AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2006 > September > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USNo such thing as quality loss
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s no such thing as a good loss.
If you’re a Tech fan and you’re serious about GT being an upper echelon team in the nation or even in the ACC, then you must remove the words “good loss” from your vocabulary.
I’m not saying you can’t be proud of our team’s effort. I’m certainly proud of our effort. The Jackets showed tremendous heart and emotion on Saturday night. They played well and went toe-to-toe with one of nation’s best teams.
In particular: 1. Tech played with swagger. 2. Tech’s D subdued the best offense in the nation. 3. Reggie Ball was solid. He made smart decisions and ran the ball well. 4. Calvin was Calvin. There’s no better receiver in the nation. 5. Philip Wheeler was outstanding. That guy was everywhere on the field.
Ten years from now, you won’t be able to remember a single statistic from the game. You’ll only remember that we lost a close one in Bobby Dodd Stadium.
We have the makings of an outstanding football team this year. Don’t disservice the team by saying that this was a good loss. Winning is what matters and we came up short.
Comments
By GTGreg
September 6, 2006 03:48 PM | Link to this
It is encouraging to me that the post-game comments from the players seemed to echo exactly the same sentiment that you’re conveying. Now they’re going to play with swagger and a chip on their shoulder. I see big things in the near future for this team.
By gtgirl25
September 6, 2006 04:47 PM | Link to this
Absolutely! However when you lose a game like we did last year at VA Tech then again vs. Utah where we just gave up you have to find the good in this loss where there was no good in those losses. That being said either way you have to move on and that means: 1) Find a way to score more points and use more ball control(I can’t think of many teams where 10 is going to cut it, plus if you challenge the defense enough they are going to get tired and make mistakes.) 2) Improve special teams, specifically kickoff coverage (are you kidding me?)
By toemeetsleather
September 6, 2006 05:35 PM | Link to this
i think chan has the jackets headed in the right direction after a close loss to a top5 team….reggie doesn’t get that bad snap and who knows…a game of inches…all still well in jacketdom….by the time we go to athens will be on a roll and georgia will be coming off their annual losses to florida and auburn….GO JACKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!RULE!!
By Bobby Dodd
September 6, 2006 07:55 PM | Link to this
I am sick of the Gailey (and yes…even the O’Leary) years of saying “Yeah we lost but we sure played good!” We used to say it about the UGA and FSU games. Recently, it is a grab all of teams that has occurred roughly 2-3 times per year mixed in with a blow out or two. Thus, we finish with a 7-5 record. Notre Dame has not proven themselves to be #2 in anyone’s imagination other than the networks who love the ratings boost and the Irish faithful. Did we play a decent half of football? Yes. The first half! But we should have a) scored more points…why does an underdog play it safe and not attempt to score on third down? Why not a fade to Calvin in the hopes of a 14-0 score? Why did our secondary freeze and allow Quinn to run 12 yards while staring them in the eye for a 1st down right before half time? How did we allow ND to score from the four with a Quinn run? etc etc. Did we play a great first half? Not by a long shot!!! And the second half we were outplayed and outcoached! They mostly dominated the second half and completed like 6 of 8 third downs in the half while we were 1 of 7. And why couldn’t our veteran line get us first downs on third and one??? Against that average Defense? That certainly was not a Clemson, UGA, Miami, or Virginia Tech defense we faced and we only score 10! Wake up Tech fans and demand better!!! This just may be a LLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG year but thankfully we have Samford and Troy to get our optimism going.
By Davey
September 6, 2006 09:16 PM | Link to this
3 big wins in a row and the team should be cocky enough to take out those hokies.
By cynthia mckinneys hair dresser
September 6, 2006 10:31 PM | Link to this
Bobby Dodd was never as negative as this Bobby Dodd. Monday morning QBing is easy to do, but I’m still having 3rd and Goal, throw the ball to CLAVIN nightmares…then they change to Helmet to Helmet nightmares. If we have this good of a defense, then shouldn’t we be able to NOT be as conservative on offense? I think good things are in store for the rest of the season overall, and then we’ll have possibly our best recruiting class in a LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG time (to quote the Bobby Blog Dodd).
By Ramble ON!
September 7, 2006 10:25 AM | Link to this
I think Bobby Blog Dodd is a DAWG in disguise. I don’t recall Chan saying “Yeah we lost but we sure played good”, ever! You hear what you want, and if you don’t, well you make up these stupid quotes. Perhaps you’re a reporter for the NYT, or even Dan Rather (I didn’t know he was a GT or Dawg fan).
I agree with Ciny’s hair dresser, we got a great recruiting class coming in and the coaches and new AD are selling the School, City, and Program better than O’liary and anyone since the real Bobby Dodd was on the flats…well maybe Boss Ross.
By Truth Man
September 8, 2006 07:44 AM | Link to this
First off, that was not the best offense in the nation. As the season plays out we will all see that Notre Dame is not a top 10 team, maybe not top 20. Secondly, if all Tech’s offense has to offer in must score situations is gross quarterback draws and prayers tossed to Calvin, then it is going to be a long season. ND has NO defense. What are the noles, canes, and dawgs going to do to this group? Those teams have serious defenses. I smell a long season of complaining about Chan, Reggie, and Nix. Basically, a repeat of every other season at Tech.
By Andy Fritchley
September 8, 2006 04:17 PM | Link to this
Name one offense that has more weapons than the Irish.