AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > August > 03 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBonus Blog! Come ‘n get it
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TokyoJacket (a blog responder, for those making initial contact),
I know a cat who lives in Tokyo, which I visited with the Falcons a few years ago by the way. While there, I loaned three intoxicated players — one still with the team — 800 yen when I ran into them in “Electronics City,” or whatever it was.
Imagine that, me loaning three NFL players dough.
Speaking of dough, and Tokyo … I know a dude who lives in T-town (hah; what are there, 10 million people there?). I’ve met him several times through a Tech contact. Get this: I first met him when Tech played basketball in Hawaii, then when Tech played in the NCAA tournament in Chicago, then when Tech played last fall in the Virgin Islands.
He doesn’t make all away games, but he makes some good ones, huh?
Filthy rich, eccentric, smart as hell, takes all kinds of exotic trips and involves his friends frequently … and he just turned 32. A Tech grad you should all be proud of, even if he makes his money in a unique way (don’t ask; I’m not telling).
BTW, love that train from the Narita airport to the city. Muy fast, the likes of which we may never seen in the U.S., unfortunately, for so many reasons.
But I digress.
New uniforms? Jerseys, OK. Pants, yuck. Wanna see the other color scheme(s).
Now, the good stuff. Darryl Richard is impressive on every level on which I’ve encountered him.
I asked him yesterday: what’s the difference in the team’s approach entering a season facing reduced external expectations (What’s the average prediction for Tech to finish? Third or fourth in the division? Somebody thinks the Jackets are the ninth-best team in the ACC.) with a lot of youth versus entering a season with loftier expectations like last season (coming off ACC title game with a lot of returning players).
Whoa, just blew a lot of words there. Wish I was paid by the word, as some assert.
Anyway, D-Rich, knocking it out of the park:
“This game involves psychology. No matter how much you try to act like it’s just played on the field, you [coaches] have to be able to get into the minds of players and use it to your advantage.
“Outside pressure can push a football team one way or another. You learn to temper expectations when they’re really high, and when they’re low … you try to keep a steady tempo of work no matter what people on the outside are saying.
“When people are saying good things about you, you have to use that as motivation … can we beat those expectations? When people are saying bad things about you, are you going to use that to pick the team up? Can you prove them wrong?”
Darryl on coach Paul Johnson: “You’re going to know how coach Johnson feels. It won’t take you by surprise. That’s something you have to respect. One thing about coach Johnson, he’s going to be vocal. He’s going to let you know if you know if you’re doing something right or wrong.”
If only everybody was like Darryl Richard, a Tech treasure to be sure.
LT Andrew Gardner was talking about the difference in line play this year. Simply put, they’re going forward more, and chasing people down. The most notable difference from the stands will be in pass protection. Forget watching guys retreat and “catch” rushers.
DE Michael Johnson has longed to play what football insiders call the “9 technique,” where DEs spread outside the tackles (sometimes by a yard or two), and just go hells bells. If he stays healthy, he’s going to be unreal. Not meant to play in closed quarters, that guy. Meant to play like John Abraham, or Charles Haley. Freak.
B-back Jonathan Dwyer was asked about whether he patterns himself after anybody, which, of course, is a stupid question (it wasn’t mine). How many elite athletes “pattern” themselves after anyone. Nonetheless, Tech fans will probably love his answer. He said Adrian Peterson.
Not bad. All that guy did while playing for Paul Johnson at Georgia Southern was set the NCAA career rushing record, and about one thousand other records.
I know we had two flowery columns in the paper today about Paul Johnson (Bisher and Bradley), yet I find these comments from Gardner a couple weeks ago just as interesting:
“Coach Gailey was more like what I would call a pro-style guy where he would expect you to act like an adult and take care of yourself. If you didn’t, you’d have more rules. You wouldn’t have a class check if you had a high GPA and that sort of thing. You could earn freedom by proving yourself.
“Coach Johnson is more of an old-school college coach where everybody is on the same rules. He’s on top of you more. He has more rules. He’s more involved.”
Later.
Matt
P.S. I’m not scheduled to do much in the near future, other than write one day live this coming week and blog daily. I’ll be around, though, and working on long-range stories.
Services »
Comments
By BlackJacket
August 3, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
Matt,
You have been nothing short of EXCELLENT since your vacation. Please don’t stop bringing the heat in your columns. I was estatic when I learned that you would be covering the Yellow Jackets.
One Question: Why don’t give more love to Nesbitt? He has been the best passer in practice. Its not been close in any regards. You seem to shy away from giving him the credit he deserves. Unless something bad happens, this QB battle is OVER!!! It’s never been a battle.
BTW. The Falcons haven’t been truly covered since you left that beat.
By Mike
August 3, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this
Matt,
I enjoy reading your work. Some Tech people trash the AJC but your work is worth the read every time!
Thanks.
By old gold engineer
August 3, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this
Great stuff Matt. I appreciate your coverage of GT. I’ve had football season tickets for the past 8 years. Perhaps I’m overly critical, but I don’t think any of those teams played up to their potential. Now, I can’t help believing that will not be an issue with CPJ. Sounds like he knows what it takes to win and will ensure that his team performs accordingly.
I don’t understand the uproar over the new uniforms. Periodic uniform changes are a fact of life at GT since I began following them closely as a freshman in 1980. If the team wins, who cares. Hopefully, the players like the uniforms and that will add to the psychological side of the game as explained by Mr. Richard.
