AD Search - the Ramblings of Bill Curry

To get a sense of some of Bill Curry's thoughts I thought I would link for you all of the columns that Curry has written for ESPN. I understand that many of these articles require in ESPN Insider account. However, there are some very interesting things here and I haven't read most of them. For your viewing pleasure. What nuggets can you find?

Bill Curry: League of legends Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno are two of the winningest coaches in college football history. But how they got there is the real story.Bill Curry, ESPN.com December 29, 2005
Bill Curry: Redemption bowls From toilet bowls to redemption bowls to the games themselves, there's a lot to look forward to this weekend, writes Bill Curry.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 1, 2005
Bill Curry: Novak's happy Thanksgiving Coach Joe Novak and Northern Illinois is a feel-good story worthy of a movie, Bill Curry writes.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 25, 2005
Bill Curry: Tribal law As we prepare for rivalry games this weekend, remember that these contests are not only about football but also about tribes, writes Bill Curry.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 17, 2005
Bill Curry: Mind games Forget about the X's and O's this weekend. Steve Spurrier's biggest challenge against Florida will be psychological.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 10, 2005
Bill Curry: Comeback addiction UCLA's hooked on the comeback drug. But if the Bruins are going to be champs, they must overcome the addiction.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 3, 2005
Bill Curry: The messiah progression Urban Meyer is the most recent of a long line of program saviors. As with many coaches before him, Meyer's SEC baptism is progressing through the usual stages.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 27, 2005
Curry: Going home The Orioles won the Leo Mazzone Sweepstakes with a terrific contract, but his heart was stolen long ago by Baltimore.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 21, 2005
Curry: Going home The Orioles won the Leo Mazzone Sweepstakes with a terrific contract, but his heart was stolen long ago by Baltimore.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 21, 2005
Bill Curry: Focus, focus How do teams play well in big games and become champions? It all comes down to how the players and coaches channel their focus.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 20, 2005
Bill Curry: The Game of the Century USC has been there and done that in big games. In this, the latest "game of the century", the Irish have to focus on the game itself, rather than the magnitude of it.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 13, 2005
Bill Curry: The Tipping Point The Red River Rivalry is among the most intense in the nation. Just ask OU's Bob Stoops and Texas' Mack Brown, whose legacies are entwined with this game.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 6, 2005
Bill Curry: Positive Attitude Technique Kansas, Baylor, Indiana and Vanderbilt are all undefeated heading into October. It all starts with the right kind of attitude.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 29, 2005
Bill Curry: More than just a game It's said football is just a game, but it's so much more than that. Football, at its very core, teaches players how to deal with life, writes Bill Curry.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 22, 2005
Bill Curry: Keeping the faith Danny Wuerffel won titles and trophies, but his work in New Orleans will have an eternal impact.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 15, 2005
Bill Curry: Stay tuned With the attention Texas-Ohio State is receiving, you can expect to see more Goliath vs. Goliath matchups in the future.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 8, 2005
Bill Curry: The Fall of Troy While everyone is all but handing USC a third straight national title, Bill Curry believes the Trojans have too many obstacles in their path to threepeat.Bill Curry , Special to ESPN.com August 30, 2005
Curry: Bold leaders With the distractions facing today's players, only the most effective leaders can maintain their teams's focus.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 2, 2004
Curry: Iron filings The rivalry between in-state foes Alabama and Auburn is a important to the state as education, politics and religion.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 18, 2004
Curry: Dare to be great The best coaches in football become great because the dare to fail and are true to their convictions.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 11, 2004
Curry: Mourning a loss For competitors addicted to the victory drug, mourning a loss is something akin to grieving for the deceased.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 4, 2004
Curry: Fragile freshmen Freshmen are making their presence felt this year, but don't forget they're really just 18-year-old kids.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 28, 2004
Curry: The grudge factor Holding grudges has long been a part of both the human condition and college football.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 21, 2004
Curry: Great expectations From Georiga to Florida State to Southern California, players and coaches are saddled with high expectations.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 14, 2004
Curry: Streaks overexposed Overexposure -- for the wrong reasons -- has people questioning Mack Brown of Texas and Phil Fulmer of Tennessee.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 7, 2004
Curry: UT, Auburn are ready After offseasons full of turmoil Tennessee and Auburn are ready for some real SEC football.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 30, 2004
Curry: Bowdens grieve, fans still vent Tommy and Bobby will play the latest Bowden Bowl this weekend, but football is not their biggest concern.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 23, 2004
Curry: LSU, Auburn still mysteries Weather permitting, LSU and Auburn will find out this weekend what they're really made of.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 16, 2004
Curry: Miami has 'it' vs. FSU Florida State and Miami are at it yet again, but the Seminoles must crack the Hurricanes' aura of invincibility.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 9, 2004
Curry: Pac-10 awards Sure, there are other teams in the Pac-10, but USC is head-and-shoulders above the rest right now.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 23, 2004
Curry: Independent awards Memphis has a star on each side of the ball and looks like the last champion of C-USA as we know it.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 21, 2004
Curry: C-USA awards Memphis has a star on each side of the ball and looks like the last champion of C-USA as we know it.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 20, 2004
Curry: Big East awards West Virginia is the class of the revamped Big East, but Connecticut has a chance to make noise.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 17, 2004
Curry: Starting Over There is nothing quite like being a new coach and having that perfect (0-0) record.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 12, 2004
Curry: Making The QB Confidence, innate leadership abilities, great position coaches and talent all go into making a great quarterback.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 9, 2004
Curry: A gambling culture A coach can deter most of his players from gambling, but societal messages can lead some to become snagged by debt.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com May 13, 2004
Curry: Beginning of change The increased role of college presidents in straightening out their athletic departments is good for everyone.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com February 11, 2004
Curry: Rose always the goal for USC, Michigan BCS controversy or not, the Rose Bowl is always the ultimate goal for USC and Michigan.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 30, 2003
Curry: Stoops, Saban playing mind games Bob Stoops and Nick Saban are facing unique challenges in preparing for the biggest game of the year.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 30, 2003
Curry: Two championship games Instead of yelling about how good a playoff would be, let's focus on what might be the best two-game set ever.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 30, 2003

ESPN Podcast
Bill CurryESPN's Bill Curry thinks Vince Young's performance last night was the best... Listen »January 5, 2006
Curry: SEC ready for Round 2 LSU has the statistical edge in its rematch with Georgia, but the Bulldogs are getting healthy at the right time.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 3, 2003
Curry: Croom's guiding hand How prepared is Sylvester Croom to coach in the SEC? A look at his upbringing tells you all you need to know.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 2, 2003
Curry: Can Tech get revenge? The college football rivalry is a complicated thing for various reasons. Georgia and Georgia Tech know exactly why.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 26, 2003
Curry: Saban's psychology Ole Miss is playing its biggest game in 50 years, but it's just another Saturday to Nick Saban and LSU.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 20, 2003
Curry: Tiller balance vs. Tressel balance Balance has become the football buzz word of the new millennium, but it can mean different things.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 13, 2003
Curry's Game Plan: Navy-Notre Dame Eyeing its first win over Notre Dame in 39 years, Navy takes its triple-option attack to South Bend on Saturday.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 6, 2003
Curry: Seeking redemption Virginia Tech is hoping to redeem itself and its coach, while Miami will look to its special leaders on Saturday.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 30, 2003
Curry: Stay Focused Bowling Green may be out for revenge against NIU, but there are more important things to worry about.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 23, 2003
Curry: Changing of the guard The success of Purdue and Wisconsin may be rearranging the way things are in the Big Ten.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 15, 2003
Curry: No. 2 Miami vs. No. 5 Florida State You can learn a lot about a team by watching a Thursday practice, and sitting in at Miami and Florida State this week would be quite a treat.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 9, 2003
Curry: No. 14 Kansas State vs. No. 13 Texas Mack Brown and Texas are hoping one of the best assistants in the country can get the Longhorn running game in gear against Kansas State.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 2, 2003
Curry: Remembering George Plimpton With the death of George Plimpton, I have not only lost one of my best friends, I have lost the most interesting man I ever knew.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 27, 2003
Game plan: No. 14 Arkansas vs. Alabama Mike Shula is proving himself under trying circumstances, while Houston Nutt has already shown tremendous leadership.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 17, 2003
Game plan: No. 14 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 Michigan Both Notre Dame and Michigan come into Saturday's showdown in Ann Arbor facing many of the same questions.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 11, 2003
Game plan: No. 18 Florida vs. No. 3 Miami Both Ron Zook and Larry Coker face unique challenges in readying their teams for Saturday's rivalry game in the Orange Bowl.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 3, 2003
Game plan: No. 8 USC vs. No. 6 Auburn The heat and humidity could make the home field a true advantage for Auburn against USC.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 27, 2003
Curry: SEC a family affair The SEC football family is gearing up for a four-month family reunion, and no one knows what to expect.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 18, 2003
Curry: The Crimson Metamorphosis The Alabama football coach simply cannot make a move without being seen, heard and judged. Mike Price learned that lesson the hard way.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com May 3, 2003
Curry: Great homecoming for Riley Mike Riley, the self-proclaimed "gym rat from Corvallis," is coming home again -- this time to stay.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com February 20, 2003
Gameplan: No. 14 Virginia Tech at No. 1 Miami The 'Canes must be sound in the kicking game if they want to beat the Hokies on Saturday.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 4, 2002
Curry: The Third Season Few people face as much public scrutiny as those in the coaching community.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 27, 2002
Gameplan: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 USC ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down Saturday's Notre Dame-USC matchup.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 27, 2002
Gameplan: No. 9 Michigan vs. No. 2 Ohio State ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down Saturday's Michigan-Ohio State matchup.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 14, 2002
Gameplan: No. 1 Miami at Tennessee ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down Saturday's Miami-Tennessee matchup.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com November 7, 2002
Gameplan: No. 17 Arizona State at No. 9 Washington State ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down Saturday's Arizona State-Washington State matchup.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 30, 2002
Gameplan: No. 17 Penn State at No. 4 Ohio State ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down Saturday's Penn State-Ohio State matchup.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 23, 2002
Gameplan: No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 15 Air Force ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down Saturday's Notre Dame-Air Force matchupBill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 17, 2002
Gameplan: No. 12 Florida State at No. 1 Miami ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down Saturday's Florida St.-Miami. matchupBill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 10, 2002
Gameplan: No. 20 USC at No. 17 Washington St. ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down the USC-Washington St. matchupBill Curry, Special to ESPN.com October 2, 2002
Gameplan: No. 19 Nebraska at No. 21 Iowa St. ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down the Nebraska-Iowa St. matchupBill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 25, 2002
Gameplan: No. 11 Washington St. at No. 8 Ohio St. ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down the Washington St.-Ohio St. matchupBill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 12, 2002
Curry: Unitas was real, but a giant among men ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry, a former NFL center, remembers his former teammate John Unitas.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 12, 2002
Gameplan: No. 1 Miami at No. 6 Florida ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down the Miami-Florida matchupBill Curry, Special to ESPN.com September 4, 2002
Gameplan: Notre Dame vs. Maryland ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry breaks down the Notre Dame-Maryland matchupBill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 28, 2002
Curry: On Zook's "Coachspeak" Florida coach Ron Zook employs a language very few understand: "Coachspeak."Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 6, 2002
Curry: Gailey must stifle NFL gremlins Gremlin banishment is a prime prerequisite for good coaches, and I believe Chan Gailey can pull it off.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com August 6, 2002
Curry: Title IX matters to everyone A former college football coach and current analyst for the sport embraces the passion brought on by Title IX.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com July 3, 2002
Curry: Title IX matters to everyone A former college football coach and current analyst for the sport embraces the passion brought on by Title IX.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com June 23, 2002
Curry: Respond accordingly Alabama and Kentucky did not arrive where they are by accident. They failed to respond correctly.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com February 1, 2002
Curry: Irish moved too fast Notre Dame learned a hard lesson with O'Leary -- the 'quick fix' philosophy does not work.Bill Curry, Special to ESPN.com December 15, 2001
ESPN Podcast
Bill CurryBrett Favre has earned the right to play as long as he wants with the Packers for all that he's done for that franchise. Also Bill says that Joe Paterno deserved the coach of the year award. After four losing seasons, it's amazing Penn State could... Listen »December 21, 2005

