Hoops: Global Games Update

Here's a nice little story mentioning both Lewis Clinch and D'Andre Bell. Evidently the two guys met for the first time just prior to the Global Games, and they were the last two guys chosen for the squad...................Well, things didn't go so well Thursday, with the Global Select team getting trounced by Lithuania............ Here's a bunch of pictures, with some decent ones of Lewis Clinch and D'Andre Bell - although you have to go page by page to find the.........


GAME 1 WIN OVER AFRICA 116-70
D'Andre Bell........ 6 pts (2-5, 0-2 3pt, 2-4 FT), 3 boards, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 16 min
Lewis Clinch........ 4 pts (1-5, 0-3 3pt, 2-2 FT), 1 board, 2 assists, 0 fouls, 9 min
Alade Aminu......... 8 pts (4-8), 1 board, 1 assist, 1 foul, 14 min


GAME 2 WIN OVER UKRAINE 104-88
D'Andre Bell........ 10 pts (4-6, 2-2 FT), 2 boards, 2 assists, 2 fouls, 18 min
Lewis Clinch........ 25 pts (9-17, 4-6 3pt, 3-3 FT), 2 boards, 2 assists, 1 foul, 31 min
Alade Aminu......... 0 pts (0-1), 2 boards, 1 foul, 4 min


GAME 3 LOSS TO TEAM TEXAS 89-95
D'Andre Bell........ 5 pts (1-3, 0-1 3pt, 3-4 FT), 1 board, 2 assists, 4 fouls, 17 min
Lewis Clinch........ 18 pts (6-14, 4-9 3pt, 2-2 FT), 1 board, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 31 min
Alade Aminu......... 0 pts (0-0), 1 foul, 3 min


GAME 4 LOSS TO LITHUANIA 85-120
D'Andre Bell........ 2 pts (0-3, 0-1 3pt, 2-4 FT), 3 boards, 2 fouls, 15 min
Lewis Clinch........ 9 pts (3-12, 0-3 3pt, 2-4 FT), 2 boards, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 25 min
Alade Aminu......... 2 pts (1-1), 2 boards, 6 min


GAME 5 LOSS TO SLOVINIA 73-95
D'Andre Bell........ 5 pts (2-4, 1-1 FT), 2 boards, 13 min
Lewis Clinch........ 8 pts (3-8, 1-1 3pt, 1-2 FT), 2 boards, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 26 min
Alade Aminu......... 0 pts (0-1), 2 boards, 4 min

What's Buzzin for Friday

FOOTBALL
Dez White has had some internal cramping and abdominal problems. However, he's back at practice after a hospital visit.............. A brief mention of Georgia Tech by Auburn coach Tommy Tubberville........... Who ARE these ACC quarterbacks anyway????. Also note the poll on this page for the best QB in the ACC. Right now Charlie Whitehurst gets the nod with 40% of the note, while Reggie Ball gets 31%. Not bad............ Auburn's new starting running back Trey Smith had to have an emergency appendectomy, but it looks like he'll be back in the line-up for the opener against Tech. Damn medical science......... Here's some quick thoughts on Auburn's strengths and weaknesses......



OTHER STUFF
Georgia Tech is the top producer of African-American engineers.................. A former Georgia Tech admin person in the liberal arts college was shot and killed yesterday by police......... Interesting situation with former UGA recruit Jamar Chaney. The Bulldogs wouldn't take him, but Miss St did, thanks to Mark Richt personally vouching for him. "He's good enough for Miss St, just not UGA".....


Ok, PaulWesterDawg has thrown down the gauntlet - time for Jacket fans to respond. Just remember - keep it to a 2nd grade reading level or he'll never get it.


Here are a few thing overheard by Freshmen at UGA:


- Is there a campus dental plan? My tooth is getting dirty
- Where's da bookstore. I need me a new box of crayons. Ya know, the kind wid da sharpener in da back.
- Now where do I sign me up for Jim Harrick's class?
- I know I's gonna end up working for a Georgia Tech graduate, but we'll win us some dang football games. Whooo, partieee.
- Mommy, why did I come to Georgia again? I already have a high school diploma.
- I know that I am inferior in most ways to Georgia Tech people, so I must learn to strike out against them, calling them names and making fun of the very things I fall short on (oh wait, that is one of the top things THOUGHT at UGA, not said).

Hoops: What a Pisser

No return trip from Kansas this season to AMC. Forget about it. Evidently AMC was double-booked, so the re-match with Kansas will have to wait until next season. Sorry, but that sucks..... Here's Bill Self's comment:

"It's not (ideal situation) in a perfect world, but it was an innocent mistake," KU coach Bill Self said. "They didn't want to play it downtown (at Georgia Dome). I certainly understand why they want to play it on campus. After they experienced the atmosphere we had at the fieldhouse, they want to have the same home-court advantage. With a young team, it's OK for us to put it off a year. We'll be facing very tough competition in Maui this year."

Here's Coach Hewitt:

"I am not going to play that game in Philips Arena," Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. "I want to play that game on campus."

The most important lesson in all this? Academics are still #1 at Georgia Tech, as graduation ceremonies trumped college basketball. Go figure!!!


On another note, notice in that Macon Telegraph article that Willie Reese and John O'Connor have switched jobs, with Reese now Director of Basketball Operations and O'Connor hitting the recruiting trail...........

Football - Start the Calvin Johnson Hype Now

Evidently the folks at EA Sports think highly of our man Calvin Johnson (someone over at StingTalk found the link). One thing's for sure - there are some ACC homers in that company. GOOD FOR THEM!!!........

What's Buzzin for Thursday

HOOPS
Thanks to RamblinRed for this comment on an AJC article not online yet:

FWIW the AJC has an article on Clinch today (haven't seen it online yet). Clinch says he wants to be known as an all-around player so he is really working hard on his defense and ballhandling. He started a weight training program provided by GT two months ago. He only played about 5-6 minutes in the first Global Game because he was hit above the eye and needed 5 stitches. He sounds ready to play

This is a good article on the life of a college coach during recruiting season with mention of Paul Hewitt.......


FOOTBALL
Listen to what Chan Gailey had to say at media day on Monday..........Here's a good article from SI.com on intersectional match-ups, with mentions of Georgia Tech vs Georgia and Georgia Tech vs Auburn............ This guy thinks Auburn is headed to the bottom of the pack:

Auburn: From the top to near the bottom in one year. I just don’t believe you can lose your quarterback plus two of the best running backs of recent years and pick up where you left off. Both their quarterback and their lead running back are sophomores and I’m not sold. They open with Georgia Tech and that’s no way to start when you’re rebuilding.

Did you know that the last ACC team to finish in the top 5 in the AP Poll(other than FSU), was Georgia Tech, who finished #2 back in (of course) 1990?................ The battle-lines are drawn in the ACC............... Speaking of FSU, this article asks "Is anyone afraid of FSU anymore?".......... Bobby Bowden had a great quote the other day. He's feeling a lot of pressure to get back to their strong winning ways in the elite. I don't have the quote but Bowden basically said - look, I have a hard time apologizing for 9 wins. That's what expectations will get you............ Here's more on instant replay............. Looks like Clemson is turning down Brent Schaeffer's desire to become a Tiger. I have not seen recent mention of Georgia Tech and Schaeffer, but honestly, I don't think we have a strong need right now to take a guy like that. Yes, we lack experience, but not talent...... Why did Gerris Wilkinson know all the proper ACC divisional alignments? Playing video games........ Evidently some people compare Boston College's stadium to our own BDS-GF......


BEESBALL
Oh boy - former YellowJacket Matthew Boggs just got a job. Where? Try Duke - as an assistant coach. He will be the hitting coach and focus on the outfielders. He has been an assistant with Tulane the last couple of seasons.........Jason Neighborgall's control issues have not gone away in the minors:

Jason Neighborgall didn’t throw strikes consistently at Georgia Tech, and he’s not throwing consistent strikes as a pro yet, either. The hard-throwing righthander walked five and got five outs for Rookie-level Missoula in Tuesday’s loss to Great Falls. He’s walked 12 in four innings as a pro.

