AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 10 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USRandom Ramblings…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If this blog is random and incoherent…well…that was intentional…
Age:
I turn 38 tomorrow…which is mildly depressing when I stop to consider that I’m now much closer to 40 than I am to 30. When I was in my early-mid 30s there was at least an illusion of youth. Its funny how time flies by and gets lost. That 1998 drought breaker in Athens doesn’t seem so long ago, but it was. I’ll always fondly remember sitting in the student section for that one…
Women’s Hoops:
This past Friday night, I found myself taking my four year old daughter down to Tech campus to see the women’s hoops team throttle UGA. We had a blast. She got popcorn and enjoyed watching the band and cheerleaders and “girls playing ball”. I got to enjoy watching a close halftime score blossom into a substantial lead and a convincing win for the Lady Jackets.
Machelle Joseph is building something special. If you have kids and enjoy sports I highly suggest attending a women’s hoops game. It was $4 for adults and $2 for kids under 18.
I’m seriously considering making the GT vs UGA women’s basketball game an annual event for my daughters and I.
Men’s Hoops:
Coach Hewitt’s team is sitting at 5-1 with their only loss being by two points to a pretty solid Penn State team. The competition will get alot tougher when we start ACC play but right now the Jackets are playing hard and finding ways to win. We can’t afford any cheap losses early if we want to make a case for the NCAAs this year.
Coach Johnson and Auburn:
I was never worried about the rumors that Johnson might entertain the Auburn coaching job. In all honestly, Auburn is barely a lateral move from Georgia Tech. Seriously…not only do the Jackets own the Aubies after the two recent wins but that program is in shambles and is saddled with boosters than make Taz Anderson look positively benign.
ACC Championship in Tampa:
Tampa is a great city and destination but its a horrible location for the ACC title game. The fact that two of the most boring teams in the ACC ended up playing for the title was a double whammy to John Swofford. I find myself thinking that the ACC would have gotten a better match up if they’d put a higher quality of referee on the field during the regular season. That bogus helmet to helmet call against the Hokies early in the season effectively sealed the tie breaker that kept the Jackets home.
ACC Strength and Parity:
Ten bowl teams? A winning record head to head against the SEC? Sagarin’s #1 ranked football conference?
Consider that the ACC’s lowest rated team (Duke at #52) rates ahead of six (6!) SEC teams.
Where are all the talking heads and pundits who were bashing the ACC and lauding the SEC when the season started?
Even ‘ole Navy…without Paul Johnson…ranks ahead of seven SEC teams…
Peach Bowl:
Many Tech fans are excited about a bowl game that is within driving distance. The fact that we get to essentially stay “home” in the current economic climate is just an added bonus. Tech has already sold out its allotment of tickets and is asking for more.
And no…I will never call it the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Its the PEACH BOWL!
Bowl Attendence in General:
Is anyone else curious to see what the bowl attendence numbers look like this year? How many fans will be able to afford to travel? Will we see a reduction in numbers across the board?
Gators vs Sooners:
Florida fans who are already polishing up the trophy case may want to temper their enthusiasm a bit. The Sooners are going to score early and often on the Florida defense. We may see both teams score 40-50 points.
Comments
By 3 Rivers jacket
December 10, 2008 11:10 PM | Link to this
I do not see much hope for the ACc champ game unless Charlotte can pull it off in 2010.But you can have wether problems there. An alternative could be to play it on one of the particiapansts home field and let it rotate between the divisions or let the hightest ranked team get the home field. Of course there are a lt of problems with that but at least you would have a sellout each year. The ACC would still be a hard sell even if they were in the Dome if you did not have two hghly ranked teams but at least you would have a good chance of havingGT or FSU or Clemson in there sometimes. A Virginia v. BC game wuld not get it becuase of the distance and the small fan base that these teams especially BC has. It is radical but the only choice may be to play it on a home field. In any event i look for TEch to be there for the nect 2 years at least. i have been drinking the Kool Aid and it tastes real good.
By AlabamaRamblinwreck
December 10, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this
Chris:
Totally disagree with your analysis of the Nat’l Championship game. I agree that the SEC, below UF and UA, is very down, but the UF defense is fast and athletic. It is way more athletic than anything OK has seen this year. I believe that OK will not stop UF, but that UF will stop OK 2 out of 3 times.
We need to beat LSU to redeem the loss in the Peach Bowl years ago. Also, we have never won this bowl, so we need to put that behind us also.
Who do you think will be dumb enough to take the Auburn job? That group is the hunting club mafia over there, and I don’t think anyone can please that bunch. They have visions of grandeur, but they are experts in manure.
Go Jackets!!
By John
December 11, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this
Don’t disrespect the boosters who “meddle.” If it weren’t for people like that, we’d still have Chan Gailey instead of Paul Johnson. And Georgia would have made it 8 in a row.