AD Search - Steve Orsini

UCF AD Steve Orsini apparently has not been contacted about the Georgia Tech AD job and he has supposedly not made an inquiry either. Check it out. While I think Orsini could probably do an outstanding job for Georgia Tech, personally I don't want another guy who's dream job is Notre Dame (he's an Irish alum).


Personally, I want a "Tech man". Now that doesn't mean that he/she has a Tech degree, but that Tech is where their #1 allegiance is too. For example, Bobby Cremins' name has been kicked around as well. While he would be a great face for the school (much like Curry), his administrative skills would have to be seriously questioned. Cremins has even said if he was contacted about the job he would love to do it but would need a good "right-hand man". I see Cremins' #1 allengiance being Georgia Tech, since of course he could probably never go back to SC anyhow after the coaching debacle.

Bill Curry on Chan Gailey

Back in 2002 Bill Curry wrote an article about Chan Gailey. Someone over at Stingtalk found the link - here you go:

Like most Georgia Tech alumni, I followed the events of last December in our football program with a mixture of embarrassment and wonder. Embarrassment over the obvious, and wonder at the team's amazing performance against Stanford in the Seattle Bowl.


It was as fine an example of team and staff resolve in the midst of turmoil as I have ever seen. This is my 48th consecutive year of football, so I've seen a great deal.


Now comes Chan Gailey to this complicated scenario. He has impeccable football credentials and a reputation for integrity. He is a good family man. He is best friends with Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Reeves. He is from Americus, Ga. He was probably an Eagle Scout.


Now, though, I wonder about this: Is Gailey too good to be true?


Let me be clear: I do not question Gailey's ability or intentions. But I wonder about the gremlins. We all have them. They are lurking and lying in wait. They pounce at the most inopportune times, causing us to trip over words, make mistakes or lose our cool. They are hard to control ... sometimes they look like Jerry Jones.


Gailey has been successful in Denver, Pittsburgh, Dallas (as head coach of the Cowboys, no less!) and Miami. In light of that, I'm curious about whether he can stifle his NFL gremlins. I mean, when an 18-year-old cuts chemistry class because he "forgot," how will Gailey respond? When the kids are too tired to practice because they were pulling all-nighters for mid-terms, will he be able to smile, breathe deeply and shorten the practice session? I'm wondering ... and hoping.


Gremlin banishment is a prime prerequisite for good coaches, and if I were laying odds, I would bet that Gailey can pull it off. It will be harder than he thinks, but I have a good feeling about the man.

Hoops Recruiting - Javaris Crittenton

How about this - Javaris Crittenton outscored the opposing team ALL BY HIMSELF. His last game he scored 54 points and his SWCA team beat Eagles Landing 96-53. Uhhhhh, wow.......

The AD Search

Well, evidently there will be no shortage of highly qualified candidates for the Georgia Tech AD job. People are coming out of the woodworks - people who have not even been contacted - like Miami baseball head coach Jim Morris. Furman Bisher has an interesting article on the requirements of the job and how it's changed......... Well, Prez Clough has gotten serious about figuring out which candidates are the real deal, and to make sure that all CYA aspects of the situation are covered, they've enlisted the help of a consulting firm to find the new AD. The way I see it Bill Curry is still the strongest front-runner hands down. There are certainly better administrators but we won't find a better "face" for Georgia Tech. I agree with Furman - bring in a great administrator as Curry's tag-team partner and you'll have a winning situation.

The Recruiting Game

In case you are curious, Georgia Tech uses the following online service to track and communicate with recruits - www.recruitingradar.com. The service gives the football staff an online site dedicated and hosted by that company for Georgia Tech. It gives them communication tools (email, text messaging, IM, chat, snail-mail, etc). The site tracks all GT recruits and tracks their surfing habits on the site to guage interest. They also handle direct mail campaigns, which is of course important to show recruits some love. They also provide recruiting consulting services. Here's a PDF brochure with more details.............. For the really geeky, Georgia Tech used to subscribe to a system called Cybersports.

Here's what David Wilson, our recruiting coordinator and likely soon to be departed special teams coach had to say about it (right from the website):

"Recruiting radar goes into an area of communication I have not seen or used before in college football recruiting. There is a distinct advantage to having all means of reaching a prospect in one system that is easy for any coach to use. After comparing to our former recruiting system, we determined that RecruitingRadar was the only technology that included everything, and was backed by a company whose direction aligns with where we want to take our recruiting strategies today, and in the future. It looks like these guys have gotten it right."

Too bad Wilson didn't get things right on the field, since it's no big secret that he's probably the first coach that will be looking for gainful employement. Here's the press release about Tech subscribing to the system, which has been around less than a year.


Now, here's what I find interesting. Check out the schools that subscribe to the service and I'll list them in the order in which they got on board:


Vanderbilt (3/2005)
Duke (3/2005)
Boston College (???)
Georgia Tech (7/2005)


Not exactly a list of football factories here. What you have is a list of schools known for the academics first then their athletics - a group probably always looking for that extra edge. Well, hopefully it helps. Based on this article, Tech pays somewhere between $2750 - $6500, although it doesn't say if that's yearly or monthly. I would naturally assume yearly.

Hoops - Paco Diaw

Here's a very nice story on Paco Diaw, how he got to Tech, his adjustment and his ability to pick-up Coach Hewitt's complicated system. Nice story.

Hoops - Ed Nelson banished to the end of the bench

Ed Nelson just lost his starting job - as the first big guy off the bench. Now's he's way down the list and didn't even play in UConn's latest game, for the first time in his career. Freshman Jeff Adrien has jumped him in the rotation. Jim Calhoun didn't mince words about Ed. Check it out:

"Ed works hard every day," Calhoun said. "Hilton is playing great and Josh is, in many ways, indispensible. Jeff, quite frankly, is more valuable to us. He's stronger, he jumps better, he can score in traffic. Ed can't score against any of the three of them. That does not mean he won't play. It means it's going to be more like 10 minutes, 12 minutes one night and the next night maybe not as much."

So I ask you - how do you feel about Ed Nelson now? Does the way he left Coach Hewitt high-and-dry still rub you the wrong way and he's "getting his" now? Personally, I am a man of forgiveness. I hate to see Ed's collegiate career end this way, but things happen for a reason. There are too many important things in life than to hold some type of grudge against a 22 year person I've never met. All the best Ed!!!

'Bama Paper Pitches Bill Curry

The Birmingham news thinks that Bill Curry would make the right choice for the next Georgia Tech Athletic Director.

There may be candidates with more experience and better credentials on paper, but it'll be hard to find a better man for the job.