More on Jason's latest poor outing............. Matt Wieters hit his 3rd HR for TeamUSA while Wes Hodges had a 2-hit game as USA downs Italy 15-0................ Here's a very interesting look at Matt Murton, compared to 2 other guys and how their college and minor league production should shape your view of their major league production. Interesting...... This article talks about how Murton has been both lucky and good.... Here's a little fun at Kevin Brown's expense....... Did you know that Nomar Garciaparra is batting behind Eric Patterson right now?


OTHER STUFF
Tech's Volleyball recruiting class was ranked #4 in the nation..........Cool for Mark Zupan, the famous quad rugby player. He has been the White House, on Jay Leno, Regis And Kathy and has a very inspirational story. Here's his filmography and check out the movie poster below for MurderBall, with Zupan on the front............... Clemson will stay with Nike, and this post shows details of how the deal plays out - coaches payments, shoes, gloves, VIP passes, etc. Interesting.......... More problems for UGA with a player cheating with a cell phone on an exam.......... Interesting look at Forbes.com's best blogs. I guess someone forgot to submit our site :-)........... I think we just found our edge against Auburn - New Balance shoes. They will be the only NCAA team to wear them. Of course I wear nothing but New Balance and I like them.......... The South Carolina high school coaches association thinks Steve Spurrier is unethical....... Does the NCAA promote underage drinking?.......... Is Chad Ford on his way out at ESPN?........... Some fun at Bobby Bowden's expense.........

Hoops: Global Games Update

Game three is in the books, and it's a loss for the Select team. Here are updated stats:


GAME 1 WIN OVER AFRICA 116-70
D'Andre Bell........ 6 pts (2-5, 0-2 3pt, 2-4 FT), 3 boards, 1 assist, 3 fouls
Lewis Clinch........ 4 pts (1-5, 0-3 3pt, 2-2 FT), 1 board, 2 assists, 0 fouls
Alade Aminu......... 8 pts (4-8), 1 board, 1 assist, 1 foul


GAME 2 WIN OVER UKRAINE 104-88
D'Andre Bell........ 10 pts (4-6, 2-2 FT), 2 boards, 2 assists, 2 fouls
Lewis Clinch........ 25 pts (9-17, 4-6 3pt, 3-3 FT), 2 boards, 2 assists, 1 foul
Alade Aminu......... 0 pts (0-1), 2 boards, 1 foul


GAME 3 LOSS TO TEAM TEXAS 89-95
D'Andre Bell........ 5 pts (1-3, 0-1 3pt, 3-4 FT), 1 board, 2 assists, 4 fouls
Lewis Clinch........ 18 pts (6-14, 4-9 3pt, 2-2 FT), 1 board, 1 assist, 4 fouls
Alade Aminu......... 0 pts (0-0), 1 foul


Next game Thursday against Lithuania at 6:00pm............... A Jacket fan has been watching the proceedings and reports over at the Hive(update 1, update 2). Some notes:


1. Clinch is not shy about shooting the rock
2. Bell is very intense and all over the floor. Always around the ball it seems
3. Bell described as a "lunch pail" guy.
4. Aminu shooting lots of 3 pointers in warm-ups. No doubt raw and is going to be a longer-term project. He's trying to put on 10-15lbs of muscle.
5. Jeremis Smith there as well (from Dallas). He was actually the PA announcer one night. How about that.
6. Jeremis says his knee is better and ready to "give it up". Alade Aminu said that Smith is a monster in pick-up games.
7. The connection with Tech recruits and the Global Games started with Dean Keener years ago when the tourney was struggling to get off the ground - he offered any players they wanted and the relationship has stuck.

Football - Reuben Houston Update

Over at Stingtalk, they are reporting that Houston was interviewed on channel 2 news in ATL. Here are the main points:


1. He knew drugs were involved in the situation
2. He claims he was only introducing 2 people
3. He says he had nothing to gain from the deal
4. He says he had no idea there were drugs in the car
5. Says he was just trying to help a friend (some friend)
6. He takes complete responsibility for what he did (which is not what the media reported)


Interesting for sure, but Chan Gailey's recent comments make it tough to think there is hope he will suit up for the Jackets again:

"If something happens [and Houston is acquitted or the charges against him are dropped], we can deal with it," Gailey said. "If nothing happens and it goes on at the same pace it's going now, it won't matter because it will be well into the fall before it's dealt with. A lot of things would have to happen [for Houston to play this season]."

So the truth might lie somewhere between the media reports and the hopes of Tech fans and those close Houston. If what Houston says is true, then it's still a "what were thinking!!" situation. Still stupid. Still risky. Still costly. But not as bad as intent to deal 100 lbs of dope...............

What's Buzzin for Wednesday

Not much time, but here are a few things to chew on................. More on the bowl situation......... Evidently the Peach Bowl wants to be the #2 bowl in the ACC.............. Here's a decent Georgia Tech football team preview............. Coach Gailey has significantly updated his website. Worth checking out. Lot's of video including this on a day in the life of a student-athlete......... In hoops, Dennis Scott is the new GM of the Atlanta Vision.............. Bobby Cremins is enjoying his new life..........

What's Buzzin' for Tuesday More Football Madness

So how does this ACC Football Kickoff (media day) work? Well, on Sunday the print guys got to interview two players from each team. Gerris Wilkinson and PJ Daniels were the Georgia Tech reps. On Monday, the players are gone and it is the head coaches answering the questions. This is also the day the media votes on who will finish where, what the all ACC preseason teams will look like, etc......... Today, it is the commish (John Swofford) and league officials answering questions about everything from conference realignment to instant replay to championship games, to off the field woes to the APR..... you name it. Now what will happen is reporters will bank all the quotes and potential stories and start doling them out over the next month or so until the season starts. The hot stuff will come out right away, because if they do not print it, the other guy will. We are talking Barnhart, Knobler, Murphy, Brimmer, all the beat reporters who follow Georgia Tech.................. So with that, let us get it going.


First, I want to start you off with an article about Georgia Tech written by Dennis Dodd over at CBSSportsline. There are enough one liners in that article to last the entire season. For example.

What's a heart attack compared to working for Jerry Jones?


...there's not much difference these days between heartless and heart attack in college sports. Basically no one cares about the latter when the local football team isn't winning enough.


In college football, as in supermodeling, you're either hot or you're not. Somewhere in between is about the worst place to be. In this case, Gailey's career has been one big lag putt. Never up, never in.


You could say the man is purgatory in a headset.


You could also say Georgia Tech is the biggest tease this side of Elisha Cuthbert.


It makes you want to scream out to those who dare to question Gailey: You do know you're Georgia Tech, don't you?


Some of the above can be put on Gailey. Ball, Georgia. A lot of it -- especially the academic stuff -- can't.


"If I come along now I probably wouldn't be the coach of Virginia Tech going into my 19th year," Beamer said Monday here at the ACC Football Kickoff. "People expect you to win quicker. Thank goodness Dave Braine was there." .........So maybe Braine should search his mental Rolodex for something called slack. Maybe Gailey earned some more of it even before the heart attack.

It is also worth reading the comments at the bottom. Very sobering to say the least, although a bit mean towards the Tech program.........


Another important piece of news. The ACC has announced 2 new bowl deals for 2006, which will bring the total to 8 bowl alignments in the conference. Added are the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco and the Gaylords Hotels Music City Bowl in Nashville. Eight bowl deals will be the most for any conference, at least for now. Also, payouts for the Champs, Peach and Gator have gone up. Cha Ching says Mr. Swofford. Also note that all 8 bowls will be post Christmas, which means no matter breaks for the Jackets when UVA has to take exams...............


