AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 31 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USArmy stiff-arms Tech, etc.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s kind of hard to know what to think about Army opting to cancel its game with Georgia Tech next year — AT ARMY! I was looking forward to that trip, and I imagine quite a few fans were as well. West Point is supposed to be one of the great venues in college football.
Apparently, Army officials have decided that consecutive games against schools from major conferences (the Black Knights were to play at Texas A&M the game before Tech; two weeks earlier) has left them with a high number of injuries that are damaging to the “athletic and military careers” of the cadets, according to a letter from the Army AD to Dan Radakovich.
Hmmm. I wonder if Army had a similar option to cancel out of its trip to Texas A&M instead? Or maybe the Black Knights actually stand to make more money from that trip than from a visit by Tech? I dunno at this point. Strange, though.
Army routinely schedules BCS schools. They have the Texas A&M game, a game with Vanderbilt, a home and away with Ohio State, games against Notre Dame, and others in coming years. I don’t know if other games are in danger or not.
Scheduling is a strange thing. Ohio State is/was to play Army in 2009 and 2010, and Southern Cal in ‘08 and ‘09. Why Ohio State would go to Army I don’t know.
Moving on, Tech may learn good news on a few recruits in the next few weeks, and they will have a slew of prospects on campus for the Georgia game.
I think Jamaal Evans is going to be better than a lot of folks might expect Thursday night against Virginia Tech. Dwyer, too. I just have a hunch, no great insight.
If I were a betting man, I’d suggest that the game will come down to special teams and/or defensive scores. I don’t think either offense is going to get rich against the opposing defense.
Now, as for graduation rates … some folks suggested a few weeks ago that a better measure of student-atheltes’ progress would be to measure their graduation rates against the student body at large. Now that information is available, and it’s not very good news. I was surprised to learn that 77 percent of the 2000 freshmen at Tech went on to graduate in six years. That number is high, considerably higher than several ACC and SEC schools, which given the difficulty of Tech caught my eye.
The gap backward to student-athletes graduating in six years, 55 percent picked up their degrees, was large, the largest in the ACC. That surprises me, too. I figured Tech would have a lower overall graduation rate because it’s so tough, and the gap between athletes would therefore not be so large.
I wonder how this will impact academic support systems at Tech?
Matt
Comments
By gator the dog catcher
October 31, 2007 2:49 PM | Link to this
What every UGAY fan is asking for this Christmas. UGAY Gift
By JACKETS FAN
October 31, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this
Good news for GT football: you’re too tough for Army, they’re too afraid of getting hurt to play you (on their own home turf no less).
Bad news for national security: your Army has become such a bunch of p*ssies that they are afraid of GT. Somewhere a terrorist is smiling.
I’d be interested to know what the actual cadets think of this. I’m sure they will not be very happy about the way they will be painted after this.
By Dawg the Gayturd Catcher
October 31, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this
Gator—Trying to make some friends on the Tech board? Or are you another Tech fan who just happens to like the Gators?
Don’t need a time machine this year: 42-30
Get ready Tech, 7 in a row!!
Pit Bull Tech VT 21 Terrorist Tech 7
By JACKETS FAN
October 31, 2007 3:50 PM | Link to this
Gator fans and Dawg fans on the Tech blog. I guess the police blotter must be broken, so you guys are bored, not able to track your players activities.
gator the dawg catcher,
You lost. Enough said.
Dawg the Gayturd catcher,
Don’t you have to go jump up and down in the break room to celebrate the extra box of donuts that your boss left you today or something? Are you looking forward to tearing down the goalposts on Saturday when UGA gains a first down for the first time?
By fred
October 31, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this
This stuff about not being able to run a respected academic institution plus a TRULY TOP-TIER ATHLETIC PROGRAM is nothing more than “covering your rear” by leadership. I was Pres. of a respected company—-quality products—-a company that also competed quite effectively for $$$ volume with the “big boys”.There are only so many blue chippers’ heads that can fit into one team and still maintain winning, unselfish chemistry. Once leadership has made “A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE” in every area of a school/institute, and all “buy-in”, then it can/will happen. It is simply self-imposed mediocrity, a C- attitude and general “bunk” to go through life with low, LOW expectations (unless leadership sets its own goals, which is probably the sad case at Tech). Life is too short—-go for excellence in academics and athletics and you will increase the odds of achieving both. Success is beautifully contagious, while “average” has never motivated any winners I know. Tech alums: GET OFF YOUR DUFF AND DEMAND A’s in ATHLETICS and the CLASSROOM!