The AD has to do 10 jobs in one. He has to be a personnel manager, financial manager and facilities manager. He has to be a fund-raiser, hand-shaker and deal-maker. He has to be an architect, politician, catalyst and leader.


Curry fits that diverse job description because he's a Renaissance man, whose interests and talents go far beyond those of the typical former coach-turned-commentator.


Read the archive of his insightful weekly columns from football season on ESPN.com. Then listen to the ramblings of, say, Lou Holtz.


Compare. Contrast. No contest.


An AD also should care more about the school than the job because he's the CEO of a company whose employees and investors like to think of themselves as family.


Curry is a Georgia Tech man who's more than the school's old football coach. He's an old grad.

This was an interesting comment:

Fans could question his decisions but not his motivation.

Well, the column was so good, I'll go ahead and violate my rule and show you most of the rest:

Some people will argue that Curry has never been an AD or an associate AD or an assistant AD, but he's been a Division I-A head football coach, and a coach is an administrator.


The higher up the food chain the program, the more a coach tends to administer and the less he tends to coach.


Some Georgia Tech people will argue that Curry turned his back on his alma mater when he left there to coach at Alabama, but his mentor, Tech legend Bobby Dodd, recommended the move.


How does a Tech man say no to Dodd? How does a football coach say no to the job once held by Paul Bryant?


A decade and a half after Curry left Alabama for Kentucky, his performance as the Crimson Tide coach is still debated and often derided in this state. But, like Mike Shula, Curry's record got better from year one to year two and from year two to year three.


Curry's third team, like Shula's, won 10 games and finished 10-2. Curry's third team, unlike Shula's, also won a share of the SEC championship.


Curry didn't inherit NCAA probation and sanctions, as Shula did, but Shula hasn't had to deal with backbiting inside the Alabama family, as Curry did.


Some people will argue that Curry, at 63, is a year older than Braine, the man he would follow as AD, but Curry is the youngest 63-year-old you could ever want to meet.


He's a long way from retirement.


Georgia Tech would be a lot closer to a brighter future if it would bring him back home.

Football Recruiting - Jackets Nab a Safety

DeRon Jasper, a 6'3" 195lb safety out of Dunwoody GA has committed to the Jackets. It came down to GT and WF. Congrats Deron and welcome to Georgia Tech!!!!


Also, RB Andre Anderson committed to UCF and George O'Leary

Hoops - Jackets Drop First ACC Battle

Well, once again, NCST beats Georgia Tech, this time 87-78. We all know it's tough to win on the road. Today was no different. Even with the loss, I have to say - I like what I see. NCST is an experienced, disciplined, excellent shooting team, and the Jackets stayed in this game most of the way. What are you going to do when your opponent just starts dropping longe range bomb and bomb down the stretch. The Jacket defense was active, but the Pack just seemed to make that extra pass at the right time and they hit the shots. Give them props. It didn't help that we opened both halves of play poorly.


DEFENSE
Well, NCST shot 54% overall and 48% from longe range. Certainly the defensive intensity is not reflected in those statistics. It's mostly a case of just making passes and hitting shots by NCST. They are just a solid passing team that finds the open guy. The Jackets were active and energetic. Yes, they missed some assignments, but you can tell this group is really "getting it" on the defensive end of the floor.


To give you an idea about the passing strength of NCST, they had 21 assists on 28 baskets. That's highly impressive. In addition they only had 9 turnovers. That's an assist/turnover ratio of 2.33 for the team. Wow. In the end though it was those long range bombs - (13/27) that just kept adding to the point total, particular down the crucial last minutes.


REBOUNDING
Yet again the Jackets outrebound their opponent, but this time only 34-30 and 10-6 on the offensive glass. A solid effort and it certainly wasn't a key reason for the loss today........ The encouraging sign is that Ra'Sean Dickey led the team with 12 boards. Throw in his 12 pts and you have his first double/double of the seaon (if memory serves me). There were still times where he seemed to be standing around, but he was certainly a LOT more active today.


OFFENSE
The Jackets shot 52% from the floor and 42% from long range. Nothing to be ashamed of. NCST is a decent defensive team and they are fairly active. Buck Fredrick had a good game running the team and ended with 7 assists and only 2 turnovers. He shot the ball well in the first half, but went cold in the 2nd half and ended with 11 pts (4-13)......... Jeremis Smith the real monster in the paint. He ended with 20 pts (8-16) and some of those buckets were TOUGH, with a handful of foul-and-one's. There is just no doubt that Smith is a beast, goes hard all the time and is hardcore.........


CLINCH BREAKS OUT
Lewis Clinch had a great game. He ends with a career high 14 pts (6-10, 2-4 3pt), 3 boards. He had some nifty moves in the paint and it's obvious he's got a little finger-roll flair.


A-MO - THROW A BLANKET ON HIM
No doubt NCST had a gameplan to shutdown Anthony Morrow and they did that for a half. In the 2nd half he made his presence known, but he still ended below his average with 15 pts (5-9, 2-5 3pt).


THE MULTI-HEADED MONSTER
We know the defense has really started to become more consistent, more active and more disciplined the last 4-6 games. However, one thing that is really starting to change is the emergence of many offensive weapons. The first 8 games of the season, the plan for opponents was simple - shutdown Anthony Morrow. However, with Clinch and West out, D'Andre Bell emerged to show his abilities from the outside. He has hit a number of mid-range and long-range shots in the last 6 ballgames and continues to be very active defensively............... Lewis Clinch is back and had the best game of his career today, hitting on an array of shots. Buck Fredrick is still streaky from the floor, but is starting to hit more of his shots after a terrible start to the season........... The you look down low and can always count on everything Jeremis Smith can give. In my mind there is only one missing link offensivley - consistent play from Ra'Sean Dickey in the post. He played fairly well today, but he is capable of so much more. He needs two things - consistent mental dedication and a stronger ability to read defenses in the post. His lack of focus at times is well documented. Putting that aside, when he learns how to read the defense in the low-post he will be deadly. Put one defender on him and he cannot be stopped. Double-down and he still tends to turn the ball over - a lot. He had 4 turnovers today, most of which came when he was doubled down low. He'll get it. It takes time and it takes practice. There is no denying his physical ability, his outstanding footwork and offensive skills. Put Jeremis Smith's ticker in that body and a more experienced ability to "feel" the defense and holy cow. His upside is amazing.


So the point is that Paul Hewitt does not have to trade offense for defense as much. D'Andre Bell is a great defender who has come alive as a scorer. Lewis Clinch is active defensively and a natural scorer. He just has to get 100% of his movement back from the injury. Buck may not have the stamina, but he's active defensively and runs the team better than anyone else. Jeremis Smith is a load defensively and we know what he does offensively. A-Mo runs hard defensively and is the best scorer on the team.


The pieces are coming together. They're not ready to make a title run or anything, but this team can compete and make us proud. I wasn't expecting a win today, but I liked what I saw. The Jackets will make some noise this season. There's no doubt about that.


GO JACKETS!!!!!!

Hoops - Theo's Bbbbbaaaacccckkkkk

That's right - Theodis Tarver is back on the team - reinstated by the appeals committee after a 2nd meeting with them. Turns out they have a human side after all. So the punishment - Theo misses the most personal game of the season in his hometown - a game specifically designed for him. However, that's a much better fate than having your college hoops career end on such a sour note.


Welcome back Theo!!!!

Let's Strengthen the Geek Stereotype

What's a great way to strengthen the stereotype of Georgia Tech students as all geeky? How about putting one of them on the TV Reality show - Beauty and the Geek? Well, that's exactly what happened - check it out......... Interestingly, Wes looks like the least geeky of the group.

Oddsmakers Not our Friends

According to the oddsmakers, our odds of winning the hoops NC this season is now 300-1, while it started the season 40-1.

The Silver Headed Journalist

That's right - Bobby Cremins - journalist - check it out.

Jim Valvano's philosophy was this: Win 80 percent of your non-conference games, 50 percent of your conference games and at least one conference tournament game to punch your ticket to the NCAA tournament. But Jimmy's formula wouldn't work today. The NCAA selection committee frowns on weak pre-conference schedules. If you play a weak pre-conference schedule, you had better win far more than half of your conference games.

Of course, Valvano's formula still gets it mostly right: Fail to win 80 percent of those non-conference games, and you've likely dug yourself a very deep hole.

Hoops - Kansas OFF the schedule....

.... per a Kansas site. We won't have them return to ATL next season per OUR request:

No Tech, MSU: KU will not travel to Michigan State and Georgia Tech next season, as previously planned.


"Both teams asked us to postpone (at least a year). It happened in the space of 10 days. They had different reasons," KU senior associate athletic director Larry Keating said.

Sorry, but that stinks. I sure would like to know why.

Hoops Recruiting Update - Javaris Crittenton

Javaris is averaging 29 points, 9 assists, 7 boards and he won the slam dunk contest at the Arby's Classic over the Xmas break.............

Who's Leading the AD Search?

So who will lead the search for a new AD? Reports are that there will be a committee headed by Wayne Clough. Here are the members:

Wayne Clough
Dan Schrage - faculty rep for academics
Joe Irwin - alumni association prez
Chuck Easley - former GT football player
David Anderson - Student Government Association Prez


If my research is correct Easley played for Bill Curry. HHHHhhhmmmmm. Easley was awarded the Total Person Alumnus Award last year, which is the GTAA's highest honor. In 1995 he was also named the Young Alumnus of the Year. Quote from that link from Easley - "I'll always bleed black and gold.".