The media guru's have spoken and have boldly predicted FSU to win it all this season. In the coastal division, Georgia Tech was voted to finish 4th behind VaTech, Miami and UVA, with UNC and Duke trailing. What does Chan Gailey think?

"I hope it's wrong. That's what I think about it," he said.

Uhm. Well said. On VaTech being picked to win the Coastal:

"Virginia Tech certainly deserves to be where they are, they're the defending champions," said Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey, whose team was picked fourth out of the six teams in the Coastal Division. "Everybody else, you can put where you want to put them. But I'll let you know the first week in December exactly how it worked out."

........ Here are some things Chan Gailey had to say, including the fact that he hasn't asked Dave Braine how many wins will be required to extend his contract:

"You have to decide at some point in coaching what is your priority," Gailey said earlier. "Is your priority to keep your job, or is your priority to do right? That's what we're trying to do. We're trying to do what's right by the program and what's right by the kids, what's right by the coaches. And then whatever happens happens."

I've said it before and I'll say it again. You cannot question the character of this man. Will his approach result in more W's? I don't know yet, but I definitely like the product he is producing and more importantly the quality of the young men he is producing. Oh, but Reuben Houston you say. What about him? Here's what coach said:

"If we think they're all going to be angels and sing in the choir, all 85 of them for four years, I think we're sadly mistaken," Gailey said. "If it's an ongoing problem, if you've got somebody in the news every other week, then I think you have to say are they understanding exactly what we're trying to do here?"

Thank you. He's right. Our program under Coach Gailey has been characterized by class, hard work on and off the field, dedication, adversity and moral behavior. "Yeah, that's great, but he better win more than 7 games." Some of you people make me sick.............. Chan Gailey's health is a common topic during the media week........... Here are all of Chan Gailey's direct comments............. Here is another nice article on Gailey.......... And another good one with a slightly different spin........... This article touches on how the negativity around Coach Gailey can impact recruiting.

When recruits' families ask him about his contract status, he tells them he plans to continue coaching the Yellow Jackets but can't guarantee anything. Questions about his post-heart-attack fitness have been easier to handle.

Holy cow, Coach Gailey wants to give monetary graduation gifts to graduating players. The Roy Williams influence is growing.

"It only makes sense," Georgia Tech football coach Chan Gailey said. "I think for what football players do and the degree of hard work they have to put in, a graduation of gift of $5,000 wouldn't be excessive."

Only Calvin Johnson makes the preseason all ACC team. No PJ Daniels. No Eric Henderson. No Gerris Wilkinson........ Just more motivation my friends.......


A LITTLE MISDEMEANOR WON´T STOP FSU PLAYERS
ON WAKE FOREST'S CHRIS BARCLAY AS ALL ACC
BARCLAY SUSPENDED FOR WAKE FOREST OPENER
BEAMER DOESN'T WEAR ACC CHAMP RING TO MEDIA DAY
MORE ON THE QB PROBLEM IN THE ACC
MORE ON THE MISSING QBs
GEORGIA TECH - A "LIGHT HEAVY-WEIGHT"
ACC PREPARES FOR INSTANT REPLAY USE
BC DEFENSIVE END NAMED ACC PRESEASON POY
MEDIA PICKS FSU TO WIN TITLE
ACC POWER STRUGGLE
ACC SENSE OF PLACE SHIFTS TO TOP LEVEL
DIVISION ALIGNMENTS A MYSTERY FOR MOST
DOES THE ACC HAVE THE KEY TO THE BCS?
AROUND THE ACC, FULL OF STORYLINES
ACC DEFENSES TO DOMINATE AGAIN?
Quote from Frank Beamer.

"Miami, when you beat them, it's always a good day's work. Virginia is good. A lot of people think Georgia Tech can finish first, and I'm one of them. North Carolina, we're a Jim Davis sack away from going into overtime. Duke, they're leading us in the first half. So we know there's work to be done."

He likes us. He really really likes us....... Blah Blah........



FOOTBALL SOUTH VS FOOTBALL NORTH PART I
FOOTBALL SOUTH VS FOOTBALL NORTH PART II


My favorite comparison on North vs South:

Commentary (Male):

NORTH: "Nice play."
SOUTH: "Dammit, you slow sumbitch - tackle him and break his legs."


Commentary (Female):

NORTH: "My, this certainly is a violent sport."
SOUTH: "Dammit, you slow sumbitch - tackle him and break his legs."

I'll leave you with a "where are they now" - Ted Davis. He played for Bobby Dodd, played 7 years in the NFL, then was a Southern Conference referee, and now he is a veterinarian..............

Football - More on Media Day

Defense could be the name of the game (again) in the ACC........ The Georgia Tech defense still has swagger. Note that the article says that Mansfield Wrotto will in fact start fall practice back on the defensive side of the ball......... Here's mention of Georgia Tech's inconsistent play......... Here's more from PJ Daniels.......... This blogger has a problem with Tony Barnhart not picking Chan Gailey as one of the coaches on the hotseat.......... Here are comments from Gerris Wilkinson, including this on incoming freshman Michael Johnson:

Have any of the freshmen been impressive in the voluntary summer workouts?


"At least once a week, Eric Henderson will come up to me and say, You've got to see Michael Johnson. It's a similar kind of buzz to what there was for Calvin last year, but it's different for a defensive player. You have to wait to see how he will do with pads on, going against a 300-pound offensive lineman.

And this on Calvin Johnson:

"It's rare that you see someone with that type of talent go into the weight room every day and work as hard as he does. And on top of that, he's humble."

Now this is cool - the wikipedia site has a clear documentation on the 1990 Colorado 5th down fiasco and the impact on Georgia Tech.

Although it was almost immediately apparent what had happened, because time had run out there could be no appeal for Missouri. Colorado went on to win the Big Eight Conference championship. After defeating Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, Colorado shared the national championship with Georgia Tech. If Colorado had not won the Missouri game Georgia Tech would have been the undisputed national champion. The Colorado coach, Bill McCartney, defended Colorado and himself against accusations of cheating by arguing that Colorado would have never thrown the second intentionally incomplete pass if they had realized that it was actually 4th down.

Miami's Eric Winston will be back in action on their O-Line, after his season-ending injury against Georgia Tech last season.......... More from around the ACC.................. Reggie Ball and Calvin Johnson could be the difference........ Three ACC teams will have early challenges, including Georgia Tech............ Here's a Boston College blogger living in ATL.......


Now I'm not one to criticize a coaches game-day prep schools (oh wait, yes I am), so check out this comment by Tye Hill, on the scouting report on Calvin Johnson going into the Clemson game last season. Look, I know he was unproven, but come on - he was ranked one of the top 5 receivers coming out of high school and the reports all summer were how physically gifted the kid was. Ok, nobody knew he would have the incredible catching ability he showed, but Tommy Bowden, where were you?

On Georgia Tech sophomore receiver Calvin Johnson:
I was very impressed by the way he played. He showed the ability to stay composed under pressure. We didn't know anything about him last year. He wasn't on the scouting report and we went into that game blind.

We know about him now. His name will be highlighted everywhere on this year's scouting report. We'll probably have arrows pointing every which way at him. I'll probably know his favorite movie by kickoff.

Football - Time for Media Day Again

PJ Daniels and Gerris Wilkinson represented Georgia Tech as players, along with of course Chan Gailey for the annual media day circus, this year in Hot Springs VA. Gerris Wilkinson has already made his prediction - Georgia Tech will be the coastal division champions and will play in the ACC title game Dec 3. Why start small?............ Here's a blurb on Reggie Ball and his confidence........ Here are more quotes from media day.......... Meanwhile, Boston College has gussied up their field with the new ACC logo. And while BC respects the ACC, they are not in awe..........Here are quotes from UNC's new senior QB......... UGA loses another player, this time to injury. Ok, who has had a worse off-season, Georgia, Georgia Tech or South Carolina? The answer is ........... Florida State........... A little more on the ACC......... Here are 5 key questions for the ACC........