GO JACKETS!!!
By old gold engineer
October 31, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this
I think GT’s offense continues the recent trend of mixing things up and running the ball effectively resulting in a two-touchdown plus victory for the home team: unless the coaches shut down the scoring prematurely.
By Marietta Dawg
October 31, 2007 5:28 PM | Link to this
Any thoughts on who Tech will pick up to replace Army? We just went through the same thing and picked up Central Michigan. Maybe they can stay down south for an extra week!
By GTA
October 31, 2007 5:43 PM | Link to this
I’m looking forward to see Evans and Dwyer get the bulk of the carries on Thursday. I agree with you that they can get it done and will surprise people. One thing I wasn’t too happy about was Evans getting the start because of seniority. If Evans is a better player than Dwyer, then there’s no problem there. I don’t really know how the two stack up against each other, but I thought the coaching staff is supposed to do their job and put the best 22 guys out on the field at any given time on offense and defense. Either way, Good luck to Dwyer and Evans tomorrow night, we’re gonna be running them into the ground thanks to our sub-par passing game and their really good secondary.
By Joey
October 31, 2007 5:51 PM | Link to this
The way Tech is coming on, would not be surprised if Georgia pulls out next!
By Chris
October 31, 2007 6:06 PM | Link to this
Joey,
Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’ll see how things go against Virginia Tech, then we’ll start looking better.
Really wish our receivers could have had better hands over the season. They’ve been dropping balls left and right. Taylor isn’t exactly hitting them in the numbers, but he’s throwing balls that damn well should be caught for the most part. I don’t know if it’s a coaching thing or a lack of effort on the receivers’ part, but it needs to get fixed.
By Go Jackets
October 31, 2007 8:00 PM | Link to this
Is Louisville still looking for a match?
By yellowblood
October 31, 2007 9:40 PM | Link to this
Army stiffs GT??? I wish!!! I was looking foward to the Tickle Piles attended by the Cadet’s. Talking about STIFF.
By john235
November 1, 2007 4:15 AM | Link to this
Did anyone hear Chan’s comments on 790 about the UGA game being “just another game”? Huh? I thought it meant something more to our football program. Either it’s lack of prespective or he can’t admit it’s bigger since he is 0-5 in “just another game”!!!!!!!!!! ATTITUDES MUST CHANGE TO SUCCEED!!!!!!!!
By GT
November 1, 2007 7:38 AM | Link to this
Does anybody really care about the graduation rate? It sounds good but the second a Miami or FSU tones down it’s thug machine to at least look legitimate the press is out of town writing about someone else and other conferences are superior. The real joke is that Tech might be a football factory. God I wish those words were true.
By BuzzFactor
November 1, 2007 8:53 AM | Link to this
I have a good gut feeling on this game tonight as well. I few break away runs may be the difference.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing ‘Go Jackets’ on the Louisville situation. Maybe we could get that scheduled.
By mike
November 1, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this
Might be a good time to schedule Georgia Southern. I agree about Evans tonight.
By CV
November 1, 2007 9:45 AM | Link to this
Matt, I have a question about the graduation numbers. The numbers for students athletes state that the athlete has to graduate within 6 years. This includes if they transfer to another school. My question, does the 77% for general students work the same way? Does it include transfers to other schools as long as they graduate. I would be very surprised to see 77% of students that start at Tech actually graduate from Tech. What is that percentage? If that percentage is much lower it would show that Tech is very hard to graduate from, but at the same Tech accepts a high percentage of kids that go on to graduate from somewhere.
By Matt Winkeljohn
November 1, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this
CV,
Good question. Mike Knobler wrote the story, and has the date. Maybe he knows the answer. Mike?
Matt
By G. Patton
November 1, 2007 10:59 AM | Link to this
I usually don’t read the Tech blog because I’m a fan of major college football, but I had to respond to the jerk who calls herself JACKETS FAN.
With all due respect, miss, your characterization of the men who play football at the U.S. Military Academy is extremely insulting.
In case you missed it, generally speaking, the players at the service academies are smaller and slower than most of their opponents.
You don’t have to be an engineer to understand that this leaves them more susceptible to injuries on the football field.