By addicted
December 11, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this
@John - I don’t know how much of Mr. Gailey’s firing was a result of the ‘boosters’, as much as a result of the general Tech fan’s (esp. the students) disdain for him. The turning point was when he was booed by the entire crowd during the VPI game last year.
By Tokyo Jacket
December 11, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
Bamawreck, don’t get too serious about his UF/OU prediction. Florida has a prolific offense as does OU. If you think either team scores less than 30, you’re nuts! UF has crazy speed and OU has the most prolific offense since GT played Cumberland St.
I think the ACCCG is best suited for Charlotte. As little as anyone likes to admit it, our conference is based in North Carolina. It’s the geographic center of mass. Everyone can drive there. GT vs FSU next year will sell out!
Finally, read Dinich’s column on CPJ and how he’s NOT, I say NOT, a finalist for that crappy liberty mutual Coach of the Year award, even though he led the fan’s voting by a sizable margin. Total Crap! I guess our schedule wasn’t good enough because we didn’t get to play 6 teams that were not as good as Duke. At least LSU is close!
By Tokyo Jacket
December 11, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this
By the way, if we beat LSU, can we claim to be the only team undefeated in SEC play?
By AlphaDog
December 11, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
All you Techies need to be wary of LSU, they’re a headless monster. They have talent equal to any team in the nation, but have had no quality play from there QB’s and no real lighting rod of a leader on there defense, not saying they’ll win, but to discount them due to their record wouldn’t be wise.
By Correction
December 11, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
“my daughters and me”…
By Correction
December 11, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this
“my daughters and me”…
By jabster
December 11, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
TokyoJacket:
No, DUKE is also undefeated in SEC play. Ouch!
By GT in PA
December 11, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this
Move the ACC Fball Championship to Charlotte. Within a 3.5 hour drive for 7 out of the 12 ACC teams. Just like the ACC Bball Tournament in Greensboro, NC is a sellout everytime (the one in FL wasn’t) the NC teams will buy all the tickets ahead of time that are not allocated to the palyoff teams and then either attend or scalp. Either case it is always a sell-out and would always have more fannys in the seats.
By no dog
December 11, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this
To “alpha dog”: Thanks for another tired opinion about the superior “talent” in the SEC…first we heard MissState would have too much “talent” and “speed” for GT. Then we heard about the mutts “talent”…and now you are warning us to beware of the LSU “talent”…All of you sec kool-aid drinkers need to stop reading the crap put out by the recruiting services. The team that wins usually has the most talent, which means in the three cases mentioned here, GT had the most “talent”.
By John
December 11, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
addicted,
The boosters are the ones paying off Gailey’s contract (thanks Dave Braine), and enabling us to proceed with a coach who knows what he’s doing. It’s always popular to bash the boosters, but in the end, they’re usually the only ones who have the desire and willpower to force a change.
By ref
December 11, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this
Helmet met helmet. That is not bogus. It may not have been intentional, but it happened. And it was costly.
By Another Random Thought...
December 11, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
Boggs has only seen Tech beat Georgia 10 times in his entire lifetime. Now that’s depressing!!!
Happy B-day bro.
By Mark
December 11, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
Wake Forest is also undefeated in SEC beating Ole Miss and Vandy.
By uga newbie
December 11, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
to Another Random Thought - I have never seen Georgia beat Tech and it is even more depressing!
By AlphaDog
December 11, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this
no dog…
Wow, you’re gonna compare the talent level of Miss St to LSU’s. Thats one I never even thought of… I guess you’re right; i’ll never again make a case for a team being over confident.
So you’re saying it’s gonna be Tech in a blowout?
By BobinBuford
December 11, 2008 2:50 PM | Link to this
HB Chris - your present from the Jackets will be deilvered on the 31st.
As for Men’s Hoops, where would this team be without the kid from Oak Park-River Forest High School (my alma mater), Shumpert? I met him at the poster signing session before the UVA game. Very nice young man.
By ummmmmm
December 11, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
So you were 28 and still in the student section? That means you are either A.) A loser (a CREEPY loser). Or B.) You Tech guys aren’t as smart as you (desperately) try to make everyone else think you are.
By BobinBuford
December 11, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this
ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm:
Considering the game was played at the Clarke County Jail Auxiliary, I mean Sanford Stadium, there probably were a lot of non-students in the student section, since the tickets were probably mixed.
By NVJacket
December 11, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
AlphaDog is right. LSU is talented, but lack leadership. This usually equates to a lack of discipline which we have seen can be fatal against the TO.
Ref is right on the helmet ot helmet contact, but the film shows that Cooper Taylor was vertical and Tyrod Taylor was leading with his head to create the it. Referees would have never been questioned by VPI if there had been no call.
By NYJacket
December 11, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this
Good point NVJacket.
Why isn’t the helmet to helmet ever called on the ball carrier who lowers his head and shoulder?
This is usually a bogus call in today’s game.
