AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > August > 03
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Bonus 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.
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