Hey, here's an old, but nice article on Chan Gailey when he was with the Cowboys. You may not like his play-calling or his win/loss totals, but you cannot question the quality of his character.......... Lastly, CFN ranks the Georgia Tech program as the 34th best overall in the 1990's...............


Set your VCR or TIVO's for August 18 on FSN at 10:30pm for a preview of Georgia Tech football. All ACC and SEC teams will be previewed during the month.............. Did you know the state of GA gives about $180 million annualy to Georgia Tech. Evidently Clemson only gets about $90 million from the state of South Carolina. I guess someone's a bit pissed about it - mostly students paying huge tuition increases............ Speaking of South Carolina, oh what a tangled web we weave when Lou Holtz practices to deceive........ Here's more on SC and Clemson...........How about a little discussion about the city of Atlanta vs Charlotte........


Really of track, but how about some campus crime stats for the week. If you have a bicycle, lock it up I say...........

Beesball Notes

Will Nomar Garciaparra play in Peoria? That's the question this writer asks...... Well, I guess the answer is YES....... Jacket hurlers Tim Gustafson and Blake Wood are playing well and staying busy in the Cape Cod League.......... And if you weren't sick of all the great press for Mark Teixeira (I'm not), here's more.........

Hoops: Moving Out West

Well, the summer recruiting circuit moves westward to the city of lights and a thousand vices - Las Vegas - for the Reebok Big Time Event (another Sonny Vaccaro special). Also going on is the Adidas Super 64 and "The Main Event", the Nike version. Shoes anyone?.......... Javaris Crittenton has had a good tourney, knocking down a double/double the other day (pts/assists). Then he went head-to-head with Paul Harris, a Syracuse commit known for his tenacious defense. Well, he couldn't contain Javaris, who went off for another 19 points or so and a bevy of assists. Look for Crittenton to climb the ranking charts of all the major services in the next go-round. His ankle is back to 100% and he is showing his stuff. Rivals said they were going to put him in their top 10 (although I wasn't clear it was top 10 overall or top 10 PG's). Once again, a Paul Hewitt recruited guy climbs the charts after his commit. Look for Javaris to be a serious candidate for the McDonalds All-American team.............. Paul Hewitt is out there checking out the talent, along with a lot of other top coaches including Rick Barnes (I'm not a Clemson hick), Roy Williams (nice parting gifts), Coach K (having ref-abuse withdrawal symptoms), Bob Huggins (there was an open bar), Ben Howland (who?), Bruce Weber (hey why is everyone in love with Ohio State), John Calipari (Rick Pitino-light) and Lute Olsen (PG U-light)............. Our new assistant coach, Charlton Young, is already out and about on the recruiting trail as well. He has helped bring a new name into the mix - Zach Peacock, a 6'7" PF. He's come on strong of late and Young was already recruiting him at UTC........ Also, of note, the Wellington Smith thing could still happen, so stay tuned................ Meanwhile, Thaddeus Young's father visited Georgia Tech recently............


Meanwhile, a good article from the Washington Post about the hypocrisy of the APR and college athletics......... What else is the NCAA keeping an eye on? How about betting lines.............


In other news, Gonzaga fans are shocked and saddened for Ronny Turiaf's recent shocker from a physical with the Lakers - he has a heart condition that could end his career before it starts and will require open-heart surgery. Wow.......


In case you are interested, here are the different Vegas Camp websites:


REEBOK BIG TIME
ADIDAS SUPER 64
NIKE "THE MAIN EVENT"


Note to all aspiring NBA coaches (Coach Hewitt included). Life as an NBA coach can suck - and that's if you last, which is hard to do. How about this - only 2 of the last 7 coach of the year winners still have jobs. How about this - 6 of the last 7 NBA Champion head coaches have either left or been forced out of their jobs. And that's for the WINNERS!!! What kind of life is this? .............

Hoops: Global Games Underway

Ok, the Global Games are underway in the Dallas area and Team Select, which includes all 3 incoming Georgia Tech signees (Lewis Clich, D'Andre Bell and Alade Aminu). First, the team beat Africa, and here's how the stat lines went:


GAME 1 WIN OVER AFRICA 116-70
D'Andre Bell........ 6 pts (2-5, 0-2 3pt, 2-4 FT), 3 boards, 1 assist, 3 fouls
Lewis Clinch........ 4 pts (1-5, 0-3 3pt, 2-2 FT), 1 board, 2 assists, 0 fouls
Alade Aminu......... 8 pts (4-8), 1 board, 1 assist, 1 foul


GAME 2 WIN OVER UKRAINE 104-88
D'Andre Bell........ 10 pts (4-6, 2-2 FT), 2 boards, 2 assists, 2 fouls
Lewis Clinch........ 25 pts (9-17, 4-6 3pt, 3-3 FT), 2 boards, 2 assists, 1 foul
Alade Aminu......... 0 pts (0-1), 2 boards, 1 foul


Thanks to K-Dogg for finding these nice action photo's of Lewis Clinch and Alade Aminu blocking a shot........

DOHHHH !!!

A Miami fan created this Simpsons/ACC graphic as a signature, and the folks over at the Hive found him. Talk about creative, and it is scary how well the characters fit.





Meanwhile, Clemson fans have a ton of respect for Georgia Tech and most see our rivalry as one of the best and most important they play. I certainly agree.......

What's Buzzin' for Saturday

FOOTBALL
The Macon Telegraph discusses the new Jacket's roster, including the missing Kyle Belcher and Kieran Delaney. Belcher looks like he will quit football altogether and word is Delaney is transferring to a smaller school, which I will reveal later......... An article on the KC Chiefs mentioning Keyaron Fox. Lots of good stuff on him including this:

Though I can’t guarantee the coaching staff will even consider playing Fox on the inside it is something that is exciting when you consider the possibilities. For one, Fox is a sure tackler with good instincts. While at Georgia Tech he averaged 8.3 tackles per game in 45 games of which 35 were starts. He also finished his senior season with 155 tackles, 18 for losses, and 4 forced fumbles. If that isn’t a strong resume for a middle linebacker I don’t know what is.

Questions for football teams in the state of Georgia................ The Augusta Chronicle looks at some of the pre-season mags and local schools............ A quick look at the ACC horse race........


BEESBALL
Nice Q&A with Jeremy Slayden. For those who don't get premium here's the recap - he likes the lifestyle of 100% baseball focus, he's adjusting to wood bats and striking out too much, adjusting to left field (from right), getting back to 100% from shoulder surjery on his throwing arm.......... Looks like our man Matt Murton had a strong first week in the bigs, playing for the Chicago Cubs............. While Matt justs gets his big league groove on, Mark Teixeira is in full groove. Personally, I love this Tex quote, which really shows the caliber of Georgia Tech baseball.

By 2003, Teixeira was a regular in the majors at age 23 after just one minor league season. "I didn't think it would take long," Teixeira said. "I spent my low-minors years in college."

Here is a quick update on TeamUSA baseball, where Matt Wieters and Wes Hodges are team members.....


GOLF
Chan Song has younger twin sisters, one of whom is Aree Song, who was the youngest pro in LPGA tour history. Quite a family..........


OTHER
A former Georgia Tech academic advisor then assistant athletics director of academic affairs (could it be any longer?), Warde Manuel, will be named the new athletic director for University of Buffalo......... We have a new assistant swimming / diving coach, Marty Hamburger Wonder if he will put the team on the Atkins Diet.............

More Javaris Crittenton Pictures...

... for your viewing pleasure. More pics from the ABCD Adidas camp a couple of weeks ago. Thanks again to the kind folks who organizaed the tourney and gave me access and use of the pics. I have held out on a couple of the best ones, so stay tuned. I'll post more next week:

Golf: Bryce Molder tied for 4th place, eh

Bryce Molder playing well in Canada. It's aboot time, eh?

