your story is not about whether the blog comment was credible. But, again, you should not represent something as if it may be true when you have every reason to know it is not true.

Let’s say I read a third party rumor on an internet blog that the Governor told one of his staff members that the State of Georgia was going to open Lake Lanier and release all its water. Then, let’s say that the Governor and the Section Chief of the Corps of Engineers publicly refuted that comment. Then, let’s say that I choose to write a story based on the effect of that discredited, nonsensible claim to some Georgia counties. Even if the focus of my story has nothing to do with how bogus the claim is, I should at least mention to each county that the report has been disproven when I tell them about it. And, I would have to mention prominently in the story that it was discredited. I shouldn’t, instead, treat it as if it might be smoke circling a fire. To me, that would be intellectually dishonest.

Does that better illustrate my point?

At any rate, if all you wanted was for me to hit the website a couple more times and give a couple more comments to validate that you are doing your job, then you have certainly been successful and I regret that I just spent seven minutes of my time reading and typing.

But, if you really take your credibility and integrity seriously - and I want to believe you do - then you need to consider how you report these matters.

Thank you again for your consideration and the rest of your reporting this season.

By for the record...

October 26, 2007 1:14 PM | Link to this

There have been recruits that say they came to GT because of Gailey. While I do hate how we tend to lose some games we shouldn’t, I like him as a coach. Why? He recruits well (and the right kind of student-athletes), doesn’t call plays any more, he’s honest, cares about the academics, and wants/expects to do well every year. Here’s hoping we win out, since it’s possible with the talent level we have.

P.S. Thanks for the great blogs Matt, you’re consistently one of the best sports writers at the AJC.

By YeOldeMtnWuss

October 26, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this

I’m dumping Truth. Frank now has me all tingly inside. See ya at the Hive tailhook. Get it, tailhook….

By palxico

October 26, 2007 1:28 PM | Link to this

Hey what is this about R Grant being out for 6 to 8 weeks?? Why has no one said anything about this?? To me this is make or break season

By palxico

October 26, 2007 1:29 PM | Link to this

Hey what is this about R Grant being out for 6 to 8 weeks?? Why has no one said anything about this?? To me this is make or break season

By palxico

October 26, 2007 1:29 PM | Link to this

Hey what is this about R Grant being out for 6 to 8 weeks?? Why has no one said anything about this?? To me this is make or break season

By palxico

October 26, 2007 1:32 PM | Link to this

Why has there been no coverage of the injury to R. Grant?? It seems this is a make or break for the season! How in the WORLD are we going to face a defense like Va Tech and our top two tailbaks aren’t playing??

By palxico

October 26, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this

Sorry guys about the multiple post it was my first time and it took so long to display it…sorry once again!

By I love Chan

October 26, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this

Please…please…please do not fire Chan!

Signed all the Tech opponents!

By Max

October 26, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this

Well done, Frank. I couldn’t have said it better myself!! I have basically enjoyed Winklejohn’s articles all season. Now, I am very disappointed with him.

By Mtn Wasp

October 26, 2007 1:59 PM | Link to this

I’m surprised that no-one picked up on the real outrage here: that someone of questionable maturity stole my font name!

Matt, the issue to which Tech fans are over-reacting is that the very questions you ask can change the way a recruit thinks. Asking about a rumor gives credibility to the rumor. It seems a gray journalistic area where the mere reporting of the news could alter the course of events.

By Don

October 26, 2007 2:01 PM | Link to this

Matt,

The issue Tech fans have is a now-discredited Internet rumor was mentioned in two separate articles in Sunday’s paper. These artilces are read by recruits. Apparently there was no AJC investigation into the validity of the rumor before publication, and now Tech fans are being compared to dawg fans because we raise questions as to the journalistic responsibility of the AJC. You seem to want it both ways, to be able to publish a false rumor and then criticize those who question the effects of that publication.

By NC heel

October 26, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this

matt, please drop it. I am fast losing interest in your blogs

By Chill

October 26, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this

Matt, I thought the point of your blog was to stir conversation which you did. I agree with Why that you need to let it go and move on to the next topic….