Do you really think that the football players at Tech (or any other college, for that matter) are “tougher” than men who serve in our armed forces?
If so, miss, you are a fool.
Using your logic, which casts anyone who gets injured as a wuss, Tashard Choice must the biggest wuss of all.
In closing, I must add one more thing: grow up.
By JustMe
November 1, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this
I hope that we replace the Army slot with a school from the PAC 10. I would love for GA Tech to pick up a game across the Country that might get us more national attention. This will help in recruiting and also help in the polls.
By Captain Truth
November 1, 2007 12:05 PM | Link to this
They cancelled the GT game because no one cares about GT. If you’re gonna play a game against a school from a major, might as well make it school that has fans.
By A Proud American
November 1, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this
Only a Tech Fan like Jacket Fan would write “your Army has become such a bunch of p*ssies that they are afraid of GT. Somewhere a terrorist is smiling.”
These guys bust their hump in the military acadamies and then go risk their lives to serve in Iraq. And you have the gall to make that statement? No wonder no one in Atlanta supports Tech, and the rest of the schools hate you, although you are a perpetual loser.
By Gary
November 1, 2007 1:03 PM | Link to this
Tech fans need to focus on tonight’s Va Tech game, not next year’s schedule.
By Scott
November 1, 2007 1:08 PM | Link to this
I was looking forward to seeing the Point; games against the academies are always fun.
My two choices for who should go into the slot - Navy (we’re about due for another trip to Annapolis) or Cent Florida. I don’t think we have Navy slotted any time in the near future, which is odd.
Purdue would be a good change of pace - we never play the Big 10, and matching up with the Big 10’s engineering school would be very appropriate.
By Blue Fox
November 1, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this
Hey, this gives us fans an extra home game next year, regardless of who we plug into Army’s slot, what a deal! I’d shy away from Central Florida and O’Leary, ask NCSU!
By scooter11
November 1, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this
Go with South Florida.
By jabster
November 1, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this
The last thing anyone in the Edge Building wants is a game against George O’Leary…there was probably a collective sigh of relief when Ross retired at Army.
So you could probably count UCF out right now.
Some teams I would like to see Tech play:
-Auburn (natch) -Tennessee (haven’t played them since ‘86) -Florida (went by the wayside around ‘83-84 with the remaining SEC cleanout in the early 80s) -Tulane (a Tech regular in the SEC and independent days; left the SEC around the same time as Tech; a home-and-home in Nawlins would be fun) -Air Force (haven’t played this academy in a while) -Rice, SMU, TCU—one of the old SWC teams not in the Big 12
By Chris GT-EAS '07
November 1, 2007 1:40 PM | Link to this
-To A Proud American
Right. Because the opinion one jerkwad on the internet identifying themselves as a Tech supporter is indicative of the opinion of Georgia Tech fans as whole.
By that logical extension, every police officer, Native American, Construction worker, and Navy enlistee is gay because the Village People were gay and they identified with those professions through their dress.
People like them may p** you off. They bother me too. But you know what also bothers me? People like you who see one member of a much larger group spewing an offensive opinion (anonymously, I might add) and automatically attribute that person’s views to the rest of the group.
I bet you think all Indian people talk like Apu from the Simpsons, all black people love fried chicken, all Germans are nazis, and all French people act like Pepe Le Pew. Shall I go on explaining how you are completely, totally, 100% wrong in your assessment of Tech fans? I’ve got plenty more where this came from.
By JACKETS FAN
November 1, 2007 2:21 PM | Link to this
G. PATTON,
(Loved your movie by the way.) First of all, they didn’t cancel the game because any of their players GOT INJURED (as the cancellation notice came before the game two weeks ago). They cancelled it because they MIGHT GET INJURED by playing big schools two weeks in a row (which in itself is ridiculous because one of their players could get hurt on the first play of the season against a no-name team just as likely as against GT or Texas A&M or whoever they leave on their schedule). I don’t care if it was the Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, USC, Texas, LSU, Florida or whoever, that is the most sissy excuse I’ve ever heard of. If that’s the way Army feels, then they should cancel the football program altogether, or drop down to Div IIA. Second of all, I made a point of saying that I doubt the actual Army cadets/players would agree with cancelling a game for the reasons specified and would feel slighted in that regard. Do you suppose the reason I said that was a) because I think they are pansies or b) because I don’t think they are and that they wouldn’t like how this cancellation issue would make them look?
