AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 21
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Here’s why Tech hates Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My theory: the Georgia Tech-Georgia football game matters more to Tech fans for several reasons, and high on that list are three factors — losing more than winning, being hugely outnumbered and the way Georgia fans behave.
I don’t think Bulldog fans are among the most obnoxious in college football, not that I’m an expert in that, and I have to say Tech fans have been some disgraceful moments themselves this season. All the throwing of junk on the field during the Boston College game, prompting the PA announcer to admonish the crowd, and the booing of Chan Gailey when he was on the big board a few weeks ago delivering an announcement about drinking and driving would count as low points for any fan base.
I use the word base because in each instance it wasn’t just a few fans, certainly not when booing that PA announcement. And the mess in the BC game was significant enough that Tech officials responded by apologizing to BC officials after the fact.
Tech fans are discomforted right now because (this is opinion-based): A. Their team is not living up to their expectations (or those of pundits) relative to the talent that was perceived to be on hand before the season; B. It’s been difficult to discern progress through the season, particularly on offense; C. Chan’s personality doesn’t sync up with the expectations of some fans; and D. With the re-structuring of the Tech fund, etc., and the need to pony up more $$$ for ticket rights, human nature has dictated greater expectations for return on investment regardless of what kind of talent level is on board.
But good luck trying to rationalize some of this fan behavior.
More to the point, it’s never easy being a minority, whether by race, religion or, in this case, the number of Tech alums in metro Atlanta/Georgia vs. the number of Georgia alums. Bulldogs fly their colors more typically than Tech fans, I think, and that’s a multiplying factor when combined with the greater number of Bulldog fans in the first place. The Dogs have the Jackets flanked. That doesn’t feel good.
Losing more than winning, well, that’s an obvious pain.
Add these last few facts together, combine them with the tendency for some — not all — Georgia fans to be especially quick to needle and jab (check this blog through the day, and I’m sure there will be evidence), and man, the whole thing is like being stuck in a hair suit in a heat wave.
There is no one solution, but the quickest and biggest step toward appeasement would be to win Saturday. I have a friend who is a Tech grad, and a fan, but not an over-the-top guy. Very level-headed. Loves fruit roll-ups. He said the other day a win over Georgia would make his year. That’s a big pronouncement for him.
And I get it. After suffering for years as an Ohio State fan when Michigan routinely kicked former coach John Cooper’s rump, I get it because I know first hand now how it feels when the whole thing turns the other way.
Matt
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