I also agree with many of Frank’s points about Gailey’s status and performance. Anyone who has played or coached at the collegiate level knows that programs take time to build and improve, especially when dealing with sanctions from a previous regime. Virginia Tech was 23-40-2 in Beamer’s first six seasons after being 55 - 24 in the previous seven. He has been 138 - 44 since 1993. O’Leary left a mess, particularly in recruiting, that we have only begun to recover from. Gailey and his staff have been able to compete and improve the program in all areas while coaching up the talent that they have had. The prospect of improved talent bodes very well for the future. That is when you will see more consistency - when the kids don’t have to always play close to their max potential to win because of a talent deficit.

By Glenn

October 26, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this

Once again, I think it is okay if Matt asks the recruits if they have heard the rumor of Chan’s firing at the end of the season and if it would impact whether they would keep their pledge to the team. I guarantee that the coaches recruiting against Tech will be happy to share this rumor with these kids every chance they get so it is nice to know what they are saying.

I admit that it would be nice/common courtesy for Matt to tell the recruits that it is only an unsubstantiated rumor that has been denied by the University, AD, and Coach, but he doesn’t work for GA Tech.

I did read where Grant was just listed as out for probably 6-8 weeks (effectively the rest of the year) with the leg injury so it looks like Evans, Dwyer, and Cox and going to have to carry the load and Bennett will have to take more chances with his passing game.

By gator the dog catcher

October 26, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this

Moreno is intimidating, just look at his picture Knowshon Moreno

By YeOldeMtnWuss

October 26, 2007 2:49 PM | Link to this

Mtn Wasp, I’ve seen your font. I would be outraged too. Now, go on back to your circle jerk.

By ArkyTech

October 26, 2007 2:52 PM | Link to this

OK, so today we find out Rashaun Grant is out for the year. Instead of this, our beat writer is currently on his third blog about something Dennis Dodd said last week - a guy who is known to make outrageous statements and has little credibility.

No wonder Tech fans have a chip on their shoulders!

By Fire Chan Gailey!

October 26, 2007 2:53 PM | Link to this

Here’s hoping the rumor turns out to be true!

http://www.firechangailey.com

By Tom

October 26, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

Profanity and insults……..the last refuges of the cerebrally-challenged. Must be an ‘offer.

By North Ave Pimp

October 26, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this

WHY & WHY part 2 u sound gay, Matt its pretty cool that we can exchange thoughts with the actual writer of the blog. Awsome blog as well, look how bad it seem’s to be getting under every one’s skin. FIRE GAILEY, FIRE GAILEY!! whatever it cost$$$

By Chantice

October 26, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this

I agree with Matt, Chan should stay. We can’t do better. With Chan, at least we know we are going to have 7 great Tickle Piles a year.

By son_sir

October 26, 2007 3:40 PM | Link to this

To a high school kid, a call from an AJC writer regarding an Internet rumor implies validity of the story to the recruit. Especially when that call comes from the school’s beat writer, who is suppose to have all of the facts straight before he makes the call.

By GT

October 26, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this

I tell you what if they decide to fire Chan it should be because they have something better up their sleeve, so stop the drama this could be a good thing. After Gailey’s little flirtation with the pro teams last year how can anybody worry about a third party nut ball writer blowing up recruiting. It was pretty well proven last year that people come to Tech despite Chan not because of him. Hell some left because he decided to stay There have been games when I thought Gailey was not in the stadium then about the fourth quarter or half way through the third, something starts stirring like it just woke up and there is Chan sleepwalking on the sideline heading to the Gatorade.

By TampaJacket

October 26, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

Thank you, Matt, for damaging the recruiting of a team you are supposed to be supporting and writing about.

Are you sure you don’t have an ID on BBuzzoff?

By Chantell

October 26, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this

Chantice, I must agree. Chan is the man, and 7 tickle piles a year is fabulous.

By Dave

October 26, 2007 5:37 PM | Link to this

Matt, acting like Georgia fans?

Run an article with interviews from UGA recruits who commited elsewhere and ask if the constant string of UGA player arrests and suspension affected their decision.

You’ll quickly notice a difference in fan bases. You don’t have balls to run that story.

By Gailey Can't Coach

October 26, 2007 6:44 PM | Link to this

GT: ROTFLMAO!!! So TRUE! Chandler Gailey has to be the most UNINSPIRING Head Coach ever dumped on a stadium’s sidelines.