New AD Candidate? Todd Stansbury?

Check out the biography:

Todd Stansbury was named Executive Associate Athletic Director at Oregon State University on December 12, 2004.


As the Executive Associate Athletic Director, Stansbury supervises sport programs and oversees internal and external operations. Since coming to Oregon State University, Stansbury has been a leader of the senior management team that has led to unprecedented athletic success, while undertaking the largest capital project in OSU athletics history and balancing the budget.


Some of the highlights of the program during his tenure include eliminating the departments’ accumulated operating debt, the planning and completion of the $80 Million Reser Stadium expansion, the initiation and development of the “Everyday Champions” Program, and the increased national visibility of OSU athletic teams through post-season play.


The Oakville, Ontario, Canada native went to Georgia Tech on a football scholarship where he lettered as a linebacker and graduated on Dean’s List with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management in 1984. He was a third round draft choice for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League and later completed a master of science in sports administration at Georgia State University in 1993.


Stansbury began his professional career as a banker in the asset based lending division of Citizens and Southern National Bank headquartered in Atlanta before returning to his alma mater as the academic counselor for football in 1988.


As the assistant athletic director for academics at Georgia Tech he was responsible for the overall development, direction, and management of the academic support program for student-athletes. This program was a major component of the Homer Rice Total Person Program which was adopted nationally by the NCAA Foundation and the Division I-A Athletic Directors as the NCAA Champs/Life Skills Program. While serving as assistant athletic director for academics, Georgia Tech was consistently recognized nationally for its graduation rates.


In 1995 Stansbury left Georgia Tech to become the international coordinator for the Institute for International Sport. In this capacity he and his wife, Karen spent over 16 months traveling around the world promoting the 1997 World Scholar-Athlete Games and developing a worldwide network of educators, sport organizations, and government leaders.


Upon his return to the United States in 1996 Stansbury went to work for Southern Network Services in Birmingham, Ala., as the manager of internet business services and helped develop the business and marketing plans for the internet division of the regional computer networking firm.


He returned to intercollegiate athletics in 1997 at the University of Houston, serving as associate athletics director. He was directly responsible for all NCAA compliance activities, student-athlete support services and was the primary liaison to the Universities’ administrative units. Under his direction the student-athlete support program was transformed into a program recognized by USA Today for increasing graduation rates for student-athletes.


As the Director of Athletics at East Tennessee State University, he initiated and implemented a program-wide strategic plan, developed and implemented a new fundraising model, updated and expanded the training room facilities into an out-patient revenue producing rehabilitation center, identified the funding and developed the plans for a student-athlete academic center, updated the athletic trademarks, and initiated and completed numerous infrastructure and capital improvements. In addition to numerous athletic accomplishments ETSU was also recognized by USA Today for increasing the graduation rates of its student-athletes while under his direction.


With a wealth of experience in both the private and public sectors Stansbury has developed and implemented programs designed to enhance the student-athlete experience and develop student-athletes into leaders who are prepared to excel in today’s competitive environment. Stansbury’s interest in youth has led him to initiate various partnerships between college athletics and community organizations over the years including the Phoenix Program, Project Team Work, and Junior Achievement.


Married to the former Karen Hammond of Easley, S.C., the Stansbury’s share an avid interest in the outdoors and travel. These interests have led to a number of adventures including treks in the Himalaya of Nepal and to the hill tribes of Northern Thailand, tracking the Mountain Gorilla in the Congo (Zaire), and sailing the Whitsunday Islands of Australia.

Hoops - Recruiting & Bad Thad

Quick update - Thad's Mitchell team won the other night. Thad scored 33 points - IN THE FIRST HALF!!!!! In another recent game he scored 31 points on 15-19 shooting against a box-and-1 defensive scheme.

Where are they now - Nat Dorsey

Big Nat is trying to not be so - big. Looks like he wants to get down to a svelte 325lb.

Harsh but true

ROUGH WORDS ON FOOTBALL
Rough article from a Jacket perspective, but the logic is sound:

Georgia Tech beat Auburn and Miami on the road with awesome defense and Calvin Johnson's playmaking. Had Chan Gailey's team played well, there's no way Utah could have competed with them for 60 minutes. But since Kyle Whittingham's Utes played their tails off, while Tech had the stupidity and ungraciousness to publicly state just how much they didn't want to be in San Francisco, the boys from the Mountain West played great, had a fun time, won an Emerald Bowl championship, and built momentum for their season. Tech, on the other hand, gave the ACC--along with Miami--a really big black eye. Hmmmmm... if I had a choice, I'd rather win the Emerald Bowl, stand up for my conference, and smile at the end of a game, rather than go through the motions and embarrass myself and my school. But apparently, some players and teams would rather sulk for a whole month and get blown out in a bowl game. Hopefully, those who didn't cherish their bowl game experiences this year will feel differently the next time around.

Hoops - Are Players looking ahead to 2007 too?

It's one thing for the fanbase to look ahead and say - wow NEXT Season is going to be great, but what about when the players do it? Thanks to those in the chatterbox for finding this article about 2007 and the Georgia Tech hoops team. Nice article for sure, especially looking ahead to 2007 / 2008 recruits like Howard Thompkins. Nice comments from his father. In particular note the comments about M.Faye:

The ridiculously long Faye is similar to Young, and with 20 or so pounds on his 200-pound frame, he could be an impact guy immediately after becoming eligible. Faye can step out and has three-point range, can put the ball on the floor and get to the basket and is also a versatile defender.

Spin the Wheel - Hire an AD

I'll have some guesses later about the AD, but obviously the most talked about candidate will be Bill Curry. The AJC has some direct quotes from him here. Obviously he's campaigning already. Stay tuned....

Hewitt Speaks on Braine

Coach Hewitt had this to say about Dave Braine:

A clause in Tech basketball coach Paul Hewitt's contract gives him 18 months after Braine's departure to leave for another job with no penalty. Hewitt said Braine first discussed his retirement plans with him two months ago.


"Everybody knows how I feel about Dave and how important he is to me," Hewitt said Wednesday. "I'm not doing anything drastic or rash. Working at Georgia Tech, you need somebody who understands the school and how things are academically. I just think a lot of my success comes from having an athletic director like him."


Added Hewitt: "I'm not the only reason we've won that number of games. He's a former coach who had a lot to do with my success."

So interpret it how you will. Coach Hewitt would be insane to leave prior to the arrival of next year's recruiting class. He'll have everyone back (sans Theo) with a top 5 class coming in and the NCAA finals in the ATL. Insane I tell you. He'd be insane!!

Football in Texas is Big - like everything else

Interesting read on football in the state of Texas and how some believe recruits there are even better prepared for the college level than in Florida:

One said he visited one of the biggest programs in Dallas this fall and found the coach teaching a physical-education class. Everyone in the class was on his football team. That day's lesson: offensive schemes of that week's opponent.

High school is the big deal in this state, much bigger than college football, much bigger than the (NFL's) Cowboys and Texans. Not in Dallas or Houston. But everywhere else, every other city and town, if you had a choice between going to a high school game and going to see the Cowboys, there's not any question what you're doing. You're going to see the local high school team play."

Such attitudes seep to local politics and school boards. That is why many high school football coaches in Texas have something their Florida peers do not - planning periods and little or no teaching load.

Planning periods are one-hour sessions in which the coach is permitted to take his team and do what he wishes with it - study film, lift weights, go to the practice field, whatever. High school players in Texas effectively practice four hours more a week than those in other states.

In Class 4A and 5A schools in Texas, head football coaches are not required to teach any classes, Rodgers said. In some communities, that goes for offensive and defensive coordinators, as well. That means time that other states' coaches spend in class is time that Texas coaches spend game-planning.

Dave Braine to Step Down

The rumors have been circulating since before Christmas - that Dave Braine would announce his retirement soon after the new year, primarily due to health reasons. Now the news reports that an announcement is due this week. No surprise here. Note that Paul Hewitt has a clause in his contract that gives him 18 months after Braine leaves to leave himself without penalty. However, I fully expect Paul Hewitt to stay in ATL. He's got too much going here, he loves the area, his extended family have actually moved to ATL, and he's got a recruiting pipeline built that can put this school in the elite in the near future......... Stay tuned.

How about some Track & Field?

Former Georgia Tech All-American Track & Field star Amandi Rhett shattered a 20-year old record in the 55 yard dash, better the old mark of 6.85 seconds with a time of 6.6 seconds. She was named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week.


CONGRATS!!!!!

Hoops - Jackets beat a bad team

The Jackets beat the Gentlemen from Centenary tonight 85-69. They went up 12-0 early on strong play by Buck Fredrick, but slowly let the Gents back in it. In fact Centenary got within 6 points late in the 2nd half until Tech went on a strong finishing run.


Honesly, this is one of the no-win situation games. Centenary is a team that has lost like 30 of their last 33 games. They are 2-12 this season. A big victory was expected. A small victory would be worrisome and a loss would be flat out crushing. But they won, even if it wasn't entirely pretty. The Jackets played good in stretches, but probably fought to find motivation.


THE YOUTH SHALL RISE UP
Interesting note. I think 8 players saw the floor. Four freshman. Four sophomores. No juniors, no seniors. That cannot be too common in collegiate hoops. When Mario West comes back that will be one junior, but folks - it's a youth movement all the way.