Football - Tommy Tubberville Talks GT

Well, just a little on 680am in ATL. Here's what he had to say (courtesy of a poster at the Hive):

"Tech absolutely scares me."
"Chan does a very good job coaching. He's faced so much adversity, yet continues to win."
"Tech was one of the best teams to win their bowl game last year. They absolutely dominated Syracuse, and that really impressed me how easily they handled Syracuse. Now, granted Syracuse wasn't all that great, but they dominated none the less."
"Tech will be ready, and so will we! We'll decide it on the field in 43 days."

Blah blah blah.

Hoops: Summer League Update

BJ Elder picked up his game on Tuesday, scoring 10 pts on 3-5 FG and 4-4 from the line. He threw in a rebound and a steal as well. Today he only plaed 4 minutes and took no shots. Not sure what was up there. Anthony McHenry, on the same San Antonio roster, played 9 minutes Tuesday, went 0-1, with 1 board, 1 steal and 1 turnover. He did not play today and it said "dnp - coaches decision".................

Football - Your 2005 YellowJackets

RamblinWreck has posted the official roster for your 2005 football team. Of note:


1. Reuben Houston is off the roster.
2. Omar Billy is back on (as we knew)
3. Kyle Belcher is off the roster
4. Mansfield Wrotto is still listed as Offensive Guard.
5. Michael Johnson is listed as a Defensive End, not a Tight End.
6. Anthony Barnes is on the roster (dispelling stupid academic rumor-mongering)
7. Kieran Delaney is off the roster. Not sure the deal.....
8. I don't think the height / weight numbers have been updated. Look for another update once fall practice starts.


On Belcher, there have been rumors circulating for awhile that he would leave school and quit football altogether. Word is he had lost his interest and passion in the game and there were questions about his relationships with teammates. Remember that he was also the guy that made the game-saving tackle against Clemson after the miraculous Calvin Johnson TD catch. I'm a bit disappointed, but if there are attitude or committment issues, let's move on. I wish him the best. Here is Belcher's old profile............. In other news, Coach Gailey will be speaking here.......


Check it out - George P. Burdell lives...... as always. This UGA fan evidently is not aware of who George is, but proceeds to argue why Georgia is a real academic school. He sums things up well at the end - always putting priorities in order for UGA fans:

I know for a fact that UGA is a very real college. For some reason, they usually turn out to be extra real on the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year. With the great and wonderful Coach Richt at the helm, I expect it to stay that way.

What's Buzzin' for Wednesday

FOOTBALL
Interesting article on recruiting combines, with mention of one at Georgia Tech......... Ok, we're last in this poll, but anyone who doesn't vote for Miami or VaTech is basically trying to stuff the ballot boxes (like I did).............. Dave Wannstedt consulted with Chan Gailey prior to taking his job at the U of Pitt head coach, and evidently Chan talked about building a staff............... Note Travares Tillman on the Dolphins Training Camp Roster......... Looks like Tommy Bowden is handing over complete control of the offense, including play-calling, to new OC Rob Spence......... According to CFN's college fantasy football scouting report, Calvin Johnson is the #8 WR in the nation you want on your team for stat purposes I guess. Reggie Ball chimes in at #42 for QB's. PJ Daniels comes in at #16 for RB's................. Looks like one of James Butler's records has been broken - for the high school triple jump.........

On April 9 at the Taco Bell Track and Field Classic in Columbia, S.C., he broke the school triple jump record with a leap of 47 feet, 8 1/4 inches. His leap broke the record of former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets All-Atlantic Coast Conference safety James Butler, who is now with the New York Giants.


Butler set the record in 1999 as a BHS sophomore, leaping 47 feet, 7 3/4 inches to win the state championship at the state Class AAAA Meet in Jefferson.

Looks like we were a year too late for the BIG payout for the Champs Sports Bowl. Now it's a cool $2million per team. It has now passed the Sun, Alamo and even Gator in terms of payout and is in the top 10. It still won't be a New Year's Day game, but it is closer, moving to Dec 28 or 29..................... Do you want to talk the height of stupidity? CFN has already released bowl projections for the upcoming season. Did you know that they have Georgia Tech playing UAB in the Autozone Liberty Bowl. Buy your tickets now before they're all gone. Nuts. Just nuts.........


HOOPS
Mike DeCoursey of the Sporting News talks about a stronger need to "sell" the college game to high school kids. Bring in the marketing guru's............... Meanwhile, coaches debate the merits of the "one-and-done" players. The bottom-line - if it's Marvin Williams or Carmello Anthony and you win a national championship, it's a great thing. Go for it! Well duh. What else do you think Roy Williams is going to say? Heck, he might even throw a few gifts Marvin's way, even though he didn't actually graduate. For the one-and-done players on teams that didn't go far, it is less certain. However, in Georgia Tech's case, I think the benefits outweigh the negatives. After all, the cachet that goes with being Chris Bosh's college is going to mean more and more as that kid becomes the next NBA star. We all know that the Stephon Marbury fiasco sent the Cremins era spiraling downward. However, the 1-year Marbury and the 2-year Kenny Anderson are major reasons why guys like Jarrett Jack and Javaris Crittenton are interested in Georgia Tech. Make no mistake, Georgia Tech is the REAL "Point Guard U". Arizona fans, don't even go there.......... BJ Elder heated up yesterday, scoring 10 points in his summer league game.............. Here's a very interesting article basically slamming the shoe-camp circuit and Sonny Vaccaro, the guy who pioneered the concept......... On the recruiting front, here's a kid Georgia Tech is looking at - Quincy Pondexter............... Jim Calhoun unviels his exhibit at the Basketball Hall-of-Fame in Springfield Mass, with a giant picture of him cutting down the nets after beating Georgia Tech for the national championship..........


Well, we haven't seen the new Georgia Tech schedule, but I do know we'll by playing the Centenary Gents. It will be the 1st of a 3-game / 3-year deal. The first game will be on the road Jan 10, and the following 2 years the "Gents" will come to ATL. The nice part of this story of that Coach Hewitt was looking for a team to play in North LA because that's where Theodis Tarver is from - Monroe High School..

"Georgia Tech doesn't go in and play many smaller D-I schools so we were lucky to get them," Flaska said. "We wanted to upgrade our home schedule and getting Georgia Tech and Houston, along with a Northwestern team that probably will be picked to win the Southland, does that."


Flaska was able to secure the Yellow Jackets when he heard that they were wanting a home game in north Louisiana because of a player on their team. Coach Paul Hewitt has senior Theodis Tarver from Monroe's Carroll High School listed on his roster.


"Georgia Tech recruits a lot over here and in Dallas, so this game worked well for them," Flaska said. "This is going to be a tough schedule, and I like to win. But being the only D-I school in Shreveport, I felt that we needed to give the community a quality schedule."

That's very nice and all, but this is a team coming off a 3-24 season with only one returning starter. Can you say CREAM-PUFF CITY BABY!!!!!!!!!


OTHER
Chaunte Howard came in 2nd in the voting for ACC Female Athlete of the Year, behind Wake Forest field hockey player Kelly Dostal. By the way, Sean May wins the men's award............ Nicholas Thompson was named to the Walker Cup team - congrats.............. Sounds like coaches are not exactly pumped about the new APR progress report on academics, and Coach Hewitt comments on page 3.

Said Georgia Tech Coach Paul Hewitt: "Anytime you have a rule that has 30-40 different waiver possibilities, there is something flawed in the rule. There are so many real-life scenarios that have been brought up that the people who put together the rule never thought of because they are not involved in the day-to-day operation of an athletic team."

I like Jim Boehieim's quote at the end:

To other coaches, the reality is this: "I can have a 1000 APR every year," Boeheim said. "I can graduate every guy. I won't be coaching here very long. You're not going to win."

To match expectations of winning at the highest level you have to have players. You have to have NBA caliber players - period.........