And why don’t all of you Chan-Huggers grope and fondle each other while Tech Football goes up in flames?!?! Frank is a paid shill who is LYING. The truth is:

GT Athletics was plunged deeper and deeper INTO RED INK because Chandler Gailey has CONSCIOUSLY ALIENATED a larger percentage of the Tech Fan Base than even Bill Lewis could alienate unconsciously. Gailey is a CANCER ON TECH ATHLETICS and the ONLY way to reverse the damage he AND HE ALONE has done is to SURGICALLY REMOVE HIM…Mid-season or end-of-season firing — It doesn’t matter…Healing and forward progress can only start in a Post-Gailey Age.

PROOF: How EMBARRASSING is it that nearly EVERY SPORTS PAGE at ajc.com and ramblinwreck.com has HUGE ADS for GT vs VT tickets because Grant Field can’t even sellout less than 1 week before a nationally-televised Thursday night conference game?!?! Get it???

People are TIRED of Chandler Gailey. People are TIRED of NEVER finishing in the Top 25 under Gailey. People are TIRED of Gailey NOT DEVELOPING TALENT (or worse in the case of Reggie Ball’s regression). People are TIRED of watching Gailey’s Bonehead Coaching Clinic where there’s NEVER A GUARANTEED WIN if there’s still time on the clock and Gailey on the sidelines. Maybe you prefer the EMBARRASSMENT of Gailey’s VERY PUBLIC NFL-ANYONE PLEASE HIRE ME AWAY FROM THIS PLACE CAMPAIGN last year. Or Gailey’s FAILURE to oversee the Academics of 2 Senior Players where his own precious Reggie Ball flushed his academic career while CLUELESS GAILEY plotted his escape from the Tech Campus???

Gailey can’t beat UGA because even when they TRY to give him a win, Gailey plays hot potato and throws it back in the closing moments…Gailey ADMITTED he couldn’t motivate his players for the ACC Championship Game last year where his offensive wizardry couldn’t even muster a single TD. Then Gailey PUNTS THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP TO GROBE on 4th down with 2 minutes to play AFTER asking his Players for their best and AFTER GT practically BEGGED Tech Fans to make the trek to J’ville…This is the Chandler Gailey Tech should be proud to have as Head Coach? How about his FOLLOW-UP HUGE EMBARRASSMENT of Taylor Bennett/Calvin Johnson blowing out WV in the first half and then Gailey SHUTTING DOWN the offense to actually LOSE a game that looked like it would be impossible for even Chandler Gailey to lose.

Chill and Frank, you must be so proud of Chandler Gailey and his guaranteed 5 losses EVERY YEAR…And his masterpiece of making GT the intrastate whippin boy of UGA! Do you even remember what it was like to actually BEAT UGA in football???

Chan-Huggers like YOU are hurting GT more than you know. Those of us who want AND EXPECT more than Chandler Gailey’s annual mediocre product on the field VOTE with our $$$. And the LONGER he remains at GT, then the MORE of the Fan Base and their $$$ he will ALIENATE.

GT Athletics is BLEEDING RED INK and Chandler Gailey is RESPONSIBLE. The DEBT will only GROW along with the EMPTY SEATS until Gaiiley is PUNTED either back to the NFL or onto some other woeful campus.

By Joe Colvin

October 26, 2007 6:46 PM | Link to this

Matt, You made a big mistake and now you are trying to rationalize it.

If you wanted to generate a lot of critcal comments directed at yourself, you have sure succeeded.

Writing this article is losy journalism. The consitution gives you the right to write anything you want as long as your employer will put up with it. But, buddy, you have really taken the low road with this one.

By TamponJacket

October 26, 2007 7:33 PM | Link to this

I loves me some Hive tickle piles y’all. Go Chan Go! Yea! Yea! Kiss me fat boy!

By Joe Ja Tech

October 26, 2007 7:35 PM | Link to this

I, like Frank and MtnWuss, think this topic needs to be dropped and move on to the good journalism we have appreciated from Matt. Are we to believe that all UGAY players lay together on a regular basis (even though we’ve all seen the pictures), of course not. Go Jackets!

By Scooter

October 26, 2007 8:26 PM | Link to this

I,m hoping A.J. that you still come to Tech. It’s recruits like you that can make Tech a better football team. Josh Nesbit is going to be a heck a good QB. Last years recruiting class was a great start to turning the Tech program into a top 10-20 team and possibly even a bsc championship team. People are always bashing Chan but he hasn’t had quite the quality of players he now has coming to Tech. I’m still hoping come signing day You A.J. and the rest of the top recruits stradling the fence will fall Tech’s way. Don,t get caught up in all the BS rumors floating around. I’ve been a Tech fan since 1969. I was 10 yrs. old when I read an article about my alltime favorite Tech player “The Rock” Rock Perdoni. He was an allamerican nose guard for Tech. He’s allways symbolized Tech to me, undersized overachievers that never give up, they fight to the end.