POINT DISTRIBUTION
Buck led the scoring early then didn't take many shots in the 2nd half. He ended with 18 on 6/7 from the field and played well at the point.......... Jeremis Smith had an outstanding 2nd half and ended with 19 points as well on 8/10 from the floor. However, he was 2-8 from the charity stripe. Ouch................. Ra'Sean Dickey used the absense of Theodis Tarver to show some muscle and finish with 19 points on 7/11 shooting............. Anthony Morrow had a major lid on the basket in the 1st half and just couldn't find the net, but finished with 12 on 5/16............. Alade Aminu finished with his career high of 8 points on 3/7 from the floor............ D'Andre Bell chipped in 5, and Lewis Clinch / Paco Diaw each had a bucket.


ALADE AMINU SPEAKS
After the game, Alade was interviewed. He was a well-spoken young man. He finished the game with 8 points, 8 boards and 2 assists. Certainly a career night in his young career. Here's what he said - "The game was about Theo tonight, not about the team. He's a good friend to me. He's back in Atlanta and we wanted to win for him. He's the one that's been working with me to get better down in the paint."...... On playing more minutes now - "I'm ready to step up to the challenge and I'll just have to be patient. Hopefully Theo can keep working with me to improve".


JEREMIS SMITH - BEAST
Jeremis was the man again late to help the Jackets put this game away. He finished with 19 points and 10 boards for another double/double. Evidently his high school coach was in attendence, so you know he wanted to show his stuff.


TEAM STATS
The Jackets shot 51.6% for the game, including 7/21 from 3pt range. They outrebound the Gents 46-29. The Gents shot 44.1%, including 4/15 from long range. Once again turnovers are a concern as the Jackets give up the ball 19 times.


COACH HEWITT SPEAKS
Interview with Wes Durham after the game.

Coach
We got off to a great start. Zam Fredrick was magnificant, especially in the 1st half. Then he got in foul trouble and you could see where we missed him in the 2nd half. I'm so happy for him to come out and shoot the ball the way he did today.


Coach
Jeremis Smith was great. His high school coach, Coach Hughes, was in the stands and actually came in and talked to the guys right after the game. He knows he better play hard when Coach Hughes is around or he's going to answer to a higher authority........... It was nice that when they cut the lead down that our guys reacted accordingly.


Wes
Did you get what you wanted from this game, in the end?


Coach
Not really. You know, Theo wasn't here, so.......

Wes
but in terms of following up, winning on the road, etc.


Coach
You know, it's a nice win, but I have to tell you Wes - emotionally this is a tough one for all of us today. To see this young man go through so much, from a dislocated kneecap, to losing his mom last year......... this was a tough one for us. We really had to talk long and hard before the game. Not necessarily about X's and O's, but just emotionally to make sure everybody was in focus and understands that he's back there feeling pretty bad and that we need to come out here and win this game so he doesn't feel worse. As soon as we get on the bus, everybody's going to make sure they give him a call to tell him - hey - we got the W and he can concentrate....... I know he went to classes today. He picked up his books. You know, he's going to proceed with life as normal, he's going to graduate from Georgia Tech one day. Like I said before, if this is the worst thing that he has to endure, then he's going to be well ahead in life.

Football Recruiting

Looks like Tech's only verbal committment on the offensive line - Heath Batchelor, is gone. Reports are that he will commit to Steve Spurrier at SC. Of course we knew this was coming. Glad we signed a bunch on the line last season. We'll see who Coach Gailey and crew go after now, as they are only looking to sign 1 O-Lineman.


In better news, you should be able to find the following names in the school directory - Anthony Barnes, Shane Bowen and Jamaal Evans. Good news there.

Hoops - Sadness Abounds

Wow. In what can only be described as absolutely saddening, disappointing and frustrating news, it was revealed today that hoops senior Theodis Tarver has been ruled academically ineligible, effectively ending his basketball career.


The irony is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Last night Rana Cash had written an outstanding article on Theo, a retrospective of all that Tarver has been through with injury and the death of his mother. The largest irony of all is that our next game is against Centenary, from Theo's hometown, a game put on the schedule specifically for Theo by Coach Hewitt. His family and friends were all going to be there. His dad has been distributing copies of the media guide around town. Now the day of the game, his career is over. The AJC re-wrote the article and this is all that's left of it.


I just don't know what to say. I have many different thoughts. Part of me wants to ask why? The guy is a senior. Was it an academic support issue? How does this happen in someone's senior year? But let's not forget how Clarence Moore was impacted by the death of his mother 3 years ago. He took a year off from hoops before coming back to the team. Devestating family losses and their impact just cannot be judged.


There's another point to be made here that will be tough for many to swallow. Theodis Tarver is still eligible by NCAA standards. The problem is that he's no longer eligible by Georgia Tech standards. So those who don't understand our ability in various sports to compete at a higher level and attract better athletes, don't forget this fact. It's harder to make it at GT than most other schools. No arrogance, just truth.


There are still some unanswered questions.


1. Is Theo only ruled ineligible to play hoops? Can he continue his work to finish his degree? We all hope so, since this is the most important fact of all. He must have been on academic probation already because I thought that's they way the system worked.


2. How is it that this was announced the day of the Centenary game? That is a monumental coincidence. Monumental! Grades for the fall semester were evidently due into the system sometime around December 19. Why was it announced January 10? Evidently today is the first day of classes for the new semester. Is this why? After all, does anyone remember Can Gailey's quote prior to the Emerald Bowl stating that ALL his players had been ruled eligible to play? That was 3 weeks ago. He knew, so what's with the lag here? Could it be this from the Student Rules and Regulations:

XVII. Extracurricular Activities
A. ParticipationIn order to be eligible for participation in extracurricular activities, a student must satisfy the following requirements:
a) be enrolled in a degree program
b) maintain a schedule with at least six credit hours on a credit basis or
be a student in the Division of Professional Practice on work term.
c) not be on academic probation
...
Changes in academic standing that affect eligibility become effective when determined by the Institute at the end of each term (normally the Tuesday
following final examination week), except that a student whose academic standing changes from good to probation shall remain eligible through the day preceding the first day of instruction of the following academic term.

Was the wait because the case had been submitted to an academic oversight committee or something? Also, I wonder if the team knew about this during the holidays?

3. If they knew he was going to be ruled ineligible December 19, it seems possible that they could have held him out of any future games and he still would have met the criteria to redshirt and play next season. Why didn't this happen? Was this a possibility?


4. How will this ultimately impact Georgia Techs Academic Progress Rate? If Theo finishes his degree then it should be fine, but we're not sure he's able to do that.


5. Is there any further appeal process that could get him reinstated later in the season or is it 100% over? I think he's done, but I'm not 100% certain.


My last comment is that academic responsibility ultimately falls on the student-athlete. I barely made it through Tech as a student and I can't imagine what it's like as a SA. Yeah, they have access to a great support system as athletes, but they have to be incredibly more disciplined about their schedules, routines and habits compared to regular students. You may not like that statement, but it's true. Try traveling to Vegas or Utah or Miami or BC or Virginia, etc, etc, then practicing in all the non-game days and trying to keep up an academic load. I don't envy what they have to accomplish.


Theo is ultimately the fall-guy here. Not "the hill". Not the coaches. Not the school standards. Not the academic support staff. Make no mistake - this situation did not creep up on anybody. Although we'll never know the facts, "they knew". This was no surprise.


My only comment on humanity is this - Theo never caused a problem in his career. He stayed eligible and worked hard for at least 3 years. Now he is having a hard time dealing with the death of his mother. Should the school make some type of exception since he still meets NCAA standards? Personally, I think ANY student in this type of situation should be given a 2nd look. This is not about lowering the standards at Georgia Tech, but about being human and looking at a young man for his entire body of work. On that I would certainly give him a 2nd chance.


There is sadness about Theo not playing in his hometown tonight. Even worse, can you imagine senior day - now with nobody to salute and tell thank you. Maybe they'll do it anyway. Hopefully Theo will be able to continue and get his degree. After all, that is why the school exists - for academics. Best to you Theo. We all wish your career had taken a different path, but things happen for a purpose and someday hopefully that purpose will be revealed to you. Keep the faith my friend.


PossePartner over at the Hive published this version of the media guide that Theo's father might have been passing around:

Hoops - Interesting Quotes after the BC Game

Some interesting quotes from last night's game. First from BC head Coach Al Skinner:

Georgia Tech did a good job of taking it to us physically, particularly in the first 20 minutes. We didn't respond particularly well, I didn't think. In the second half, I thought we did a better job with that. They worked their tails off, they rebounded the crap out of the basketball and they hustled and I thought they played a great ball game. They had a couple of guys who made some shots, some three point shots as the shot clock is winding down and that makes it tough to win. In saying that, though, we had an opportunity and we've just got to capitalize on those opportunities."

I think "rebounding the crap out of the basketball" is a trend we would like to continue.


JEREMIS SMITH AND BACK SPASMS
From Coach Hewitt:

Jeremis Smith played the second half with a recurrence of back spasms that he had about 10 days ago. That's one of the reasons why I didn't take him out of the game. I wanted to take him out a couple of times but I was afraid it would tighten up.

"TURNING POINTS"
There have been a lot of quotes in recent articles about "defining moments" and "turning points", like there is some magic moment when something clicks in a player's head, or the team turns a corner, or suddenly he or "they" "get it".


Paul Hewitt on Zam Fredrick:

You never know what's going to spark someone and be a defining moment. Hopefully that's the one that will propel him to better shooting. I think his play has been good. His defense has improved and he's running the club better. He's been a good shooter all his life, and who knows, maybe this is the one that turns it around for him.