If I need to grow up, then you most certainly need to learn how to read for comprehension and get a sense of humor. Go slap yourself in the face and call yourself a coward why don’t you?
Proud American,
You, like General Patton here need to learn how to read and understand. What I wrote was to point out that the Academy is the one who is basically calling their cadets/players p*ssies, not me. I’d be fighting mad if I were a player at Army over this nonsense. Army should be taking on all comers, not backing down. Plus regardless of whether you acknowledge it or not, this kind of thing makes our armed forces look weak. Some jerk in Iraq could hear this kind of story and think, “well if they’re afraid of pulling a hamstring against GT by running around with a football, then they’ll be terrified of my RPG or IED.”
By JACKETS FAN
November 1, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this
Chris GT-EAS ‘07,
My opinion is offensive? Pointing out how ridiculous it sounds for the Army Academy to cancel a football game because they MIGHT get injured, is offensive? Well maybe in your world my friend. I would prefer that the institutions that ultimately protect our country didn’t make statements (like the ones in the cancellation letter) that make them look weak.
Anonymously? You must be Chris, of the North Hampton GT-EAS’07’s, right?
By AU 2004 NC
November 1, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha… Y’all techies are some of the dumbest smart people I know. ” Joey
October 31, 2007 5:51 PM | Link to this
The way Tech is coming on, would not be surprised if Georgia pulls out next!”
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha… Taylor Bennent is a joke. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Worse than Reggie Ball. The Dogs have beat you six in a row. How could you have anything to say to about them? Stupid.
By curious
November 1, 2007 3:04 PM | Link to this
Matt, Does anyone know whatever happened to Lawrence (Poppy) Marius? I know he left school. Did he end up at another school/program?
By A Proud American
November 1, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this
Hey Chris GT-EAS ‘07: what do you think of Tech now that JACKETS FAN has put down Army a second time (2:31 PM)? It says everything about Tech and your crummy attitudes. I hope you go 6-6 this year and end up on the blue carpet because a school that degrades our military deserves no better than that.
PS I would expect a Tech “man” to use the Village People for an example
By Chris GT-EAS '07
November 1, 2007 4:06 PM | Link to this
-JACKETS FAN
I suppose I didn’t mean that your opinion was necessarily offensive (yes, I do recognize hyperbole and sarcasm when I hear/see it). I said it mostly for the sake of making a point. The point being that the view/actions of one does not constitute the view/actions of the whole.
The anonymity comment was in regard to the fact that people on the internet often say things they wouldn’t say directly to another person face-to-face.
By yellowblood
November 1, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this
Let’s get back to a discussion of the Cadets and there STIFFIES. Can you imagine the Cadets at one of our Tickle Piles.
By Jay
November 1, 2007 4:54 PM | Link to this
I just looked and UGA doesn’t even offer a Navy ROTC program - what’s up with that? They must hate the Navy over there!
I’m not going to sit here and take Proud American saying we all hate the military because of the comments of one person (J-FAN), while his school continues to poke a finger in the eye of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.
Oh, BTW, it’s not Army Academy, it’s the United States Military Academy at West Point.
By Johnson is a Johnson
November 1, 2007 6:09 PM | Link to this
I really think the jackets are about to turn things around.
By TO HELL WITH GEORGIA
November 1, 2007 7:49 PM | Link to this
To the retarded Auburn fan, Reggie Ball lost to any cow colleges. In fact he was (2-0) against them & probably would have beaten them in 2004 as well. But they didn’t play anyone that year so will never know. So suck on that a while.
By StingerSplash
November 1, 2007 10:25 PM | Link to this
Another lackluster performance by the Jackets so far this evening. It all boils down to one thing — coaching. Gailey must go and so must the overrated Tenuta. Now. Radakovich cannot delay this. This is embarrassing for a team and a program that was expected to contend for the ACC title and a BCS bid. We’ll be lucky to even go to a bowl now.
By Ringleader
November 1, 2007 10:34 PM | Link to this
Maybe you need to look at what those degrees are
By AU 2004 NC
November 2, 2007 8:22 AM | Link to this
GREAT JOB TURNING IT AROUND LAST NIGHT!
By bob
November 2, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this
Win or lose army is a program with tradition. They need more talent. I saw them play against air force last year and that was a disaster. Tech is not that great either. Army could have won if they would have gone with bigger plays.