Podcast #2: College Football Preview

Well, Podcast #2 is in the can and here you go. You'll hear about the college football preview magazines and what some of them have to say. You'll also get a few goodies from Jarrett Jack and Wes Durham and an interesting mash-up song I found on the net. So happy listening.....................


Click here to listen (probably best to download - big file).


Show notes:
- I'm new to this so I'll apologize in advance for my uhh's and my lack of radio personality voice.
- I'll also apologize for mis-pronouncing player names. I think I butchered a couple
- Next time I will encode this thing at a lower bit rate so the file isn't so big
- visit www.mashuptown.com for interesting mash-up's of artists you've heard of.


Please give me plenty of feedback as well. What could be better? How do we make the podcast more interesting? Send me an email of just post a comment here.

The Reuben Houston Petition

Well, don't ask for my source, but here is the petition for Reuben Houston that was circulated around campus. I debated on publishing it or not, but felt that in light of all the negative press for Reubon, it is worth it so we can cast at least enough doubt in people's minds and get back to "innocent until proven guilty". After all, that's what the legal system is all about.


Petition for Reuben Houston:

Friends:


Everyone in the Tech community knows about the situation with one of our teammates/fellow students. Things for Reuben Houston are looking positive but the next 24 hours could change his life. The things the media printed and displayed were untrue but now that all the TRUE facts are gathered Reuben's trial can be suspended. Aside from his legal troubles, he needs everyones support in order to get back into school. Reuben has about 3 classes to take in order to graduate and he and his family needs our help. His attorney Manubir S. Arora (a class of '91 Tech graduate who represented Jamal Lewis of the Balitmore Ravens in a similar case) ask that a simple character letter or even just your name be written on a ballot to show that you support Reuben Houston and that you dont see him as a threat or black eye for the Tech community. Remember we all have made mistakes and deserve second chances so please help and respond ASAP(before Friday) Letters can be addressed and written as a message sent to me but they will be printed out and submitted to the Vice President of Student Affairs.
Address the letter to: Dr. William Schafer
Vice President of Student Affairs
Smithgall Student Services Building, Suite 210
353 Ferst Drive Atlanta,GA 30332-0285


I understand that you all are busy so if you dont have time to write a small letter just respond with something postive along with an okay to put your name on a ballot.....THANKS and GOD BLESS


Damarius Bilbo

What's Buzzin' on Tuesday

Well, I have recorded a brand new Podcast, but I'm having trouble getting it hosted. If I had recorded the same way as last time (through my cell phone), no problem. But I had to go and get fancy. The challenge is finding a site that will allow free hosting and unlimited bandwidth for these files (this one is about 29 meg). The show covers the college football preview magazines and my take on them. In addition there are some goodies in there that should make the show fun and interesting.


In addition, the GT Sports Blog Podcast is now listed in the ITunes Podcast directory, which will increase the traffic. Unfortunately, they have it listed as "GT Sports Podcast", without any mention of "Georgia Tech", which I need to fix. Cool though.


FOOTBALL
Mark Bradley had an article in the AJC about Chan Gailey losing 30lbs. Says he looks great................... The AJC also has an article on Dennis Davis, who is ready to return to the line-up. He's faster than Reubon Houston and even Kenny Scott, but just not as physical. After two shoulder surguries (the first one side-by-side with Houston, who had the same surgury at the same time)............... In that same article there's an interesting comment about Reubon Houston, implying that he could actually play in the fall. That's right. Coach Gailey says that a lot can happen between now and September and that they are at the mercy of the courts and the school. Why is this possible? Well, there are rumors around campus that there is actually more to the story than you read in the papers. Evidently one of the players started a petition as well, indicating there is more to the truth than has been let out. I haven't seen it, but that's the scuttlebutt. Looking at the events, what if they were actually quite different than they appeared? What if Reubon got into that SUV thinking he was going out on the town. What if the guy with him told him about the drugs in the vehicle during the ride and Houston immediately said let me out, and they ditched the vehicle? Remember, that one article indicated Houston had a small child with him before he got into the vehicle (reports are that he has a daughter). Is it possible that Houston was so flippant and careless that he would actually bring a child into the situation? Hard to imagine. Anyhow, stay tuned. There just may be more to this story, but personally, I hate this kind of speculation. I mean, what are the real odds of Houston being acquitted and reinstated to school again?................ Another note - the article says that Reggie Ball called a team meeting to make sure everyone understand that no matter who shows up on the field, they have a championship to win. Well, you go dude!! Nice leadership.................. Want to know about Georgia Tech's summer workout schedule? Click here and read the USA Today article - evidently every player on the team is in this summer participating........... Here's a jumbled, hard to read article about the pre-season football magazines..........



HOOPS
How about this - Anthony McHenry is showing up on the San Antonio Spurs summer league roster. He didn't play in their first game, but did get 3 minutes in yesterday's game. Total zero's across the stat line. Do you think Paul Hewitt had something to do with getting him on that roster? Do you think it was a coincidence that T-Mac was added after Luke Schenscher dropped off after signing a deal with the Nuggetts? I don't know. Just speculating.................. BJ Elder has played a couple of summer league games with mediocre results (39 minutes, 1-9, 0-2 3pt, 1 board, 1 assist, no steals, 1 to, 5 fouls, 2 pts)........... Will Bynum is now playing in the Hudson Campbell Pro Am League on the Chicago team, along with Shawn Marion of the Suns...................... Wow, you want to see how business really works. Want to see how Nike treats 16-year old kids who might be able to make them money? Take a close look. Nice find by RamblinRed. It is sick and disturbing, and they all do it. Don't think that Nike is alone in this behavior. They are all about the mighty dollar and it's big business locking in the next Lebron James early...................... Recruit Alex Stephenson is mentioned here............... Some recruiting notes, mostly on Greg Oden.................. As expected the Raptors picked up their option on Chris Bosh. And here's a "build Toronto around Bosh" article..................... Here's an interview with Jarrett Jack.........

What's Buzzin' for Monday

Been out of pocket and of course it's the slow season. But there are some updates for Jacket fans. So let's get to it:


HOOPS:
First, all the swirling Wellington Smith rumors might have been premature. It is not clear right now that he even has an offer from Georgia Tech. In addition, there are questions as to whether his academics are really in shape for a school like Tech. Stay tuned, but this one's way on the back-burner unless we hear more in the coming weeks................ It now looks like all the departing Jackets except BJ Elder have signed free agent contracts. We knew about Will Bynum and the Celtics. Now Luke has signed with Denver, and Isma'il Muhammad has signed with the Dallas Mavericks. We also knew about Jarrett Jack and Portland. Elder will start his summer league soon...............Here's a little Jarrett Jack Q&A for Portland fans............ Evidently Darko Milicic was whining again after not having a great outing against Luke Schensher, although they slam Luke at the end:

Darko's whining again. After coming up with just 13 points and six boards in 35 minutes against Luke Schenscher and Boniface N'Dong in summer league play, Darko complained to reporters, saying, "I need playing time. It is hard to play right away when you don't play for two years."


Yes, playing in actual game situations is different than practice, but the guy has been going against guys named 'Sheed, Ben and Antonio every single day for the last two years.


Luke Schenscher should look like a run at the Y in comparison.

By the way, here's an updated scouting report on Darko:

Background conversations with half a dozen NBA personnel experts produced this updated scouting report on Milicic: He still has no hope of ever becoming a productive big man in the NBA.

BEESBALL
A Brandon Boggs mention who was named the Lumberking's #1 position prospect......... A little bit on former YellowJacket pitcher Andrew Kown, the 6'7" right-hander.........