There has been talk of turning point games, turning point shots, etc. I think the BC game proves that the only way to win is to have 40 minutes of "turning points". Was Buck's shot the turning point for the team? No - it was the previous 39 minutes of hard play. Was it Buck's personal turning point - I guess it might be. We'll just have to see.


JEREMIS SMITH IS THE ATTITUDE BOSS
So evidently J-Smith is the emotional leader of this team.

"I told the guys last week after we beat Vanderbilt to just calm down. You can’t have that swagger,", Jeremis Smith said.

"I told the AJC after the Vanderbilt game to ask me after the Boston College game if I was happy, so now we're going to have a swagger about our self, but we're not going to stop there. We have to keep on working in practice, keep listening to coach [Paul] Hewitt, who's a great coach, and the coaching staff. We have plenty of teams left, Duke, Wake Forest, NC State, UNC, so we still have a crazy schedule ahead of us so we have to keep it up."

"Today, we can have a little swagger about ourselves," Smith said. "We've been saying since the beginning of the season that we were going to be a good team. But we're just getting to the place where our expectations were."

Evidently Smith has really become the serious on-court leader of this team, and he's just as serious mentally as he appears while playing:

All Anthony Morrow wanted out of Georgia Tech teammate Jeremis Smith was a smile.


So Morrow jumped on Smith's back and applied a mock headlock after Sunday's 60-58 victory over No. 11 Boston College. He wasn't about to let Smith, who scolded teammates for celebrating last week's win against Vanderbilt, put a damper on the victory at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.


"He's a pretty serious guy," Morrow said of Smith. "We call him little coach Hewitt. He's pretty intense."

However, let's not kid ourselves on who the real leader of the team is - Coach Hewitt:

A-Morrow:
"He [Paul Hewitt] breaks things down so much to let us know that no matter who we play, if we play them the right way, it shouldn't be a surprise that we beat them. Play with a high level of energy, play hard, box out and rebound."

"YOU JUST WAIT"
BC's Tyrese Rice on the loss:

"It's going to be payback," Rice said. "We have to get them when they come to our place."

Oh, by the way, here are Craig Smith's comments after beating UMass just prior to the GT game:

"We are ready to roll and see what this ACC is all about," said preseason
All-American Craig Smith, who yesterday was named ACC Player of the Week. "We
got one 'L' which we should have won and that's behind us. We are ready to roll
in ACC play."

Here were Al Skinner's comments after beating UMass:

"This is a different team that played against Maryland," said Skinner. "It's clear that we're improving. If we're gonna have success in this league we're gonna need to get better. The real season is about to start."

Wow, I guess we beat BC at their best then. Must be a different Tech team as well.

NOW TO THE VIDEO
See Jeremis Smith and Paul Hewitt talk to FSN after the game - link here.

What???

Get this - Damarius Bilbo will be playing quarterback at the Hula Bowl.

"It feels great to get another shot at quarterback," Bilbo said. "Since the Hula Bowl game doesn't mean much, they're going to let me throw the ball around during practice and work at the position."


If quarterback switch doesn't work out, Bilbo will enter the NFL Draft as an athlete like former Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones.


"All I want is an opportunity to play quarterback," Bilbo said. "If it fails, I will play wide receiver, safety or wherever the teams want."

Even George O'Leary had this to say:

"We signed Bilbo as a quarterback," O'Leary said at Conference-USA media days. "I was disappointed Bilbo didn't finish his college career at quarterback. I wasn't surprised Bilbo made the switch because he's a first-class individual."

Now here's my take - D-Bo never gave up the dream of QB like the reports said. He never fully embraced being a wide receiver in his heart. What he embraced was doing what was best for the team - and that was becoming a wide receiver. This is why I have a tremendous amount of respect for D-Bo and Mansfield Wrotto. Team success came before individual success. Have to tip my hat to those guys.

Hoops - Jackets take down Boston College 60-58

Well, the young upstarts did something most of us didn't expect tonight - win. That's right, the Jackets beat Boston College, the #11 team in the nation. An outstanding effort and unfortunately I don't have time for my usual game write-up. They keys - defense and rebounding (oh, and a few key shots). Here are some key points:


DEFENSE SHAPING UP
The Jackets continue to show a strong defense and they are starting to put it together half and after half after half. Not just streak defense. We're talking better fundamentals, better pressue and fewer breakdowns. BC was held to their lowest output of the season and their other low was 71.


WINDOW CLEANERS
Again the Jackets win the battle on the boards 33-23, including 15-9 on the offensive glass. BC just didn't get too many 2nd chance points (11 to GT's 17). Jeremis Smith led the way with 9 boards, and also happened to lead the scoring with 16. That's 7 straight games outrebounding opponents.


CLUTCH BUCKETS
There were some big buckets hit down the stretch and only one of them by Anthony Morrow. He did hit a key bomb after knocking his defender down. Lewis Clinch had a key putback and also a BIG 3pt shot down the stretch. Not bad for a guy who hasn't played in awhile. Nice to see him back. Of course Zam Fredrick had the biggest bomb off a cross-court pass from A-Mo, draining the big 3pter with less than a minute to go. Outstanding. If "the book" on the Jackets can no longer be "shut down A-Mo" then watch out. Bell is starting to hit shots. If Clinch can get back in the action, talk about a deadly perimeter group.


STILL NOT PROTECTING THE BALL
Still had 16 turnovers tonight. Better, but not by much. Still working on protecting the ball. BC only had 10 to's.


KEEP YOU HEAD LEVEL
Ok, the Jackets are 2-0 in the ACC, and actually lead the ACC as I watch Duke beat WF (so we'll be tied in 2 minutes). Excellent. Grab every ACC win we can. However, let's remember this is still mostly a team of frosh and sophs. They're learning how to win, but it's obviously they do learn. However, the rollercoaster will have to head the other diretion soon. Be happy, but don't start resetting all your expectations quite yet.


Outstanding work tonight. GO JACKETS!!!!

Where are they now - Chris Bosh

More praise for the young star Chris Bosh:

Pacers center Jeff Foster guards some of the most athletic big men in the league: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki, not to mention dealing with All-Star big man Jermaine O'Neal in practices.


But the veteran defender insists another player needs to be added to that list. After getting his fill of Raptors forward and former Georgia Tech star Chris Bosh in a loss last week, Foster was full of praise.


"He's getting to the point where his step is so long and so angular, it's really hard to guard him," Foster told the Indianapolis Star.


Pacers coach Rick Carlisle agrees.


"He's a great young player," Carlisle said. "He can almost do anything on the court. I can't tell you how impressed I am at how he's played."

Marcus Vick Dismissed from VaTech

You heard it right. He's gone from the team. Wow. Check it out. Not only that, it was revealed on the Virginia state web site that he was arrested December 17 for driving with a suspended or revoked liscense. How CONVENIENT that this all became public AFTER the season is over. Cheers to VT for taking a stand. Jeers to VT for not doing it BEFORE the bowl game.

Where are they now - Chris Bosh

Now this is pretty funny. So the Toronto Raptors are playing the Orlando Magic (Dwight Howard & co.). Bosh gets 2 quick fouls and has to sit most of the half. He only had 2 pts and 1 rebound in the half and the Raptors managed to grow a 61-42 halftime lead with Bosh on the bench. Evidently Morris Peterson was giving Bosh some major hazing:

Peterson said the Raps began riding Bosh at the half when they led 61-42, jokingly suggesting that they don't need him any longer.


"We reminded him that when he left Georgia Tech, they went to the Final Four," Peterson said, laughing. "And when he was there, they were terrible."

That's pretty funny if you ask me. Not exactly true, but funny anyhow. The truth is that he was there as a freshman with a freshman starting point guard. What do you expect? You think a junior Jarrett Jack and a junior Chris Bosh team would have lost to UConn? No way.

Where are they now - Tony Hollings

Not where he wants to be:

Texans running back Tony Terrell Hollings is out on bail after he was arrested Tuesday and charged with unlawfully carrying a gun and driving with a suspended license. A police officer stopped Hollings on a speeding violation in the 2400 block of the South Loop West. Hollings, 24, posted a $2,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

Ref Blasts Marcus Vick and VaTech

Wow, you don't hear about referees commenting much on player behaviour, but check out the comments of Steve Usecheck, the Big12 conference official who led the crew at the Lousivlle / VaTech bowl game:

Steve Usecheck, a Big 12 Conference official who led the crew for Monday's game, called Tech's first-half taunting and late hits the worst he's seen in his 22 seasons. He said that no official saw Vick stomp the back of Elvis Dumervil's leg while Dumervil was down on the turf late in the second quarter.


"We missed that, and I'm sorry we did," Usecheck told the Newport News Daily Press from his Colorado home. "The TV, everybody saw it but us. I wish we had the opportunity to talk to (Vick) because that was complete (expletive). You bet I would have thrown his ass out."


Usecheck said he has not seen a replay of the Vick incident but that purposely stomping a defenseless opponent warrants ejection. NBC showed the incident several times during its Gator Bowl telecast, and the footage has aired countless times since on ESPN and other networks. Tech athletic director Jim Weaver has called Vick's action "unacceptable" and vowed to punish him.


Officials called five personal fouls against the Hokies during the first half -- four that cost Tech yardage and one that was offset by a Louisville personal foul.


"I was really disappointed," Usecheck said. "We don't see football like that (in the Big 12). Those kids were just completely out of control. Louisville wasn't as bad. Virginia Tech was brutal."


