Daily Swarm

RECRUITING - HOOPS
Chicago PG Bobby Frasor commits to UNC, giving them a very talented shooter. He is likely to play the 2-spot at UNC. One of his favorite players is Kick Hinrich, who of course was coached by Roy Williams and plays for his hometown Chicago Bulls, and he even wears Hinrich's #12. Similar games. Here's the story. What is disappointing for GT is that this is the type of kid Coach Hewitt wants to get, because not only is he strong on the court, he has a 4.5 GPA, is 7th in his class, both parents are school teachers... you get the point. He can handle the load at GT........... Here's an overall update from ESPN........ Here's a hometown paper story.

FIRST MONDAY NIGHT ABC COLLEGE FOOTBALL TELECAST
Know who played in that game? How about GT and Notre Dame.

The next didn’t occur until 1974, when the defending national champs under Ara Parseghian were moved to ABC’s first Monday night college football telecast, at Georgia Tech. The Irish won, 31-7.

UNC CONSIDERS CORPORATE ADVERTISING AT VENUES...
...but will not stoop to GT's level. Well, that's not what they said, but here's the quote:

"I can't imagine that we would change the names of our facilities ... I think we'll always be the Dean Smith Center and Kenan Stadium," he said at a forum in April. "We won't use floor logos like the McDonald's one on the Georgia Tech court."

Is it just me, or do you hate "McDonald's Arena" or whatever it is called? I don't like it at all. We have AMC, we have Cremins Court - not sure where Mickey D's is supposed to fit, but to me they don't fit in ANY official name. It just smacks of crass commercialism. I know it happened during the Olympics and all, but I still am not a fan of the logo on the hoops court. Just my opinion.

NATE MCMANUS
Blurb on him as this incoming football recruit prepares for a Birmingham area all-star game. Quote:

Nate McManus, Mountain Brook (73): The 6-4, 280-pound All-State offensive tackle is projected to be a center at Georgia Tech. He's been working there as well as tackle this week during All-Star Classic workouts. He plans to major in engineering.

BEESBALL NOTES
Nice story on Brandon Boggs and his time at the Cape Codd league....... Here's the same article but a longer version, also mentioning the upcoming MLB draft (next week) and his relationship with S.Blackwood, since the two played high school ball together.

FUTURE RACING HOPEFULL WANTS TO TRANSFER TO GT
Interesting story about an 18 year on the racing circuit who wants to transfer to GT in a couple of years, but also wants to make the NASCAR circuit.

IS THE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP GIVING GT AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE?
That is what Mississippi St. HC Ron Polk says. Story here. You know what - technically he is correct. It does give GA schools an advantage. But maybe the solution isn't figuring out ways to take money away from kids in GA but figuring out how to lobby your own state to put in similar programs. Here is the quote I found particularly amusing, from UGAg HC David Perno -

"While Georgia baseball coach David Perno admits the HOPE scholarship gives his program an advantage in recruiting in-state players, he said Georgia has more stringent academic requirements than most SEC schools, making it tougher for him to get players into school and keep them there.

"Mississippi State waives out-of-state tuition for players who score 1,200 on the SAT," Perno said. "I've had players with 1,200 on the SAT who can't even get into Georgia. The standards are tougher at Georgia than Mississippi State."

Sorry, I couldn't resist. But I will refrain from sarcastic commentary, because of course this stuff writes itself. However, there is an interesting quote at the end from Polk:

"The SEC says it's a complex issue. If it was a football or basketball issue, do you think they'd have it solved by now?"

I think the rule in football and hoops is that you can use HOPE money, but not in addition to athletic 'ships. So if someone gets a HOPE 'ship in hoops, it still counts against your limit of 13, whether it is academic or athletic. Still no more than 13 'ships. In baseball, that is not the case. Interesting.

IN A STRANGE COINCEDENCE...
... GT loses a beesball recruit, Ryan Moore, because of money. Story here. He choses Middle Tenn St instead. Quote -

"It was basically Middle and Georgia Tech,'' Ryan Moore said. "I chose Middle due to the money situation. I couldn't go wrong either way.''

Moore is quite the athlete, likely the get drafted by MLB next week and also a football QB star. As far as the draft, here is his stance.

"If I get enough money, I'll sign professionally,'' Moore said. "I've given some teams a dollar amount. They know exactly what I'll sign for. If I don't get that, I'll just go to MTSU.''

He especially wanted to go to GT to get a meteorology degree.

Moore, who would like to be a meteorologist, said his decision between MTSU and Georgia Tech was made even more difficult because Tech has a meteorology school.

Did you know GT had a "meteorology school"? Does he mean a weatherman? Who'd a thunk it?

NEPOTISM - LUKE MANGET'S COUSIN
Well, Will Manget is a star high school soccer player. His cousin Luke earned all-ACC honors with his foot for GT in football. Guess what - he is going to Georgia Tech!!!! Guess what else.... he ain't going to play football OR soccer. He is giving up his athletic pursuits to focus on academics.

Manget also played football for Salem and kicked a 35-yard field goal this past season. He said he has no plans to walk onto the football team at Georgia Tech.

"I never really enjoyed football as much as I did soccer," Manget said. "Georgia Tech does not have an NCAA soccer team, but they do have a team that plays club level. I may try to get involved with that at sometime or even help coach somewhere."

Well all I have to say is - Will, welcome to GT. Glad you decided to join us.

GOLF TEAM FINISHES DAY 3
Well, we finished the day +7 and +21 for the tourney. As of lunch, that puts us tied for 8th place. UCLA was on fire, shooting 5 under today and handily in the lead by 5 strokes.

SEC TAKING STEPS TO DISCOURAGE CHEATING - YEAH RIGHT!!
Thanks to YellowB at the Hive for the link - story here. Sorry but this article is a joke.

Four SEC schools -- Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn and Kentucky -- are currently on probation. Georgia and Mississippi State recently admitted to rules violations but have yet to be sanctioned by the NCAA.

Over the past decade, nearly every league school has been accused of malfeasance, some more than once. The SEC's reputation for athletic excellence has been tarnished by recruiting scandals and academic fraud.

The biggest joke in my opinion?

A centerpiece of the new policy: If one school suspects another of violating NCAA rules, they must follow a strict protocol for reporting the allegations.

You are telling me that on SEC school is going to turn in another every time a violation occurs when they all know about each other's orgy of violations.

I particularly love this quote from former ACC turned SEC coach:

When Odom was coaching in the Atlantic Coast Conference, he was amazed at all the rule-breaking that seemed to prevail in the SEC. Coaches talked openly about paying for players and bragged that they had their own system of checks, balances and avoiding the NCAA.

"I'd say, 'How in the heck do you get by with that stuff," Odom recalled. "They'd say, 'Hey, local rules prevail. We take care of our own."

So, "we take care of our own", but the new rule says you have to rat out your own. RRRRRRRIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHTTTTTTT.

ESPN'S TOP 59 IN THE NBA DRAFT
Interesting list with some commentary about the changing stock of these players.