Around the Hive

HOOPS:
Deron Williams is gone from Illinois and has signed with an agent. Another guard to possibly push Jack down the board. He's already fallen to #29 at NBADraftnet...... With Cliff Warren gone, speculation has started as to his replacement. Don't look for a quick decision and keep your eye out for a possible former YellowJacket player....... Nothing new on Jarrett Jack. You can expect him to enter his name into the draft, not hire an agent, and then make his decision based on discussions with teams and private workouts. The only date that matters at this point is the week before the draft, when players can pull their names OUT. Cliff Warren leaving could hurt, as he has been very personally involved with the development of PG's at Georgia Tech (Willie Reese focuses's on big men).............. Well, while the rest of the country had a tough time dealing with ACC teams, now the ACC coaches are finding it tough dealing with the departing talent levels. Check out Rashad McCants' quote -

"I think," McCants told reporters, "me and him (Roy Williams) both know that four years was a stretch."

You can ignore it or you can face the truth - Duke is going to be favored to not only run away with the ACC, but probably be top 3 in the polls for next season. UNC will be gutted, Tech will be gutted, MD does not have a PG on the roster. In fact, don't be surprised to see BC come in as a strong competitor to Duke......... On the recruiting front, Willie Kemp is going to rise in the rankings as a top PG in the class of 2006, especially after being named MVP at the Fayettville ARK "Pump-N-Run" tourney. His top schools - GT, AR, LV, KY. Javaris Crittenton also had an outstanding tourney.......... Well, our old buddy Fred Barakat is giving up his duties as head of officiating for the ACC. Obviously this is a no-win job, but let's face facts. ACC officiating was not good nor has it been good for quite some time. This is a welcome change, IF they get the right person into that role.... Here's a nice blurb on our own Lewis Clinch, after his performance in the Jordan Classic:

Lewis Clinch
6'3", 190 pounds; Shooting Guard; Committed to Georgia Tech
13 points, 0 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, 4 of 7 FG, 2 of 4 3pt, 16 minutes


Jonathan Watters:
Clinch showed a beautiful stroke on a couple of three pointers, and showed some athleticism in the open floor. He could team with Anthony Morrow to become the new Lewis/Elder duo for the Jackets over the next 3 years. Showed a little bit of combo G to his game, which is what he will have to develop if he wants to become a real NBA prospect.

You might find this review of Randolph Morris's freshman campaign interesting, seeing as we lost him to the Cats by the skin of our teeth. Not exactly a glowing season, but there is scuttlebutt that he might attempt the draft.....


FOOTBALL:
Coach Gailey is an EagleScout and gets the Bobby Jones award from the Boy Scouts.......... Coach Brian-Jean Mary has an old roomie who just has his jersey retired at App.State..... The last time Pat Dye and Fran Tarkenton last talked during a pre-game meal before playing Georgia Tech in 1960........ On the recruiting front, QB Tim Tebow has more than 70 official offers, but it is noted that GT is "showing interest". Pretty funny if you ask me........ Here's a Palmetto State DL recruit that does have an offer from the Jackets - Adam Patterson......... Evidently "Smith" is a pretty common name, particularly in the NFL draft. Who woulda thunk it?

No matter when he is chosen, Alex will add to the lead the "Smith" clan holds over the first 69 NFL Drafts as the most-selected surname – 251 times. That ranges from Alabama halfback RILEY SMITH by the Boston Redskins in the first NFL draft in 1936 to Georgia Tech wide receiver JONATHAN SMITH, the most recent Smith chosen (in round 7 last year by Buffalo).

Great news - the Broncos have re-signed Marco Coleman, who is turning into an NFL ironman..... Remember when Adam "PacMan" Jones did the old hat switchero when everyone thought he was going to Tech? Well, if you believe this article, there is more to the story for the West Virginia standout, as he prepares for the draft.


BEESBALL:
Interesting stat:

Georgia Tech is among the nation's top 10 in batting average (3rd), home runs (6th), slugging percentage (.539), scoring (2nd) and doubles (2nd) to lead the ACC.

Eric Patterson and Matt Murton, both former Jackets, make the Baseball America "hotsheet". I guess that makes them a couple of real "hot sheets"......

13. Eric Patterson, 2b, Cubs (Low Class A Peoria)
Patterson fell to the eighth round in last year's draft, but received fourth-round money ($300,000) out of Georgia Tech. So far that looks like a bargain as the younger brother of Corey leads the Midwest League in runs (15), hits (18), on-base percentage (.596) and stolen bases (10).

18. Matt Murton, of, Cubs (Double-A West Tenn)
Seemingly lost in the eight-player trade that netted the Cubs Nomar Garciaparra at last year's trade deadline, Murton has begun the year with a 10-game hitting streak, including a two-homer game last night, to lead the Southern League at a .452 clip.

Here's a funny little intro to a story on Manny Ramirez:

Since he was an Academic All-American at Georgia Tech, the same institution of higher learning that produced Jason Varitek and his one-time college roommate, Nomar Garciaparra, Jay Payton's intellectual pedigree is unquestioned. He is smart enough, for example, to know that had he been the one to lose two fly balls in the same inning under a high sky yesterday afternoon, and not Manny Ramirez, he might have elicited a more hostile reaction from the full house at Fenway Park than Ramirez did.


"Unless," Payton said wryly, "I hit two home runs like Manny did today. When you drive in 130 runs a year, you're entitled to miss a ball or two, regardless of the sun or not."

Tech's RPI ranking is a mere 0.001 from being tops in the country..


GOLF:
An interesting look at the GT/Duke rivalry and how the tables turned at this year's ACC tourney versus 1985.....


MISC:
"The thin line between optimism and delusion". A story on dating an arch-rival. Link courtesy of FanBlogs........