By Mr Yellow Jacket
August 3, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this
Those uniforms will look great at the Emerald Nut Bowl this year.
I hope we do not play Fresno State again though.
By StingerSplash
August 3, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this
You sure Dwyer meant the original AP, the alltime career rushing leader in Division I history, and not the AP for the Vikings?
By Earl
August 3, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
At least the new uniforms look better than the prison uniforms that the UGA players are wearing this week. It was good to see their team come together and stick up for Stafford when he was caught spooning his deep snapper in the club this weekend though. Hopefully Richt will have some discipline and kick those third stringers off the team so they will learn a lesson.
By Matt Winkeljohn
August 3, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this
Yes, Dwyer was referring to the earlier Adrian Peterson, as he referenced AP playing for coach Johnson.
Disagree on the Booker vs. Nesbitt comparison.
I think Calvin’s had his problems running the offense. He has not had problems throwing the ball.
I certainly have no problem with Josh, and don’t mean to come off that way. I believe he’ll be the starter, and by a comfortable margin. But to my eye, he has been inconsistent throwing the ball.
Thanks for the feedback.
Ah, the Falcons. Can’t say I miss ‘em.
By BravesFan79
August 3, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this
Im still more of a TRUE GT fan than you Matt…and could write a better column. In fact the AJC should give me your job… especially during basketball season! Common man you actually thought LSU was a bigger powerhouse than GT in HOOPS?? WTF!!
By cooter
August 3, 2008 5:49 PM | Link to this
Matt I have really enjoyed your coverage of the Jackets. Tell me the rumor is just a rumor.
By BlackJacket
August 3, 2008 10:04 PM | Link to this
The problem with falcons left…. or so I thought.
We’ll find out more about the offense tomorrow. I don’t think we’ll be able to run against our DL. I think we’ll be able to pass the ball pretty well though.
By GT80
August 4, 2008 12:02 AM | Link to this
Every comment about the unis has been that the pants suck. If even the players think so then they must. Tech fans, let DRad know what you think. He listened and went back to white jerseys and gold pants, so maybe he will listen and get the message that when we said we wanted to go back to the traditional unis we meant the traditional gold pants. I agree with the others that said the best college (or all football) unis are the traditional ones.
By hmmm
August 4, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
Matt, what’s with all the teeny bopper, rap thug language? I know a cat?— Is this 1957 all over again? Muy fast?— Do you write for the Guadalajara Journal-Constitution or the Central Junior High student paper? I know a dude who lives in T-town?— Yo bro, what be happenin, les go rob us some yac stoes. At least write something that shows you actually received a journalism degree. You did get a degree didn’t you? In closing I must agree about the new uniforms, not uni’s, they are terribly ugly and put Tech in the fashion league of VTech, Miami, Oregon, or some under 12 girls softball league.
By Matt Winkeljohn
August 4, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this
Hmmmm, indeed.
Different way of doing things on a blog. It’s very 21st century.
Thanks for the attempted insults, though.
By Tony
August 4, 2008 1:51 PM | Link to this
Matt— when is your last day?
By Matt Winkeljohn
August 4, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this
TBD
By Phil
August 4, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this
Yes, Matt - in the future, please do not use “slang” talk, and craft all your future missives as if you were writing the King James Bible. In fact, please hand write it and mail us each a letter on paper instead of this fancy “blog”.
In all seriousness, I enjoy your updates - keep them coming.
By m
August 4, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this
Chan Gailey could suck a football through a garden hose. He made Linda Lovelace look like an amateur. Thank God and Greyhound that he is gone…FOREVER!!!
By RK
August 4, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
Matt,
I understand you are leaving…best of luck to you whereever you end up. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog, and hope that whoever takes it over will be able to meet the standard you have set.
By In The Ghetto
August 4, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this
As the smog smells
On a cold and gray Atlanta mornin’
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries
‘cause if there’s one thing that she
don’t need
it’s another hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto
People, don’t you understand
the child needs a helping hand
or he’ll grow to be an angry young man
some day
Take a look at you and me,
are we too blind to see,
do we simply turn our heads
and look the other way
Well the world turns
and a hungry little boy with a runny nose
plays in the street as the cold wind
blows
In the ghetto
And his hunger burns
so he starts to roam the streets at night
and he learns how to steal
and he learns how to flight
In the ghetto
Then one night in desperation
a young man breaks away
He buys a gn, steals a car,
tries to run, but he don’t get far
And his mama cries
As a crowd gathers ‘round an angry young
man
face down on the street with a gn in his hand
and
In the ghetto
As her young man cries,
on a cold and gray Atlanta mornin’,
another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
By thanks
August 5, 2008 12:58 AM | Link to this
Thanks for everything Matt. As far as the pants go, I think they would look good if they had the traditional stripes down the side instead of whatever they have now. The color is old school and I like it, but the thin stripes have to go.
By chio
August 5, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
About the uniforms. Let it go. New coach, new uni’s, new scheme. If the Jackets win, the uni’s will the best thing to happen since the coming of O’Leary.
White tops, gold bottoms, gold hats, it’s a start.
Toe meets leather in 24 days!!!!
By ламинат
August 13, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
gzf Een plaatje zegt alles, toch ? qhc Het volledige rapport is hier te vinden. Lees natuurlijk b de blogposting. b g Thanks for interesting post! caf ламинированный парке 7w