Sunday, May 08, 2005

Around the Hive

BEESBALL
Jackets take down FAU in game 2 of the series 12-3. They go for the sweep today....... Meanwhile, Jay Payton's patience is paying off with the Red Sox.....


FOOTBALL
A look at the not-so-glorious past, when racism was more open and accepted. On Notre Dame dropping GT from their schedule 50 years ago:

Fifty years ago this spring, Krause was able to add Miami to the schedule on a one-game contract. The Hurricane replaced Georgia Tech because Atlanta hotels would not accept the one black Notre Dame player, Aubrey Lewis. University president Rev. Theodore Hesburgh made the decision and Krause, because of a long-time friendship with Miami coach and athletic director Andy Gustafson, was able to play that one game at Miami.


So, when developing players, what's more important - developing them so they help the team the most, or help their personal careers? Obviously, it has to be a balance of both. This on Darius Williams:

Shockey's blocker: One of the most intriguing undrafted players the Giants brought in was 6-6, 270-pound tight end Darius Williams from Georgia Tech. He could compete with young veterans Visanthe Shiancoe and Chris Luzar at blocking tight end to free up Jeremy Shockey in the passing game.


Williams' nine career catches for 118 yards belie the fact that the Yellow Jackets recruited him as a pass-catching tight end. It was only after Georgia Tech bulked him up 25 pounds and told him to protect their young quarterback that he became a true blocker.


That, however, cut down on any interest other teams had during, or even after, the draft. The Giants were one of only a couple of teams to come calling, but Williams wasn't disappointed.


"I liked the situation here," he said. "It's going to be fun lining up with Jeremy Shockey. I'm going to try to soak up everything I can from him. He's one of my favorite tight ends."


The super-sized Williams knows the kind of impact he can make, too, if he works out.


"It'll be like having two tackles out there," he said.


Well, all you can say is that he has been signed by an NFL team and has his shot to excel. So everyone's a winner....


Well, instant replay is "a good thing" in the minds of coaches, EXCEPT when the people carrying out the rules are to our liking:

Georgia Tech, for example, will open the season Sept. 3 at Auburn. ACC officials will work the game on the field, but the official in the replay booth, who determines whether a play gets reviewed, will work for the SEC. Looks like that is going to be unacceptable to Georgia Tech.


Athletics director Dave Braine said he'll consult with his coach, Chan Gailey, but as far as he's concerned there will be no instant replay in that game.


"The only way I would go for it is if the replay official is Bobby Gaston," Braine said.


Gaston is the SEC supervisor of officials, but he is a graduate of Georgia Tech.


HOOPS:
Coach Hewitt is making the rounds bigtime to the alumni clubs. For example last Tuesday night he was in Greenville SC, then Wednesday night he was in SoCal. Well, now he's staying a little more local, in Savannah............


Thanks again Ian O'Connor. Want to know why what you did in your book was damaging? Crap like this - just a little blurb thrown in, with no detail, no context, no nothing. But just enough to make people say - hey, Telfair was offered money to play at GT. Amazing.

.....O'Connor touches on the college recruiting scene, during which a teen-ager living in poverty five minutes over the Verrazano Bridge claims he was offered $50,000 to play at Georgia Tech, just like his cousin before him.......