Usecheck ejected Hokies All-America cornerback Jimmy Williams in the first quarter for swinging his arm at head linesman Al Green. Williams was jawing with Louisville's Amobi Okoye, and Green grabbed Williams to separate the two.


"He never hit the official but he swung at him twice," Usecheck said of Williams, a senior from Bethel High.


During the standard meeting of team captains prior to the second half, Usecheck said he told the players, "I don't care if I'm out here until midnight calling penalties. This has got to stop."

Football - the Allure of Special Teams

Thanks to Neil for this link. It is an interesting article about the excitement (or lack there of) of playing on special teams. Is special teams an area where guys are "banished" that couldn't become starters? Or are the special teams an competitive landscape with players competing for spots? Are your best players getting on special teams, or is it only a place to give playing time for younger guys? Obviously for Texas, special teams hold a special place in the hearts of their players. We know for any Frank Beamer squad, it's the same thing. Does Georgia Tech have this passion for special teams? Sorry to say that wasn't the case from my seat in 2005. But we all know change is needed there. Wonder what will happen in the off-season. My bet is that there will be changes here.

Football - Congrats to Andrew Gardner!!!

Congrats to Andrew Gardner, who was just named to the freshman All-American 1st team !!!! Andrew started every game and played almost every snap as a redshirt freshman. Many great days to come...................

The Case for an Offensive Coordinator

Actually, I'm not going to make a case, but here are some interesting stats from "footballjacket" at the Hive. This is our offensive and defensive national rankings since 1999:


...Offense NR/PPG.... Defense NR/PPG
2005.... 103/18.5.... 23/20.1
2004.... 85/22.0..... 21/18.9
2003.... 90/21.08.... 27/20.5
2002.... 94/21.54.... 27/20.5
2001.... 28/31.75.... 37/22.3
2000.... 18/33.82.... 21/19.0
1999.... 2/40.7...... 93/30.3


So statistically the defense has been very consistent since the 2000 season, while the offensive has progressively gone downhill. To this point Chan Gailey has not wanted to hire an offensive coordinator but there is a large fan base that would like to see this happen.


Our ACC coastal rival Tarheels just hired an OUTSTANDING offensive coordinator in Fresno State's Frank Cignetti, Frankly I'm a little jealous. There are plenty of good ones out there. I'm not saying someone else would automatically do a better job, but the results haven't been there in 4 years offensively and we know what an outstanding defensive coordinator can do for you. Why couldn't it help on offense? If a junior QB 3-year starter, the best wide receiver in the nation and a senior RB who led the ACC 2 years ago can't get it done, then where are we going? Ok, I conveniently ignored the fact that our inexperienced offensive line was the #1 reason why the offense struggled this season. Our QB was #2. The bottom-line is that some type of adjustments need to be made to improve this offense. There is good individual talent, but we're not scoring much.


There is a good debate over at the Hive about different offensive options and issues. Actually some very good football discussion.

Where are they now - Mac McWhorter

He'll be coaching the O-Line tonight for Texas during the national championship game, that's where.

Mac McWhorter, an All-SEC guard at Georgia in 1973, is a well-traveled offensive line coach who's considered one of the best in the business. McWhorter joined the Texas staff in 2002 after leaving Georgia Tech, where he served as interim coach for the Jackets' bowl game after George O'Leary left for Notre Dame.


McWhorter is credited with bringing toughness to a Texas line that used to be labeled "soft."


"Coach McWhorter brought back the blocking sled and put us in chutes to get our pads lower and just is constantly yelling at us to strain, pushing us beyond where we think we can go," senior guard Will Allen told the Dallas Morning News. "He believes in proper technique, but he also believes that passion and toughness can make up for a lot. His intense style brings that out in us."

Hoops - Jackets Take Down Vandy

Well, I used the Moxi (DVR) and watched the game fresh into the late night. And what a great game it was, as the Jackets pull away late and beat a good Vanderbilt team 76-67 at home.



GAME FLOW
A very entertaining 1st half. The Jackets were on fire, hitting 16/24 shots. The offense was really clicking, with every player scoring points. A-Mo was hot, Buck was hitting his shots, Jeremis Smith seemed to be where he needed to be at critical moments. Dickey seemed to have some fire. Paco was very active. Interestingly, the defense against Vandy was pretty darn good, but Vandy just kept hitting long range 3's. But honestly it was just outstanding passing by Vandy to find the open man, then they found the open guy. I just can't fault the Jacket D. So the game stayed fairly tight the entire half with the Jackets taking a 5 point lead into the lockerroom.


The 2nd half opened with a little sloppy play by the Jackets, allowing Vandy to get close again, and it stayed nip and tuck the rest of the way. It proved to be just as entertaining as the 1st half, only the blood pressure steadily rose as the clock wound down. Finally the Jackets distanced themselves with a minute to go for the 9 point victory.


Very encouraging was that this was probably the most complete game of the season for the Jackets. They play two outstanding defensive halves and two very good offensive halves. There were issues, but overall a complete effort tonight with fire in their eyes.


DEFENSE
Vandy shot 42% in the 1st half, including 6/13 from 3pt range. In the 2nd half they shot 46%. Statistically you'd say this was not a solid effort if you didn't see the game. You'd be wrong. The Jackets were very active on defense against another team that tries to play a slower style game using up the clock. Vandy just hit their shots. You have to give them credit. They hit a ton of long threes. They hit a bunch of contested shots. They had a few easy ones, but they made some good passes against a very active Jacket defense. Tech had 9 steals and Vandy had 16 turnovers total. The key stat is that Vandy finally started missing those long bombs in the 2nd half and they ended the 2nd half 23% from long distance. That was key. (It also helped that Vandy went 6-11 from the stripe in the 2nd half.


Overall great effort by the D tonight. More games like this and we just might win a few.


REBOUNDING
Tech dominated the boards 35-18. Particularly important is that Vandy just didn't get a bunch of 2nd chance points. A few, but not a lot. J-Smith and A-Mo led the way with 9 boards each. They did waht they needed to do and it made a difference.


OFFENSE
Outstanding first half by the Jackets. 67% from the floor including 4/7 from 3pt range and 13 assists on 16 baskets. The amazing thing is that the trend never ended. They shot 61% for the game, 6-9 from long range. Ball movement was generally crisp, passing was good and they found the open man for a good shot a lot.


It was also a team effort with everyone hitting shots. A-Mo led the way with 28 pts, while 3 other guys hit for double figures (Buck, Bell, Dickey). A-Mo is just sick when he gets on fire. D'Andre Bell had a nice game for sure, hitting on some good long and mid-range shots.


The main negative for this game was turnovers. There were 22 of them. That's something that has been an issue this season. Get this under control and keep the defense and rebounding level high and this could be a fun ACC campaign.


THE TED VALENTINE EFFECT
our old buddy was at it again at the end of the game. Remember that referee Ted Valentine is the guy that gave UGAg a victory in double OT a couple years ago. First he makes sure that A-Mo gets credited for only a 2-pointer instead of a 3pt shot at a critical point in the game. Then with less than one minute to go, a Vandy player runs right into Buck Fredrick from behind and takes the ball from him which leads to two VAndy free throws. Buck was clearly run over from behind and who was RIGHT THERE watching it from 10 feet away? Old Teddy V. That's right. But Teddy, it was not your night. The Jackets prevailed anyhow. The guy who was banned from the Big 10 lives to fight another day.


A-MO - BRING THE HEAT
Anthony Morrow is dangerous. That kid can flat out shoot the ball. I love his quick release and when he gets going, watch out. Deadly. If he can continue to expand his game and show an inside/outside presence, wow. He grabbed 9 boards tonight to go with his 28 points. Did I mention the 4 assists and 2 steals. Wow. And the kid has fire. He's got passion. I always liked Marvin Lewis and these two guys get compared a lot, but their personalities are so different. Lewis was much more reserved on the court, a reluctant leader. A-mo is fire in a bottle.


HALFTIME INTERVIEW WITH COACH HEWITT
Fox Sports had a short interview with Coach Hewitt at halftime (it was taped prior to the game). He is very happy with the defense the last 4 or so games, but we've had way too many turnovers on the offensive end and have wasted those good defensive efforts. Says we need to shoot the ball better from the 3pt line. A-Mo is doing an outstanding job "carrying us" from long range, but Clinch and West are both capable 3pt shooters and if we can get those guys back healthy we'll have more firepower from behind the arc.

Hoops Recruiting - The 1-2 Punch

Very interesting article talking about the importance of a recruiting 1-2 punch. In other words having 2 good recruiting classes in a row to build a successful base for your program. Based on that article the ACC looks like this for the classes of 2005 and 2006:

Schoo....2005-2006 rankings
Duke.....1-2
UNC......2-1
NCST.....3-9
GT.......4-3
WF.......5-4
Miami....6-7
Clemson..7-10
FSU......8-5
UVA......9-8
MD.......10-6
BC.......11-11
VaTech...12-12


Also interesting that they mention that the ACC signed 21 of the top 100 high school seniors in 2002. Only 12 of them are listed as seniors on ACC rosters, as most have gone pro. That class include Chris Bosh and Jarrett Jack for the Jackets.


Now, you want to REALLY get interesting. Go for the 1-2-3 punch. Throw in a 3 year comparison and add our Morrow / Dickey / Smith / Fredrick class to the mix. Talk about a great 3 year recruiting run.