By Wrek

October 26, 2007 8:50 PM | Link to this

Lighten UP! Thats your response to the Tech football fans?

My headline to you would be Get a CLUE!

By Are you Serious?

October 26, 2007 9:19 PM | Link to this

Matt,

I usually like your work, but this crosses the line. To rebut your argument, you were not investigating “has his blog had an effect?” You were actually trying to make it have an effect. This type of “create the news” journalism is infuriating. Spreading a rumor about a coach and asking how it makes them feel is COMPLETELY different from calling a recruit and asking their opinion on a school. The school actually exists and is not the figment of a blog.

So if you insist on your journalistic integrity, ask yourself a few questions Matt:

Q. Did you first check on the validity of the original blog BEFORE calling any recruits? A. No

Q. After calling our recruits, did you first explain that the blog was false? A. No

Q. Did you also throw in other negative hypotheticals which have no basis but that could have been found in blogs, like that we’re canceling the season? A. Probably would have sold more papers.

Q. Did you have the UGA beat writer call all of the UGA recruits and explain that several hundred fans on YOUR NEWSPAPER’S own website were also calling for their coaches head and ask their reaction? A. No

Q. Did you consider that by creating a story out of this that YOU are actually negatively impacting our recruits more than the original blog? A. Yes, b/c just like with the Falcons, this was your feeble attempt to CREATE news and sell papers.

Report the news, don’t make it.

By JustMe

October 26, 2007 10:48 PM | Link to this

Although I completely disagree with how Matt has handled his job, I do think that for Chan to leave at the end of the season is best for Tech.

The AJC, nor Matt, nor CBS, nor anyone should not start a rumor. They are supposed to report factual news and that is all. For Matt to call a recruit to ask them their reaction to a rumor is compiling this mistake. Matt should own up to his mistake.

Regarding Chan, I do hope that he is gone at the end of this year regardless of what happens with the rest of the games. If a kid cannot handle a coaching change, we don’t need them. Look at Boston College - their first year coach is doing just fine. The Tech quality recruit would care more about the football program, the academic program, the Tech education, etc. with the head coach far down on the list. Heck, the coordinators should be more important to the players because they are the ones more in contact with them.

Tech can do better than Chan. We need a head coach that actually earns that million dollar salary.

By TechCrybaby

October 26, 2007 11:12 PM | Link to this

Scooter is right. Coach Gailey, up till now, just hasn’t had quite the top players that some of the others have had - at least not enough of the good ones. Looks like now they’re coming, though. Gailey himself was recently quoted as saying that you do what you can do with what fits the material. Maybe that doesn’t explain ALL the conservative play-calling, just a lot of it. As much as anybody, I wish we had a passing attack. Here’s a bedtime story for you: My daddy started taking me to Tech football games when I was a little boy. He said, versus Georgia, “we’ve got to pull for Tech because they’re the LOCAL team.” But to me, and to others, he also said, “Tech plays Georgia, but has one arm tied behind its back, when it does.” He was talking about academics, of course. If we want to get bookish, the book about the SEC, “Bragging Rights,” says EVERYbody in the SEC cheats, when it comes to recruiting, and it tells what they ALLOW their recruits, and how little they require of them, academically (even if they happen to wander to class, it’s a crip, not calculus), and it seems nobody but the police cares how they behave in public. I want Tech to win, but Tech folks do have to make up their minds what they want. We’ve long had one redneck football factory in this state, and it’s one too many. By the way, it’s very old stuff: Charley Trippi, UGA’s almost-Heisman, never came to class for a whole quarter. I KNOW that, Charley, so sue me. Prof. Jan Kemp blew the whistle on the Dawgs in 1986. Since Saint Vincent was in on all the mess, he ducked out as coach in 1988. In contrast, poor, clean Bobby Dodd had had to battle with the SEC princes, and also with the Tech faculty eggheads, because both groups were mad that he was winning so much! I guess they got their way: Dodd beat UGA 12 times, losing 10. In 1963, Tech led the Tech-Georgia series by one game. Since the Dooley Revolution, Tech has beaten UGA 11 times, losing 32, and Georgia leads the series now by twenty-one games. Virginia Tech looms. GO JACKETS!