FOOTBALL
Read what the Houston Texans website says about Tony Hollings......... So who has a tougher opener, Georgia Tech or UGA? Come on - opening with Auburn is tougher than Boise State................ Trying to get people to participate in the new BCS poll should be interesting. Guys like Bill Curry have already turned it down. Evidently, there was a secret meeting this past weekend to discuss the issue. More on the new BCS Poll.............. Here's an interesting article on the challenge of scheduling football games and looking into the crystal ball................. Bowl alignments continue to develop, with the Big East inking a deal with the Gator Bowl (with the Big 12 and Notre Dame).......... Interesting back-story on Pepper Rodgers............. Hey, you could have bought the Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd Stadium lights on ebay, for a mere $12,250. (well maybe add another dollar).......... Chris Reis comments on spearing and concussions........... Come back here August 13 to see CollegeFootballNews.com's Georgia Tech preview........

Uhhh - Ohhhhh, Roy Williams is in trouble

Looks like Ole Roy (Williams) was a bit generous with the graduation gifts when he was at Kansas. Well, seeing as only 3 of his 7 departing players at UNC actually used up their eligibility, he didn't have to spring for major illegal gifts for all of them. Of course what he did seems to pale in comparison to some issues with the football program. Wow.......


I guess someone's evil plot has succeeded:

Hoops: He shoots, he scores!!!!!!!

Don't tell me I can't dig up stuff. For more on our possible mystery recruit, stay tuned.............. I have dug up video of Wellington Smith's 1000th career point, as well as a nice slam dunk so you can see him in action. Right-click and save-as.........


Also, if you want to see the stats for EVERY one of his high school games, just head over here - his high school website (click on Men's Basketball)................ In fact, here are some of the records he holds at Summit High.......... Someone at this blog calls him the "human erasor"....


In addition, here's a snapshot of him being honored for that 1000th point.......







Sounds like this kid might fit well into the Coach Hewitt system, which thrives with a lot of athletic 6'4" - 6'9" guys. For a familiar comparison, you might say he's somewhat like Anthony McHenry - tall, athletic, probably a better shooter, probably not as good of a ball handler..................


Also, here are a couple of pictures from the state high school championship game, which his team lost:

Hoops: More on Wellington Smith

Found some more info on Wellington Smith. Rivals NJ has an article this morning that says he will commit to the Jackets (I found someone had posted the details on a public board). No word yet if this article is valid or not.......... Smith plays on the same AAU Team (Playaz) as Wayne Ellington (UNC), Gerald Henderson (Duke) and Earl Clark, so no wonder he doesn't have a lot of press. Another reason is that he was about 6'4" as a sophomore and grew about 3 inches. And it was his senior season that he really blossomed. Here are some very interesting comments:

4/1/05 NJO: Union county season in review Player of the year: Wellington Smith was a very solid inside presence for the 2003-04 Summit team that advanced to the Group 2 state final. His quickness in the lane and rebounding and shot-blocking skills were great complements to the perimeter play of brothers Dwayne and Dwight Reid.


With the Reid brothers gone this season, Summit would be lacking athletic ability and firepower from the wings, and Smith's job would be made doubly hard.


Or, so it was presumed.


But Smith transformed his game almost completely since last season, evolving from an interior terror with the occasional jump shot to a legitimate 3-point threat (58 for the season) with the ability to break the press with his ballhandling. The 6-7 senior averaged 20.5 points per game and, again, guided Summit to the Group 2 championship, where it fell to Haddonfield.


Smith, with 1,224 career points, received offers from schools such as Fairfield, Maine and Hofstra last fall, but has since spawned the interest of many higher-level Division 1As. He said he may attend a prep school, perhaps Blair Academy in Blairstown, in the fall.

For his Summit team, Smith was named group 2 1st team, all-county, all-conference 1st team, all-area 1st team, team captain, team MVP, you get the point. He averaged 21 pts/game, 11.2 boards and hit 60 3pt shots, or about 2 per game............. Set his high school career scoring and rebounding marks................. In one game Jan 27 Smith had 39 points, 13 blocks....... He had 14 blocks in another game.............. Back in December he had a game with 18 pts, 17 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks......... In another game in March of 2004 he had 21 pts, 9 boards and 10 blocks...... He led his team in points, assists, rebounds and was their best outside shooter.


Here's another comment I found on Smith:

4/1/05 NJO: Union county season in review Player of the year: Wellington Smith was a very solid inside presence for the 2003-04 Summit team that advanced to the Group 2 state final. His quickness in the lane and rebounding and shot-blocking skills were great complements to the perimeter play of brothers Dwayne and Dwight Reid.

Also note that site named him to the "all long-distance team" and the "all windex team", the all-senior 1st team, all-union 1st team, etc.


So with all that, why isn't he more highly recruited? Apparently he has no other major Div I-A offers. He doesn't even have a profile in the Rivals database. He is fully qualified and a good student but has chosen to attend prep school at Blair (which has a total population of about 400-500 students and less than 20 post-graduate students). Why - evidently to expand his opportunity to play at the major Div I-A level. It's strange though, because schools like Seton Hall, Rutgers, Penn State, West Virginia, Boston College, Cincy and even Wake Forest have shown interest. So where are the offers.


Here's my take - sounds like he didn't get the high-major offers he wanted. Why? He only blossomed during his senior season when he was given a chance to play on the outside (after growing 3 inches). He was solid on the inside, but really showed game on the perimter. However, it was too little too late attract offers from high major schools................. He wants to show them he's got that level of game and that's why the prep route. He doesn't want to go to a school like Hofstra then transfer later................... In the meantime, maybe Coach Hewitt has decided that he would be a good addition to the 2005 squad. Is Coach Hewitt trying to convice him NOT to go the prep route and join the Jackets this fall? I don't know, but that's what it sounds like (if the NJ site article is accurate).

Hoops: Jarrett Jack signs with the Blazers

Jarrett Jack inks a multi-year deal with the Trailblazers on Thursday. Congrats!!!


In other news, there are reports on Rivals that a 6'7" kid name Wellington Smith is about to commit to the Jackets to play hoops. Weird because the article says he's a very good student but plans to attend prep school in the fall to develop his game. Evidently he's class of 2005. However if he attended prep school I think he would be re-classified as 2006. The article is from a New Jersey Rivals site and it says he's one of the most highly recruited players in the state. Don't ask me yet what this means for Paco Diaw............... Stay tuned.............


Isma'il Muhammad had another nice outing yesterday in summer leagues, scoring 13 pts (6-9), 8 boards, 1 assist, 2 to's and 5 fouls. At the line he had some issues, going 1-9................ Will Bynum gets 11 pts (4-11), 2 boards, 4 assists, 1 steal, 3 to's, 3 fouls, 28 minutes................ Luke plays 14 minutes, scores 2 pts (1-2), 1 board, 2 to's, 6 fouls. Hhhhmmmm.........................

What's Buzzin' in Football

Former Tennessee QB Brent Schaeffer is transferring - and has added Georgia Tech to his possible list of schools. He will decide by the end of July. He favors Clemson, but brings along baggage wherever he ends up.........


Former Jacket Dexter Stallworth on playing in the NAFL when players don't show up for practice or games:

The Marauders pull out the 28-24 victory with a long touchdown pass in the final minute. Tornados receiver Dexter Stallworth yells at his teammates when the game ends. "I take time away from my family for this (expletive)," the former Georgia Tech player screamed.

His teammates like his enthusiasm:

"I don't blame (Dexter) for being mad," Nall said.


"You can't go crazy, but he loves the game. He's one of our best athletes. He's extremely loyal. He never misses a practice. To him, he considered it a slap in the face when some of his buddies didn't show up. He took it personal. I can understand. I root for him in that respect."

