AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > February > 12
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Man, my brain is raining!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s been a while, but I’m feeling a whole lot better and that’s bad for those who think I get paid by the word (I really, really wish). I’ll go easy, though, and stick with quick thoughts, minimal depth. We’re skimming rocks across the top today, not dropping anchors.
Hoopsters have to close 6-2 and win at least one in the ACC tournament to have NCAA tournament life, or go 5-3 and go to the finals of the ACC. That still might not be enough. If that 6-2 includes a win at Duke, though, odds go up.
Say what you want about Tech’s tough schedule, but the Jackets are paying the steepest price right now for losses to much lesser lights than Indiana, Kansas, UConn or UNC. The drops to UNC-Greensboro, Georgia and Florida State (which was, remember, way undermanned when in town) are still stuck in the throat. No way to wash those clunkers down; they’re like balled-up barbed wire in the esophagus. Winthrop is a decent team, and that was at a neutral site. UNC-Greensboro at home? And Georgia is terrible. Those two games more than any other haunt.
Toughness wasn’t the problem at UConn Saturday. Having to be tough as nails over and over and over was. The Jackets mucked up their season so badly over the first 16 games (7-9) that each game since has carried enough extra weight that Tech has been like a fighter with days off between brawls instead of months. Never mind the bumps and bruises; not enough time to ice the old brainpan between throwdowns. Every game so critical. So with a little less than 7 minutes left at UConn, the Jackets became the rubber band that was stretched too far for too long. Snap! That wasn’t physical (although getting crushed on the boards was). It was mental. You can only stay wired so tight for so long.
Moe Miller will be pretty good next year. He’s getting tougher, which is most important. I personally don’t see Iman Shumpert playing point guard. I see Miller at PG, Shumpert and Bell at the wings, Lawal and Peacock down low. Clinch and Storrs off the bench on the wings, Alade and Dickey backing up in the post. Sheehan?
Backup PG? TBA. That’s a development to be developed.
On football, JC Lanier is a heck of a way to start for next year. In 2009, there will be about 27 new Jackets. A coupla early enrollees who will count against 2008, and then the max for the ‘09 signing class.
“We’re definitely going to sign 25 next year,” said recruiting coordinator coach Giff Smith. “We had 23 [scholarships] this year, and after the coaching transition we were not just going to take kids to fill extra spots.”
So the Jackets signed just 20. They’re holding for Terrelle Pryor and others.
Just kidding, although Pryor listed Tech long, long ago on his list of possibilities. I remember asking one of the alleged recruiting experts about that (Pryor had like 11 schools on his list when I saw it many months ago), and I was told, ‘Don’t believe anything until he sets foot on campuses, including unofficials.’ Good advice, I guess. Who knows, though? He could end up anywhere and I wouldn’t be surprised.
Paul Johnson may recruit preferred walk-ons more actively than Chan Gailey. Hard to say yet.
Lady hoopsters are on the rise, but clearly not yet in the cut with the elite. That’s not an indictment; just fact. At least they’re in the same room these days. Not long ago, they couldn’t get in the building.
Anybody ready for baseball?
Later,
Matt