By jdbuzz

October 26, 2007 11:54 PM | Link to this

Bingo Serious. Matt took a step over the line from reporting the news to being an active participant in creating it. That’s where he was unprofessional.

By Buzz

October 27, 2007 12:36 AM | Link to this

Matt, would you care to comment on the blog that seems to indicate you like young boys?

If it is not true then should I call your wife and mom to see how they feel about their commitment to you …….

If it is true then should I call your wife and mom to see how they feel about their commitment to you …….

By m

October 27, 2007 7:25 AM | Link to this

There doesn’t need to be any coaching rumors. DRAD needs to FIRE Chan Gailey…TODAY. End of rumor…beginning of Tech football. Chan has destroyed Tech football….he has taken all the fun out of it. Fire Chan today…and get a real college coach that believes in playing to win.

By Jim 70

October 27, 2007 8:04 AM | Link to this

Give a good pro coach a bye week and they are usually pretty good, we’ll see what happens this Thursday.

He did extremely well last year vs WVU with extra time to prepare Taylor. IF he can pull off the same effort while losing his top two running backs, maybe more fans will jump on his bandwagon. Not sure if recruits read this blog, but if so, they probably have second thoughts on Tech due to the number of negatives - not by Matt, but by the ‘so-called’ fans.

Living in VA surrounded by the other tech fans, another victory over them would be sweet!

By Terry

October 27, 2007 8:52 AM | Link to this

Matt,

In my opinion, you and Mike are two of the better reporters that we have had covering Tech. Keep up the good work and don’t let bloggers like Frank get to you.

Frank is a UGA fan in disguise that wants to keep Chan. Heck, he even wanted to keep Bill Lewis.

Frank lives for mediocrity and loves to hear himself. He is one that follows the party line and says how nice the Emperor’s clothes are. 5 losses and the smurf bowl are good enough for Frank.

So keep writing, yes we like the positive, but we need to hear an objective point of view.

Go Jackets!!

By WFC

October 27, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this

Matt… I appreciate your good work. I’ve been a GT fan since 1960 (Stan “the man” Gann at QB.) I’ve never been better informed about GT football.

I’m not a big Gailey fan but recognize that he’s done some good work. If he would simply leave Bond alone (as he does Tenuto) I think we would be OK. However, as long as he continues to impose his south Georgia high school football (with some outdated NFL concepts thrown in) ideas, we are dooomed to disappointment. Former high school offensive coordinator here. Retired at long last!

By Techy

October 27, 2007 12:03 PM | Link to this

WINKLE you are an idiot.

By No Standards

October 27, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this

Matt you simply have no business spreading rumors to our recruits.

By Joe Colvin

October 27, 2007 2:01 PM | Link to this

Matt, If a Tech alumnus called a recruit, Tech would be placed on probation by the NCAA. The NCAA has these rules for a reason.

To bad there isn’t a way to keep reporters from interferring with the communication between a recruit and a school.

A response in the blog saying you were wrong and apologize to the Tech community would be nice.

By Chan Gailey

October 27, 2007 5:21 PM | Link to this

Guys, I don’t Mind Matt doing this…it actually helps me get my buyout much quicker so I can get fatter sitting in my lazy-boy recliner eating fried chicken and collard greens. I’d much rather WATCH football than COACH football…oh, wait a minute, I already WATCH football every Saturday…Can somebody fetch my box of chocolates?

By IWrecken

October 27, 2007 6:38 PM | Link to this

I really don’t care whether you call the recruits or not. You calling the recruits is not going to change what’s been going at w/Tech football since Chan arrived.

Mediocre football, no Top 25, no ACC Championship, NO BEATING GA, LESS FAN ENTHUSIAM, LESS ENERGY, LESS HIGH EXPECTATIONS, LESS CONCERN BY SOME FANS!!

The only good thing that can happen from here on out - Rad needs to let Gailey go, pay up and find ourselves and young up and comer like Coach Jags at BC who actually can coach, connects to the fans, recruits well and understands the importance of academics and who doesn’t play NOT TO LOSE!