It should only be called in case of a flagrant use of the helmet to initiate contact. Helmut to helmet is not much of a problem. But, a helmet into the chin will knock out a ball carrier and cause a concussion.
In the old days that technique was actually taught to defensive players and it worked.
By morgwreck243
December 11, 2008 6:29 PM | Link to this
I actually made the trip down to Tampa (it was an excuse to spend the weekend in Clearwater & Indian Rocks Beaches). It was nice, but I do agree that it does not need to be there again. They did a good job and a great setting, but for the ACC their problem is location. While Charlotte may not have the warm weather it does have location. Plus, most VT people didn’t make the trip because they wanted to save their money for Miami on New Years.
By acc v. sec
December 11, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this
So Duke, Wake and Tech are 5-0 vs. mighty SEC? not too shabby.
Also, you can detect a bit of satisfaction out of Ref’s last comment “it was costly”. It sure was, but please don’t rub it in. We will be back next year to win the VT game, and hopefully the refs. will give us a well called game.
By Sautee Dawg
December 11, 2008 6:55 PM | Link to this
Hey Boggs, get over the ref bashing, it happens in every game and always will. Funny though how close calls always seem to either stop a scoring drive or cause the continuance of someone eleses scoring drive. Thats why that holding call p** me off so much. Never get a holding call on 1st and 10 it’s always when you’ve completed the 3rd and 10 is when it’s called on ya. Ref’s have a bug up their AZZ after the celebration of the Ga-Fla. game last year and Dawgs won’t get a close call go their way for at least a couple of more seasons. This year proved it, 2nd most penalized in the country. So your helmet to helmet penalty is what kept you out of ACCCG? Getting beat at NC when you should have dominated them. Thats why you didn’t make it to the ACCCG.
By Tech OldTimer
December 12, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this
Weather problems in Charlotte??? Football is a game that was designed to be played outdoors! Some of us traditionalists love the variety of games that come with weather! Snow, Rain, beautiful fall days, frozen tundra…they each make the game unique and worth attending. Can you imagine a game in Green Bay without the idiots bare chesting the cold!
Why, oh why…did the Atlanta sports folks build a ridiculous dome for football? What so the ladies could enjoy an evening out? Makes a great convention center but terrible for true sports fans.
The ACC-CG should be in Charlotte where the ACC fan base resides. It is in close proximity to every member except Miami and BC. If the game fails to sell out in Charlotte each and every year…the ACC should disband the game rather than continue the mockery. Flip a coin toss or draw straws for the championship rather than having a game w/o anyone in attendance. And yes, I am an old Tech grad class of 66’. I love football and can’t wait for TECH to again play in the CG and go to the Orange Bowl but I also am amazed and disheartened by the lack of passion of fans from the ACC to attend the game regardless of location.
By Navigator
December 13, 2008 5:51 PM | Link to this
I also agree that Charlotte is to the ACC , what Atlanta is to the SEC. You need to give as many people a reasonable chance to see the game, as you can. Only two teams have a hike, BC and Miami, and BC has that problem no matter where it’s played. Anywhere in Florida is SEC country, period.
By GTpak
December 14, 2008 8:00 AM | Link to this
Prepare for LSU like it was UGA. I was at the 2001 bowl game, we led at half time I think 14-0 and thought we had it in hand. Final socre 28-14. LSU came out fired up and knocked our socks off.
Over confidence leads to poor play. Stay focused!!!
Beat LSU, but respect them.
Go Jackets!!!
By gtfan
December 16, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
congrats on the bd
By The Big Bug
December 16, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
GTpak, It wasn’t overconfidence that beat us, it was switch from Josh Booty to Rohan Davey. He won that game by himself.
By auburn51
December 16, 2008 4:36 PM | Link to this
With regards to the Auburn situation,what is even more destructive than the Auburn refusal to perceive reality and make the right hire is that only one man at that school wags the dog and makes these kind of decisions. The AD and the school president are only puppets to the little Napoleon named Bobby Lowder and until Auburn people rise up against this tyrant and remove him from influence this kind of insanity will only continue and worsen. Barkley’s comments are a step in the right direction but if Auburn people really want to change things they will have to go to their governor and legislature and apply the necessary political pressure to rid themselves of Lowder and his sycophants (Dye,Jacobs,etc.). Something is terribly wrong on the Plains and that something is the malignant tumor, Bobby Lowder. Do a Google search on Lowder and read what is there to see what I mean. Lowder must go. Now.
By JohnnyTide
December 18, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this
I almost hate Fl but will pull for them against Okla. Stoops is the meaness, foul mouth poor loser I have ever seen. When one is players is flagged, he jumps on the offical, not the player. Let the players know that as a coach you won’t put up with it. Stoops is a horrible man and couldn’t go 500 in the SEC.
By The Lawyer
December 31, 2008 10:37 PM | Link to this
Hey, not too late to void the contract extension. No sense throwing good money after BAD. GEAUX Tigers! 38-3