What's Buzzin' in Hoops

In hoops, Isma'il Muhammad has his 2nd outstanding summer league outing, scoring 16 pts (5-8), 6-8 FT, 4 boards (2 off), 1 assist, 5 steals, 3 to's, 6 fouls. So obviously he's showing his tenacious on-ball defense because he fouled out. In the last 2 games his stats look like this - 52 minutes, 35 pts (12-18), 11-14 FT, 6 boards (3 off), 3 assists, 11 steals, 5 to's, 8 fouls. Just outstanding. I hope he keeps it up, because he is the longest shot to make a squad of the graduating Jackets.............................. All 3 incoming Tech freshman (Bell, Aminu, Clinch) will participate in the upcoming Global Games. We have sent a ton of players to the Global Games, including Jarrett Jack, Chris Bosh (MVP), Anthony Morrow, Ra'Sean Dickey, Jeremis Smith (MVP), Zam Fredrick, Ed Nelson (MVP). This will be the 2nd year in a row that all three GT recruits play on the US team. No doubt Georgia Tech have developed a special relationship with the tourney organizors and Coach Hewitt sees the benefits of letting his players go up against the international community. It's a great primer to kids who have been playing high school ball...... Here's the official press release and website. They do play by FIBA rules, and here are the differences between that and the NCAA. The main differences - the court is shorter, the lanes are wider, 3pt shot is a bit longer, 24 second shot clock, you can touch the ball on or above the cylinder (interesting). The tourney will be in Frisco (Dallas) July 24-30. I will add a link under "hoops extras" so you can monitor the action later................... Meanwhile, Will Bynum must have been tearing it up on the offensive glass and got a free meal out of it:

Hungry rookies


Some basketball lessons are delivered on the court. Others are taught when
the dinner check comes. When Taylor Coppenrath and Bynum were getting
inside for too many offensive rebounds against the Celts veterans during a
practice scrimmage, Rivers stepped in.


"Al (Jefferson) and Perk (Kendrick Perkins [news]),''
he said. "You guys have to take Taylor and Will to dinner tonight. On you. This
is a must. No excuses. And no McDonald's either. I want you to take them out to
a nice dinner.


"You can't let people get inside on you for offensive rebounds. Maybe this
will help you remember that.''


Instead of taking in one of the many fine dining spots in Vegas, Jefferson
and Perkins got away relatively cheap by taking the rookies to the buffet at the
Luxor Hotel. "They were full when they left though,'' Jefferson said in his own
defense.

Well, a 6'9" PF named Will Paul has chosen Stanford over Georgia Tech and others. He claims to have had an offer from Tech, which he got a couple of weeks ago after "blowing up" at the Kingwood Classic. Interesting as we have not heard a lot about him during the recruiting process. However, he plays on the same AAU Team as Josh Lomars, another recruit with GT interest............. Coach Hewitt was there when big-men recruits Vernon MacKlin and Brandon Wright went head-to-head. Of course he was one of a sea of big-name coaches watching. Wow, Wright has even thrown Vandy into the mix as a possible destination (yeah right)......... Coach Hewitt had to cancel a scheduled visit with Perry Stevenson due to bad weather in ATL. Tubby Smith also had to cancel a visit, and LSU Coach John Brady is scheduled to visit Stevenson today (according to his high school coach at Northside)............


Uh-oh, here we go again - a story on Bobby Cremins and his flip-flop with USC years ago. Of course they actually contacted Coach Cremins for comments

It's something Cremins can joke about now, at least for a moment. But talk to him for any length of time, and the frankly honest Cremins can't hide the pain that lingered for so long.


"It was the toughest time of my life," he said. "You get yourself in a bit of a trap -- yes-no, yes-no -- then finally cross that line only to realize you made a mistake.


"It's really hard. My body actually turned on me. I couldn't sleep, couldn't close my eyes. I felt like Judas."

And as always, Coach Cremins is the most likeable guy in sports. How can you NOT like him when he says stuff like this:

"It's just so hard," Cremins said. "We were talking about South Carolina, my alma mater, and I'm making a complete ass out of myself. It's embarrassing. It really feels terrible, and I'm sure Gene feels terrible for putting Oklahoma in that position.


"I feel for the coach. In a lot of ways, I admire Gene. I really do. Because he's doing the right thing and following his heart."

Speaking of former coaches, Kevin Cantwell is enjoying retired life. Nice story. While he like recruiting guys like Kenny Anderson and Mark Price, he sees the game as different now:

"I miss the coaching, what I don't miss is the profession," Cantwell said. "We were great recruiters (at Tech) and I did enjoy that to an extent, but it got to the point where you were recruiting not just the kid and the parents, but you were recruiting 20 other people. And they weren’t people that had the best interest of the kid in mind.


"It just got disgusting to watch."

Also note that he helped play a role in getting last week's Adidas Camp into the Suwanne Sports Academy, which is where those J.Crittenton pics came from. Cantwell is head of the basketball program at the Academy............


Lastly, a nice Q&A with Will Bynum for Celtic fans............

Hoops: Take a Look at Javaris Crittenton

The fine folks over at Adidas (the tourney organizers) have graciously allowed me to use their photographs from the recent Adidas camp. Out of their 800+ shots, I culled about 60 different shots of Javaris Crittenton. Here are a few for your viewing pleasure:

Hoops: The Back-Story on Zam Fredrick

Well, we had a sense of things, but one thing is for sure - Brian Murphy's article on Buck is a good first step in setting the recored straight on what really happened between Zam and his father and Coach Hewitt. If the article is true, then Buck never wanted to leave, only explored the transfer to appease his father, and is happy to be here. In addition he just wants to be GT's PG. He doesn't want to be "the guy who was going to transfer"

"He (his father) had a different perspective of what was going on. I let him
talk. He called and talked to whoever he wanted to talk to. Me and coach Hewitt
had an understanding. The understanding wasn't the same for everybody. My father
and coach Hewitt got into it," Zam Fredrick said. "I always wanted to come
back."

Here's what I like - we finally get to hear from Zam himself. What I hated the most about all those other media stories was never hearing from Zam. Now in hindsight, it's pretty clear the pickle he was in. He's trying to establish an identity, make his own mark, while playing in the shadow of his ex-playing star / coach / father who is clearly overbearing, but means well.


Here's the best part of the articles an old quote from Coach Hewitt:

"He was the most rapidly improving as a freshman. Nobody wanted to hear it because he was playing behind Jarrett and Will," Hewitt said. "But we saw it everyday in practice."

Football Notes

Here's a quick look at the ACC and how some things might shake out............. Someone at the Hive found this article, which links Tulane's "Green Wave" nickname and Georgia Tech, all coming back to a poem written in 1920:

The fourth verse, in which the then-nicknames for Georgia Tech and Alabama are mentioned, seems to get to the heart of the matter:


Now Tech's got a Gold Tornado;
Alabama a thin red line;
But we've got a Rolling Green Breaker
That'll cover 'em every time.

Where are they now - Mark Teixeira

Big Tex has a big night. In his first all-star appearance, Mark Teixeira goes yard. Ok, he didn't fare too well in the HR-Derby, but he in the game situation he hits an opposite field shot - right handed no less. In fact, it was his first long-ball from the right side of the plate all season. I tell you, I saw Mark interviewed at the HR-Derby and after the game tonight, and he's just so well-spoken, and seemed so humble. It's obvious that he's just enjoying the ride....... The folks over at USA Today have followed Mark and chronicled some his activities...... However, for a truly OUTSTANDING article, you must read this. The Dallas Morning News talks about his mother having breast cancer, one of his best friends dying in a car wreck and how he has dealt with adversity. Also, notice the props from Alex Rodriquez, his former teammate........... In this article, Mark comments on the steroid issue and the HR-Derby:

"I don't know how much steroids had to do with the home runs before, because I thought it got way too much publicity in the media," said Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira, who didn't make it out of the first round Monday night. "But I don't want to be labeled as a non-steroids home-run hitter. So if people perceived that before, I think it's good they'll stop thinking that way."

Here's more from his local papers about his first all-star trip.......... Evidently Tex is more than willing to play in the first World Baseball Classic.............. In this mid-season progress report, Tex gets the team MVP nod........... Mark seems to like the swank treatment the players received in Detroit......... Here's an interesting Q&A about the Rangers' image problem - mainly that the players want to win now, but management doesn't give a crap.............. This writer wrote his story on the game before it happened, and had Tex hitting a grad slam.......... Here's more great stuff from his hometown paper..........