Football - Looking Ahead to 2006

How's this for an opening to the 2006 season:

If you bleed Irish, mark your calendar for Sept. 2 against Georgia Tech. That’s when Notre Dame begins its football quest for a national championship.


Nine months can’t go fast enough for those who believe 2006 will be a season to remember and want to forget another bowl heartbreak — and why not? The Irish (9-3) are set to return eight starters on a potent offense and nine on a not-so-potent-but-surely-will-improve defense.

If that doesn't get you fired up this coming spring nothing will. Another national power to open this season. There will be plenty of tradition to talk about prior to this game. Don't fret too much in the off-season. Another season on the gridiron is just around the corner.

Hoops Recruiting - Javaris Crittenton Update

From the recent Arby's Classic Tourney


GAME 1 (win)
24 min, 19 pts, 8 boards, 3 assists, 1 block, 4 to, 2 steals


GAME 2 (loss)
24 min, 22 pts, 9 boards, 4 assists, 0 blocks, 6 to, 5 steals


GAME 3 (win)
24 min, 13 pts, 5 boards, 9 assists, 0 blocks, 5 to, 5 steals


GAME 4 (win)
24 min, 29 pts, 5 boards, 9 assists, 1 block, 2 to, 6 steals



His team finished 5th in the tourney.

Bowl Conference Standings

For your reading pleasure. The ACC once again is looking strong:


Pac-10 (5 USC)............3-1
ACC (8 FSU)...............5-2
SEC (6 Done)..............3-3
Big 12 (8 Texas)..........4-3
C-USA (6 Done)............3-3
Mountain West (4 Done)....2-2
Independents (2 Done).....1-1
MAC (2 Done)..............1-1
Big Ten (7 PSU)...........2-4
WAC (3 Done)..............1-2
Big East (4 Done).........1-3
Sun Belt (1 Done).........0-1

Hoops Recruiting - Thaddeus Young Story

Nice story on Thad Young:

Some final thoughts from the 25th Beach Ball Classic last week ...


It seems to me that today's young stars are becoming less selfish on the court, looking to model themselves more after LeBron James than Kobe Bryant.


Mitchell's Thaddeus Young, rated as the No. 3 senior prospect by Rivals.com, was the highest-regarded player at the tournament, but he did not even lead his team in shots attempted through the semifinals.


That distinction went to Brandon Powell, a fine player who will suit up next year for Florida.


Young proved a great player does not always have to force himself into the offense. In the team's first three tournament games, all wins, Young took 38 shots but was able to average 24.7 points per game, which was good for fifth in the tournament thanks to an amazing 71 shooting percentage.


It looks as though Georgia Tech will enjoy a talented, selfless and levelheaded star, for at least one season.

Football Recruiting - Jackets Losing O Lineman?

It looks like GT commit Heath Batchelor might be shopping himself around the other schools. He's the only O-Lineman we have committed and there was only going to be one in this class. So this story bears watching:

OL Heath Batchelor (6-7 290) of Haleyville, AL has been committed to Georgia Tech since October and remains so, but he is beginning to look at other options, including USC. Batchelor said the Gamecocks have been showing serious interest and he talked Sunday night with recruiter Ron Cooper who plans to visit him at school once it starts back January 10th. Batchelor said he hopes to set an official visit with the Gamecocks. Arkansas recently offered and he will visit there January 20th. He has visited Georgia Tech. Batchelor said Georgia Tech's offensive line coach will visit him Wednesday and Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt will be in on Friday.

A recent Rivals article quotes Batchelor as saying he committed to the Jackets so he could lock in to a bigtime program early, and now will explore what other options he has. Hate to say it, but the staff better start looking elsewhere. If you're only going to sign on offensive lineman, you better make it a good one. Don't get left at the alter, then have to scramble for somebody. Find someone now I say and go after them harder.

Tech's Link in Gator Bowl Growth

Interesting article and mention of how Georgia Tech helped increase the profile of the Gator Bowl:

Olsen said one of the early campaigns that really got a lot of the community involved in the Gator Bowl effort was selling memberships in the association.


"I remember when a membership was $15 and that included two tickets to the game. These days, you can’t get a hot dog and a drink (at the game) for that much money," he said.


Olsen added that television — plus some key team selections — also changed the Gator Bowl for the better.


"One that really helped us a great deal was the game played in 1956, when we got Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh and moved the game to Saturday for television," he said. "Tech was hot — one of the best teams in the country — and having Pittsburgh got us the national attention we had never had before."


The 1956 game put the Gator Bowl on the college football map and made it easier to cultivate relationships in order to attract the top teams, Olsen said. "Pretty soon, we could pick up the phone and they knew who we were," he said.

Bowl Changes

Interesting read. My take is this - if you are clearly saying that you will NOT pick anyone but a local team (like the Mieneke Charlotte Bowl), then here's ther rule - you get last pick in the bowl list. You don't get to pick until EVERYONE else has gone through the teams they want. Don't care how much money you put up. That's it. You want to be a local bowl and not a conference bowl, then the REAL conference bowls get first dibs.

Hoops - Jackets take down Bethune-Cookman

It was the first game I didn't watch, listen or attend, and evidently it was one of the better outings, as the Jackets took down powerhouse Bethune-Cookman 73-46 with a 2nd half surge. Ok, not exactly a powerhouse, and things were close until the half, but A-Mo went off early in the 2nd half and they never looked back.


BODIES PILING UP
Mario West is going to miss 2-4 weeks with an injury to his foot. He missed the game.............. The good news is that Lewis Clinch was given clearance to get back in practice and the weight room early............... However, Jeremis Smith had to deal with back spasms, which is the primary reason his production was down.


GETTING IT DEFENSIVELY
Coach Hewitt seems to like the improvement defensively the team is making. I sure hope so, because they're gonna need it come ACC time. They way things have been looking, it appears as though this is going to be a long conference slate.


BOTHERSOME QUOTE OF THE DAY
I saw this quote from Buck Fredrick, which kind of bothered me:

Sophomore point guard Zam Fredrick played well after scoring six points with eight turnovers against Air Force. He scored 12 points and had seven assists with six rebounds on Saturday.


"Seems like when I score early, I play better," Fredrick said. "I can't let that dictate how I play."

Yes, Buck has done the best job running the team, but he still needs to work on his passing, ball control and turnovers. He still looks like a Scoring Guard trying to play point. He leads the team in shots and while Morrow scored 20 points, Zam took more shots. Maybe Coach wants him to be aggressive with his shot, but it seems that until he takes on more of a PG mentality, he'll be up-and-down. But what do I know.

Hoops - Thaddeus Young Update

Thaddeus Young was back in action after a couple of weeks off with his ankle injury. He came back and garnered the MVP of the Beach Ball Classic this weekend. His Mitchell team lost in the final, but he managed 31 points and 11 boards. For the tourney he averaged 25pts, 9.5 boards, 62% FG%, 45% 3pt%, 95% FT% and managed a 5:1 assist/turnover ratio (thanks RamblinRed for the stats).


Certainly a nice weekend for the future star. Glad to see him back in action.

Hoops - Javaris Crittenton Update

From GoldtotheBone over at the Hive:

Southwest Atlanta Christian finished fifth in the December 27-31 Arby's Classic tournament in Bristol, TN, beating Father Henry Carr HS from Toronto 75-56. Javaris Crittendon had 29 for SAC in this game on 12-20 FG and 3-4 FT.


The Arby's Classic featured 18 teams, including two time defending Tennesee AA state Champion Bolivar Central featuring 6-3 Memphis signee Willie Kemp and 6-9 Tennesee signee Wayne Chism and Brentwood Academy, the Tennesee private school champion with 6-9 Brandan Wright, a UNC signee. These two teams met in the final game, which was won by Brentwood. Several top prospects, including 6-6 junior Zane Johnson of Phoenix Thunderbird HS, 6-7 senior D. J. Wright of Father Henry Carr HS of Toronto and 6-5 Ramon Harris of West Anchorage, AK HS played in the tournament.


Southwest Atlanta Christian won their first game easily 60-35 over Dobyns-Bennett HS, a local team, with Javaris scoring 19 on 8 FGs. Then they lost in the second round 63-55 to Science Hill HS, another local team. He had 22 points on only 9-24 shooting and 4-9 FT in that game, after sitting out several minutes with foul trouble. In the third game, SAC won 69-49 over Keenan HS from Columbia, SC. In that game, he scored 13 on 5-13 FG and 3-7 FT.


Javaris won the slam dunk contest over some very good competition! He and teammate Danny Friend made the 20 player all-tournament team. Brandan Wright was the well-deserved tournament MVP. He runs like a deer, leaps quickly and can handle the ball like a guard. He will hard to handle for UNC.


Javaris is a very athletic and quick player, a good ballhandler who can drive to the goal or pull up for the jumper. His jump shot came and went during this tournament. He will be hard to keep out of the starting lineup for Tech next season.

Mandell Can't wait to get his shots

Stewart Mandel just loves to take the cheap shots. We didn't hear much when Gailey's crew was beating Miami, but after the bowl loss, he's at it again:

Finally, congratulations to Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey for clinching himself another spot at the top of my worst coaches list next summer. Though the Jackets have been mainstays of the "we don't-want-to-be-here" bowls, a 38-10 loss to this year's Utah team takes some serious work.

Matt Harpring Pays for Blowout Football Loss

Well, Matt Harpring was in the land of the Utes, yet he boldy predicted a 70+ point blowout GT victory in the Emerald Bowl. Dare I say - he was "nuts". Anyhow, he's paying the price. Way to stick up for your team though.