By IWrecken

October 27, 2007 6:39 PM | Link to this

I really don’t care whether you call the recruits or not. You calling the recruits is not going to change what’s been going at w/Tech football since Chan arrived.

Mediocre football, no Top 25, no ACC Championship, NO BEATING GA, LESS FAN ENTHUSIAM, LESS ENERGY, LESS HIGH EXPECTATIONS, LESS CONCERN BY SOME FANS!!

The only good thing that can happen from here on out - Rad needs to let Gailey go, pay up and find ourselves and young up and comer like Coach Jags at BC who actually can coach, connects to the fans, recruits well and understands the importance of academics and who doesn’t play NOT TO LOSE!

By chris

October 27, 2007 9:07 PM | Link to this

I’ve googled my heart out, but I can’t seem to find firemattwinkeljohn.com

tech nation- i like that we’ve touched a nerve with this guy. cheers!

By Co Jones

October 28, 2007 3:28 AM | Link to this

Obviously Matt is compensating for having to go through life stuck with the name of “Winklejohn.” Go beg Tom Florio for a job.

By ramblin_wreck_ce

October 28, 2007 10:11 AM | Link to this

“Lighten up, Francis! You folks are acting like Georgia fans.”

I’m just glad you didn’t say that these nay-sayers were acting like the Georgia Coaching staff. Boy, that would have been tasteless!

By Matt_W

October 28, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this

Sorry for the delay folks. We’re still partying it up in Jacksonville. I’ll be back on the Jacket beat as soon as the hangover wears off. Also, I have to stop off and see a few recruits on the way back to Atlanta, so it may be a while. Matt

By MisterT

October 28, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this

Matt, just stay down in Florida or go directly to Athens. While many of us have grown tired of Chan, we don’t need you running off the few recruits we do have coming. Get lost!

By Navigator

October 28, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this

I don’t want to enter the fray as to whether Tech should keep Gailey or not. However, I want to point out a fact that keeps getting missed in these discussions. Tech won 8 ball games before Gailey got here, and has averaged no better during his regime. If Tech is going to let him go, they had better have a good coach already set to come in (officially or not). If they do, Tech will be no worse than the years he has been here. If tech’s AD wants Tenuta to stay no matter, then he needs to extend his contract now.

By Pitbull

October 28, 2007 7:40 PM | Link to this

Folks, I agree with Matt. I think you are overreacting regarding Chan’s record and he should be retained as Tech head football coach throughout the remainder of his contract.

By Chantice

October 28, 2007 8:42 PM | Link to this

If we can get these recruits to attend a Tickle Pile they are ours.

By GreenJacket

October 28, 2007 9:38 PM | Link to this

The way UGA celebrated their first touchdown yesterday, the new name for the UGA/UF game should be the World’s Largest Tickle Pile Party.

By wes

October 28, 2007 9:53 PM | Link to this

Any recruit half way smart enough to come to Tech isn’t gonna worry about inter blogs……he’s gonna visit the schools and make his decision based on that, possible play time and so on….. not rumors.

By Bobby Dodd

October 28, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this

It’s this simple folks…If anyone knows this Winkle fellow…simply throw pizza, coke, etc. on him and he will eventually go find another team to write about and hurt. I’d like to personally meet him and let him judge whether words hurt worse than what he needs…

By scooter11

October 29, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this

If you throw pizza and coke on him, don’t you follow that with tickets to the game?

By jollygoodfellows

October 29, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this

Let’s keep Chan as HC and hire Bobby Petrino as Asst. Head Coach and OCC with a salary on par with Chan, like the George and Ralph arrangement. Begin planning for the future today! When and if Chan decides to move on or retire in the years ahead, then the transition is in place. Take a page from FSU, they are planning for the transition, it’s not going to be shock and awe when Bowden leaves, it shouldn’t be when Chan leaves, which shouldn’t necessarily be anytime soon (cf. Frank’s comments). Problem is, would Petrino take it? Has to be better than the Falcons, and his attack spread offense would work great on The Flats.

By shivas

October 29, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this

2 words: Norm Chow!

By firechangailey.com

October 30, 2007 8:57 AM | Link to this

While I don’t agree with what Matt did, I don’t think he was so wrong. Some of you Chuggers (Chan Huggers) need to see the light. You have your head way to far up Chan’s part where the sun doesn’t shine! Does it smell like roses?

http://www.firechangailey.com